5 Things to Know About Purdue's Next Opponent — Oregon Ducks
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After nearly a week away from the hardwood, No. 12 Purdue returns to action on Saturday at Mackey Arena, hosting Oregon in a matinee. The Boilermakers are coming off a 30-point victory over Maryland last Sunday and are hoping to build off that success.
Dana Altman's team is limping into West Lafayette — literally and figuratively. The Ducks are just 8-14 on the season and have just one Big Ten win on the year. A lot of Oregon's struggles can be attributed to injuries, which we'll dive into here shortly.
Here are a few things to know about Oregon ahead of Saturday's matchup with Purdue.
Injuries have derailed the Ducks
Oregon's season was derailed early with an injury to star guard Jackson Shelstad. He played in just 12 games before suffering a hand injury that will likely keep him sidelined for the remainder of the year. He was averaging 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per contest.
Not only was one of the Big Ten's top guards sidelined, the Ducks also lost leading scorer Nate Bittle due to a lower-body injury in mid-January. He has not played in a game since a 90-55 loss to Nebraska on Jan. 13.
As if that's not bad enough, Altman recently said that junior center Ege Demir and junior wing Devon Pryor are both likely out for the remainder of the season, per Oregon Ducks On SI. Pryor is averaging 2.9 points and 2.5 rebounds and Demir is posting 2.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
The return of Bittle?
There may be some hope for the Ducks this weekend. Altman indicated this week that Bittle could be back on the floor for Saturday's game against Purdue. He also clarified that by saying, "I'm hoping. That's me looking for a glimmer of hope."
A 7-foot center, Bittle can score from anywhere on the floor. His ability to move around the perimeter and knock down shots from the three-point line makes him a difficult player to cover. He's also an effective defender in the post, averaging 2.3 blocks per game.
Even if Bittle does return against Purdue, it will be his first appearance in nearly a month. He could be dealing with some rust.
Evans is a do-it-all big man
Oregon has needed someone to step up with so many injuries this season. Kwame Evans Jr. has filled that void, averaging 13.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. In other words, he's been doing it all for the Ducks.
Evans has scored in double figures in 16 of his 20 appearances this year and has been one of the team's most consistent shooters, hitting at a 47.3% clip. Because of his 6-foot-10 size, he's another player who can be tough to defend when he gets into a rhythm offensively.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Evans' game is his ability to play aggressively on the defensive end without fouling. That can be a difficult thing to accomplish in the Big Ten, but he's logging just two fouls per game while playing more than 30 minutes.
Big Ten's third-worst shooting team
Sometimes, games come down to hitting or missing shots. The Ducks have missed more than their fair share this season. They're one of the Big Ten's worst-shooting teams, and it doesn't really matter where they get looks.
Oregon is shooting 42.3% from the field, which ranks 318th nationally. The only teams in the Big Ten with worse percentages are Rutgers and Maryland. Additionally, Oregon's 32.4% three-point rate is 267th and its 71.4% free throw percentage is 211th.
This is a team that is really struggling to put the ball in the basket this season.
An eight-game losing streak
Perhaps it comes as no surprise, but Oregon is carrying an eight-game losing streak heading into this weekend's game in West Lafayette. The Ducks weren't particularly good before the injuries to Bittle and others, but the situation has only gotten worse.
Oregon's last victory came on Jan. 2, a 64-54 win over Maryland in College Park. The Ducks have lost their last eight games by an average margin of defeat of 15.4 points per game. Altman's team just looks like it's getting worn down at this stage in the year.
A week off to prepare for Purdue will help the Ducks rest and recuperate, but it could be another ugly outing for Oregon.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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