Oregon basketball returns against the pesky Jackrabbits

The Oregon Ducks Men's basketball team is back tonight, as the South Dakota State Jackrabbits visit Mathew Knight Arena. The Ducks have started the season 2-0, after a pair of close games against Hawaii and Rice. In the other corner, the Jackrabbits stand at 2-1, with wins over Dakota State and Northern Iowa. Their lone loss was their first game of the season against Merrimack College.

Oregon has yet to meet its potential as a team. Both the Hawaii and Rice games should have been blowouts, but the Ducks allowed their opposition to hang around. With Jackson Shelstad returning and getting healthier, this game could be the Ducks' chance to shine against inferior but pesky competition.

The Ducks have been led by Takai Simpkins and Nathan Bittle so far. Jackson Shelstad made his much-awaited but ahead-of-schedule return in the last game and will likely take over the reins. In Shelstad's place, Simpkins has handled the ball, scoring 11.5 points per game, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. Bittle, has been the focal point of both the Ducks' offense and defense, averaging 18.5 PPG, 11 REB, and 5 blocks.

Much of the Ducks' struggles boil down to two factors: turnovers and inefficient three-point shooting. Between the first two games, Oregon is averaging 16.5 turnovers per game. Against Hawaii, the Ducks committed a high of 21 turnovers. While the number of turnovers is bad enough, the timing of when they are committed has been worse. As far as three-point shooting goes, the Ducks have shot an average of 22 three-pointers a game. As a team, they are shooting an abysmal 20.5 percent from beyond the arc. If the Ducks want to get out of the rut they are in, these are two areas of improvement that must be addressed.

On defense, the Ducks are going to have to contain the Jackrabbits' guard Jaden Jackson. Averaging 17.3 PPG, Jackson has been a problem for opposing defenses, shooting 42.1 percent from three. SDSU likes to shoot a high volume of three pointers as well, with an average of 21 a game. Oregon is listed as a heavy favorite against the Jackrabbits. ESPN has the Ducks at a 16.5 point advantage and a 95.2 percent chance of winning. However, the Ducks have struggled against teams similar to the Jackrabbits, so a win is never certain. You can catch the Ducks tonight at 6:30 PM PST on Peacock.