Dana Altman Reacts to Oregon Ducks' Recent Win Amidst Troubled Season

It's no secret that the Oregon Ducks Men's Basketball team is having an off year. With key injuries sidelining players throughout the season, a lack of leadership, and post season hopes out the window; Oregon sits firmly as the second to last team in the Big Ten Conference with an overall 10-17 record (3-13 conference record).

However, Oregon Men's Basketball coach Dana Altman believes that Oregon's down-to-the-wire win over the USC Trojans might give his squad a motivator to emerge as a potential spoiler opponent for their final four game regular season stretch.

Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dana Altman talks with forward Sean Stewart (13), guard Drew Carter (12), center Nate Bittle (32) and forward Kwame Evans Jr. (10) in the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Finding Joy In Being the Upset Team

Though the Ducks were on top entering the half 35-32 against the Trojans, Oregon fought from behind for a majority of the second half, gifting 16 points to their Big Ten adversary thanks to ten turnovers (15 turnovers for the total game).

However the Ducks, who hadn't won against a Big Ten team with a winning record the entire season, clinched the win in the final minute of play thanks in part to 18 second-half points from junior forward Kwame Evans Jr. and two free throws from senior center Nate Bittle.

That hustle to come back in the final minutes for a 71-70 final score impressed upon Altman that the Ducks could find fight in a spoiler win to carry through the final stretch without a postseason.

"You want them to enjoy the experience," Altman said via Go Ducks' Rob Moseley. "Usually pushing them and being hard on them translates to some wins. When it doesn’t, it does take the fun out of it. To see them in the locker room smiling, it was good.”

Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Terrance Williams II (5) and Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) and forward Sean Stewart (13) react at the end of the game at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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A Look Back at Oregon's Past

Though not even close to the lows this years' squad faced on the hardwood (including the absence of a leader like junior guard Jackson Shelstad), the four game stretch ahead for the Ducks coming off an upset against a winning team like the Trojans feels a tad similar to the 2019 season, in which a then 10-8 Pac-12 conference record Ducks squad came back from a loss to Arizona State to beat the then ranked No. 24 Arizona and go on to sweep the remaining three conference games.

The Ducks squad back then had postseason hopes and more success in three point accuracy, ball-handling, and extra motivation; but that last stretch could be an indicator that Altman used the joy of being the spoiler as motivation before.

Also funny enough, around the same time on the schedule for 2019-2020 and 2025-2026, the Ducks also took two consecutive losses in a row (losses to Stanford and Oregon State in 2019-2020 & losses to Indiana and Purdue in 2025-2026), then won (two in a row for 2019-2020 and one in 2025-2026), following with a loss only to bounce back in an unlikely fashion against a winning program.

Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Sean Stewart (13) dribbles the ball against Oregon Ducks guard Jamari Phillips (24) in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Looking Ahead

Oregon's final four games ahead of them are all conference opponents with home court advantage split in half. On Feb. 24, Matthew Knight Arena welcomes Wisconsin (11-5 conference record), then the Ducks travel to Northwestern (3-13 conference record), then Illinois (13-4 conference record), before capping off the regular season with Washington (5-11 conference record) back in Eugene.

Though facing the Fighting Illini on the road may be a tougher challenge than the rest of their remaining matches, Altman's analysis of the lockerroom after the USC defeat and the contributions of the previously injured Bittle may be the gas in the tank the Ducks need to finish with a higher conference record than second to last.