Oregon is expected to be without its top two players, but Dusty May says that won't change the prep for Michigan basketball.
EUGENE, OR — Some Michigan basketball players were still in their jerseys after their win over Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 14, but their minds had already shifted to Oregon.
The Wolverines made their first Big Ten trip to the Pacific Northwest to face the Huskies and Ducks, and after dispatching the former, 82-72, they turned to the latter, all that was standing between them and their third sweep in the western US in the past 10 months.
"Yeah that's one," point guard L.J. Cason said. "Looking to make it two."
The No. 3 Wolverines (15-1, 5-1 Big Ten) face the Ducks (8-9, 1-5) on Saturday, Jan. 17 (4 p.m., NBC) in what is the first time in a long time Oregon has struggled under coach Dana Altman. As good as the Wolverines were in a Thanksgiving-week tourney in Las Vegas, trouncing Auburn and San Diego State, the Ducks were that bad, falling to those joint foes in the Players Era Festival as part of a six-game skid and a 4-9 run since opening the season with four straight wins. Oregon's only win in Big Ten play this season is over winless Maryland – and even that was a struggle for the Ducks, who won by 10 at home.
The Wolverines will likely provide their stiffest test yet, and to make matters worse for the Ducks, Altman announced Friday that his team will be without its two best players.
One was not a surprise: Jackson Shelstad – who hit a winning 3 with 1.4 seconds left against Michigan in December 2023 – broke his right hand during practice in October and though he suited up for his team's first 12 games, he has missed the past four.
But now Oregon will also be without Nate Bittle, its leading scorer (16.3 points per game), rebounder (6.7) and rim protector (2.3 blocks per game). The 7-foot homegrown center also seemed to fit the mold of those who've given U-M fits at the center spot as a stretch-five: He's shooting 39.1% on 3s on more than four attempts per night.
“It’s a character check for us – I thought we gave in during the second half (against Nebraska) without Nate,” Altman told reporters. “I challenged them in practice, we gotta show some character here. You’re judged at how you handle adversity – with our two preseason all-conference players and leading scorers out, how are we gonna handle that?"
As far as Michigan's concerned, it changes little. Yes, the Wolverines are well aware Oregon will be missing more than 30 points per night in Bittle and Shelstad. But for a team that coach Dusty May said hadn't lived up to its own standard of intensity, this will be a test for how U-M can keep its focus in a game where it is heavily favored.
"Obviously, those two guys are elite players," May said. "But when you play at Oregon, or you play it wherever ... every team at this level has really good players, and so our mindset can't change.
"They don't have the experience and the star power, but there's a lot of really good players on that Oregon team that have produced other places, and just this gives them an opportunity."
Michigan got acclimated with Matthew Knight Arena with a practice late Friday morning, the day after flying south from Seattle. U-M went out for a team dinner in Seattle and had something planned in Eugene – about 110 miles due south from Portland – for Friday, but May was coy when talking about it, calling it only "a team activity."
If Michigan is able to get some breathing room in the second half, this could be a chance for the home-state kid –freshman Winters Grady from Tualatin (a Portland suburb) – to get some run in front of his family.
It has also provided an opportunity for assistant coach Justin Joyner, to see his family – wife, Tracy, is the coach of Oregon's women's soccer team. Michigan is trying to enjoy its time and make itself right at home on the West Coast, all while remembering this is a business trip.
"It's all fun," May said. "Obviously, the travel is tough. I don't envy these West Coast teams with how often they have to do it, but I think we all knew what we were getting into, and we signed up for."
Michigan basketball vs Oregon prediction
This game looked much tougher on paper earlier this season, but without Bittle ad Shelstad, Oregon doesn't seem to have the horses. Senior transfer guard Takai Simpkins (Elon) is a nice player and forward Kwame Evans Jr. is actually the team's leading rebounder, but both are better working in the background. Michigan should be lined up for an enjoyable flight home. The pick: U-M 90, Oregon 67
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball gears up for short-handed Oregon: Prediction, preview
Category: General Sports
