Altman trusts in his big three as Oregon heads to Vegas tournament

In the fourth game of Dana Altman’s 37th year as a head basketball coach, the 67-year-old had the increasingly rare opportunity to do something for the first time.

With 5:07 to play in Oregon’s eventual 87-75 win over Oregon State on Monday — the Ducks’ ninth straight over the Beavers — a ball flew out of bounds beneath Oregon’s basket. Officials signaled it was last touched by UO’s Kwame Evans Jr. But Evans was adamant he didn’t touch it — adamant enough that he sprinted to Altman on the sideline, twirling his finger in the air as he pleaded his case.

Altman asked his junior forward something. Evans responded: “I swear.”

And then it happened: Altman called for the first coach’s challenge in Oregon history.

Video review isn’t new in college basketball, but the 2025-26 season is the first year coaches can initiate a challenge; previously, only referees could. Each team now gets one per game to challenge out-of-bounds calls, basket interference/goal tending and restricted-area rulings. A successful challenge awards another. An unsuccessful one costs the team not just its challenge — but a timeout.

Oregon was up eight with enough time for the Beavers to make a run. It was not a small moment. And it went Oregon’s way: Upon review, referees determined Evans never touched the ball. The Ducks kept possession. And Jackson Shelstad buried a corner three to push the lead to 11.

It was a new experience — and a successful one — for the 4-0 Ducks, who now head into next week’s Players Era Festival in Las Vegas with an opening-round matchup against No. 22 Auburn on Monday.

Altman said he weighed Evans’ insistence against what the staff could see on a tablet on the bench.

“We’re trying to slow it down to see if KJ’s not lying,” Altman said with a laugh. “He was pretty confident. The video was pretty confident. … It’s new. It’s something where if you use it early like that, you better get it right. If you need it in the last two minutes, or late in the game, you’ve got to have it. You have to be really sure when you do challenge.”

Altman isn’t going to rely solely on player testimony, but senior center Nate Bittle — who scored 24 points with seven rebounds — said the Ducks feel like their coach listens.

“If KJ didn’t touch it, and he’s saying he didn’t touch it — I think coach has that trust in all of us on this team,” Bittle said.

Trusting his hand

It helps that Altman is extremely familiar with at least three of his cards.

While Oregon’s 4-0 start is a 4-0 start, it hasn’t always been smooth. The Ducks squeaked past Hawaii (60-59) and Rice (67-63) before finding offensive rhythm in wins over South Dakota State (83-69) and Oregon State. With the newcomers still settling in — Elon transfer Takai Simpkins has been effective but streaky, while China’s Wei Linn has struggled to initiate offense in the half-court and is shooting just 6% — Oregon’s fortunes in Vegas will hinge on Evans, Shelstad and Bittle.

That trio has logged a combined 5,639 minutes under Altman.

“If those three guys don’t play really good, it’s not going to happen for us here early,” Altman said. “We might be able to get away with it in January and February, them not playing well, but you saw what happened with Hawaii when Jackson didn’t play and even Rice when Jackson didn’t shoot it good and was a little off his game.

“We need his experience at the guard spot. Nate, he’s been here forever. He’s got to play good. KJ hadn’t been going to the boards like that, and he did a tremendous job getting to the boards tonight. When he plays like that, he’s a different player.”

After missing 10 of his 12 attempts in his season debut against Rice, Shelstad has returned from his broken hand with consecutive 22-point games while shooting 52% from the floor. More importantly for a player who handles the ball as much as he does: He’s posted back-to-back games with zero turnovers.

“It feels good. I feel like the injury didn’t affect that at all,” Shelstad said. “I’d still like to make a lot more plays. I feel like I got to get my teammates involved a lot more. But having zero turnovers the last two games is definitely something I need to keep going — but also I’d like to get more assists and get more guys involved as well.”

Evans, a key piece off the bench during last year’s NCAA Tournament run, had one of the best games of his career against the Beavers with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

“When he goes to the boards like that, it gets everybody going, and it gets him going,” Shelstad said. “We’re going to need him to play, especially these next (three) games in Vegas.”

Together, the trio scored 62 of Oregon’s 87 points. And while No. 22 Auburn is no Oregon State, there’s something about heading into Vegas with three pretty good cards in your hand.

“That’s what you expect from experience — guys that have played for you,” Altman said. “They’ve been in big games. They’ve been in NCAA Tournaments.”

Nothing new for them — said the coach now sporting a 1-0 challenge record.