Underrated Oregon Basketball Star Turns Heads in Ducks' Win Over Oregon State

The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team improved to 4-0 on the season with an 87-75 rivalry win over the Oregon State Beavers. Kwame Evans Jr. recorded a double-double performance in the win. How can Evans have an impact on the Ducks' scoring this season?

Oregon head coach Dana Altman calls to his team as the Oregon Ducks host the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Nov. 12, 2025, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team has improved to 4-0 for the third consecutive season, following a 87-75 win over their bitter in-state rival, the Oregon State Beavers on Monday night at Matthew Knight Arena.

Entering the season, the Ducks aim to be one of the top teams in the Big Ten following a 2024-25 season that featured a 25-10 overall record, including a 12-8 conference finish. Several players on Oregon's roster are expected to have a significant impact on the Ducks' success this season, with one of those contributors being junior Kwame Evans Jr.

Evans Impresses In Rivalry Win Over Oregon State

Oregon's Kwame Evans Jr., left, and Sean Stewart, right, battle Oregon State’s Yaak Yaak, center, for a rebound during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Nov. 17, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the Ducks' win over Oregon State on Monday night, Evans had a crucial impact in the rivalry victory, scoring 16 points and grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds. Evans' performance against the Beavers was also the second double-double of his career with Oregon. Evans' 16 points were also a season high and his second double-digit scoring performance of the year.

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Through four games this season for Oregon, Evans has averaged 9.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, while shooting 47.6 percent from the field. Evans is looking to take a major leap in his junior season as a starter for the Ducks. In his sophomore season with Oregon, Evans averaged 6.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game.

How Evans Can Be a Reliable Scoring Option For Oregon

Oregon forwards Sean Stewart, right, and Kwame Evans Jr. trade off as the Oregon Ducks host the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Nov. 4, 2025, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Evans is looking to be that fourth scoring option behind Elon transfer guard Takai Simpkins, junior guard Jackson Shelstad, and senior center Nate Bittle. In addition to Evans' double-double performance against the Beavers, Simpkins, Shelstad, and Bittle all scored in double figures for the Ducks.

Bittle led Oregon in scoring with 24 points, seven rebounds, and one assist on 7-of-9 shooting. Shelstad added 22 points for the Ducks, while Simpkins scored 13. Bittle and Shelstad will continue to be the top scoring options throughout the season for the Ducks, but the contributions of Evans and Simpkins will be the key moving forward, as the Ducks will soon enter Big Ten conference play.

Evans continuing to have performances similar to the one he had in the win against Oregon State will be an encouraging sign for the impact that he can have on the Ducks this season and the team's potential.

Upcoming Players Era Festival For Oregon

The Oregon men's basketball team comes together backstage before their game against Oregon State at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Nov. 17, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Following the rivalry win over the Beavers, Oregon will face its first-ranked opponent of the season, as it'll play the No. 22 Auburn Tigers as part of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas on Nov. 24. The matchup against Auburn is set to be Oregon's first major challenge of the season.

In addition to playing Auburn in Las Vegas, the Ducks will also face the San Diego State Aztecs on Nov. 25 as a part of the Players Era Festival. These two games will give Oregon fans an early indication of how good the Ducks can be this season in the Big Ten and how they stack up against two likely NCAA Tournament teams.