There’s plenty of uncertainty surrounding Oregon men’s basketball. With the regular season winding down and nine losses to its record, the chances of making the NCAA Tournament are slim. Perhaps just as concerning is that two of the Ducks’ biggest stars, Jermaine Couisnard and N’Faly Dante, are both in their fifth year.
But Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr. showed a glimpse into the future in Oregon’s (19-9, 11-6 Pac-12) 78-71 win against Oregon State (12-17, 4-14 Pac-12) on Wednesday.
The Ducks were in need of a win and needed everyone to contribute to make that a reality. Couisnard’s cold shooting night made it even more vital that the freshmen stepped up. Couisnard drained a triple in the opening two minutes of the game. For the rest of the half, however, he was a non-factor.
The freshmen pair carried the load. Minutes into the matchup, Evans Jr. put his heart on display crashing the glass for an and-1 opportunity. Evans Jr. showed his ability to stretch the floor and hit jumpers, while also staying aggressive drawing fouls in the paint.
“He did a tremendous job finishing plays at the rim, which he struggled doing earlier,” head coach Dana Altman said. “He played really good. Had some deflections.”
Meanwhile, Shelstad facilitated the offense with some crafty passes. He brought the crowd into the game with a couple of jumpers midway through the first half.
Whenever Oregon required a big play or a momentum shifter, one of the two delivered in the first half.
Neither Shelstad nor Evans Jr. are strangers to the Oregon faithful. Both have started 20 or more games and earn ample playing time.
Shelstad quickly became a fan favorite with a play style that has garnered comparisons to former Ducks point guard Payton Pritchard. He’s number one in assists per game and trails only Dante and Couisnard in points per game. Evans Jr. has made a name for himself on the defensive end of the floor, ranking second in rebounds, blocks and steals.
Despite the consistent time on the floor, though, it hasn’t always been easy for the freshmen.
“You always kind of bite your lip. Try to let them play through some mistakes,” Altman said. “That’s growth. They’re gonna go through some ups and downs.”
Altman trusted his young players throughout their errors against the Beavers and it worked out for him in the end. Shelstad finished with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Evans Jr. had 22 points, nine boards and three steals. The two had the highest plus/minus on the team with Evans Jr. at plus-17 and Shelstad at plus-16.
Couisnard came alive later in the second half versus Oregon State. The veteran took control of the game by getting the free-throw line and helping the Ducks regain the advantage.
Evans Jr. and Shelstad still played important roles in clinching the win late. With 5:17 left, Evans Jr. lasered in a triple from the corner in the middle of a critical Oregon run.
“We kicked it off to [Evans Jr.] for the wide-open three, which was really a big bucket,” Altman said. “We needed a three.”
Evans Jr. used his play on the other end of the floor to spark his offense throughout the contest.
“It starts with defense,” Evans Jr. said. “Then just playing within the game. Getting shots here and there. They were looking for me and I was knocking them down.”
After once trailing the Beavers in the second half, the Ducks had a seven-point advantage with under a minute left. Evans Jr. sealed the win by snatching his ninth rebound and converting a shot from the charity stripe.
Oregon emerged with the victory but with a difficult road to the postseason ahead, it’s just about time to look ahead to the next chapter of Ducks’ hoops.
Dante and Couisnard, Oregon’s top two scorers, will be gone at the conclusion of the season. One of the two has been the leading scorer in nearly half of the Ducks’ games this season.
Shelstad and Evans Jr. have proven their promise over the course of their freshmen seasons, and they proved it again Wednesday night. With time ticking on the collegiate careers of two of Oregon’s biggest stars, the freshmen duo look to soon take the next step as the faces of the program.
