Stanford Gears Up For Early Test Against Oregon Ducks in Exhibition Showdown

After some key departures, we'll get our first look at the new additions Stanford has made for the 2025-26 campaign

Dec 21, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad (3) dribbles against Stanford Cardinal guard Jaylen Blakes (21) during the second half at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

After a long offseason, and spirits as high as ever, Stanford men’s basketball is finally back in action tonight. It’s been about seven months since the men's program played on the hardwood at Maples Pavilion, but Stanford will be hosting former Pac 12 rival Oregon on Thursday at 5 PM PT, with the game broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

The Cardinal have matched up quite a bit with their old conference foe, playing them a total of 10 times in the last five seasons. Those games went many different ways at many different venues.

The most recent game was held last season on December 21, when the two met for the San José Tip-Off, a MTE (Multi Team Event) with Cal and San Diego State. The Ducks won 76-61. In the last 10 games, Oregon has won seven, with Stanford taking three. The Ducks have also won three in a row, which will make this a great tune-up game.

But when they play at Maples it’s a whole different story, as Stanford has won four of the last six on their home court.

These two rosters are stacked, and should be an awesome exhibition matchup. Stanford returns the most minutes in the ACC, but loses out on top scorers Maxime Raynaud, Jaylen Blakes, and Oziyah Sellers from last season.

In the offseason, they picked up five new talents. Two are foreign-born freshman, in Kristers Skrinda and Oskar Giltay. Another won the Gatorade Player of the Year, Ebuka Okorie, who has been named the Cardinal starting point guard for the season

Stanford is also adding an All-American from both the Division II and III levels in Jeremy Dent-Smith and AJ Rohosy.

Oregon returns a lot of the same production from last year’s tournament team, most notably star guard and big duo Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle. But they also brought in some key players. Former Duke and Ohio State forward Sean Stewart teams up with Bittle in the frontcourt, and Wei Lin is brought in from the Nanjing Monkey Kings of the CBA.

But Oregon's depth is certainly an issue to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Thursday’s exhibition will answer some tough questions from both programs. For Stanford, can the stars step up? Can their depth wear out shorter rosters such as Oregon? Can they continue their winning ways at home against the Ducks?

For Oregon, will Shelstad even play in this tune-up? How does their depth look? Can head coach adapt to his roster?

Many questions will be answered, and both programs have the chance to prove themselves on a big preseason stage. That all starts on Thursday, when the Cardinal and Ducks go head to head.

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