Oregon Ducks Basketball's TJ Bamba on Montana Win: 'I'm a Dog'

The Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team captured their second win of the season with a 79-48 victory against the Montana Grizzlies on Friday, Nov. 8. The Ducks saw strong performances from several players, including Nate Bittle, who scored a game-high 17 points, and Villanova transfer TJ Bamba.

Oregon guard TJ Bamba presses toward the basket under cover from Montana guard Joe Pridgen as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana Grizzlies at Matthew Knight Arena Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EUGENE- Basketball season is officially underway at Matthew Knight Arena. On Friday, Nov. 8, the Oregon Ducks picked up their second win of the season with a 79-48 victory over the Montana Grizzlies. 

"A lot of things to learn about being a good basketball team and making teams work," Oregon coach Dana Altman said. "But it's Nov. 8 and we've got a lot of new guys. Just got a lot of work to do." 

Nate Bittle led all players in scoring with 17 points while also grabbing nine boards. Senior guard Jadrian Tracey was also a great contributor for the Ducks, posting 12 points. Villanova transfer TJ Bamba proved himself as a dominant player on both sides of the court, putting up 14 points and a steal while efficiently locking down Montana’s offensive threats. 

Oregon guard TJ Bamba presses toward the basket under cover from Montana guard Joe Pridgen as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana Grizzlies at Matthew Knight Arena Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I’m a competitor, like I’m a dog,” Bamba said. “So if you put me on the best player—which was supposed to be No. 1, but he had a long night . . . he had zero points. So it’s like, you put me on him, I’m gonna just try and have that mentality, like he’s gonna have a long night, he’s gonna have a bad night. But, like [Kwame Evans] said, it’s a combination of everybody out there.” 

Despite strong performances from various players on offense, defensive performance is a priority for the team heading into the 2024-25 season.  

"We want to try to be a top-30 defense in the country," sophomore Kwame Evans Jr. said. "We all just try to play hard and play smart." 

Nate Bittle, who played only five games last season due to a combination of sickness and injuries, missed a total of 31 games.

"He's trying to take a more physical role," Altman said of Bittle. "His maturity level has just been really good, and his focus has been so much better. I hope we keep him healthy, because he'll be a big, big part of our team. He's changing a lot of shots; he's blocked a lot of shots in practice. Which, you know, without Dante, someone has got to protect that rim a little bit." 

Jadrian “Bam” Tracey finished the game with 12 points, two rebounds and an assist. Last season, Tracey played in all 36 games, starting the last 18 in a row while averaging 7.6 points per game (.415 FG%, .359 3P%), 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. Tracey also had 15 double-digit outings and 12 games with five or more rebounds. 

Oregon guard Jadrian Tracey celebrates a three-pointer as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana Grizzlies at Matthew Knight Arena Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TJ Bamba, a 6-5 guard, had previous stops at Villanova and Washington State before becoming a Duck. While at Villanova, Bamba started all 33 games he played, averaging 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. 

This is Oregon’s second win of the season after defeating UC Riverside 92-76, improving Oregon's record in season openers to 13-2. The Ducks have added several new players to their roster after graduating guard Jermaine Couisnard and center N’Faly Dante, who led the team in scoring last season. 

To make up for their absence, Altman and his coaching staff added four experienced players from the transfer portal: Brandon Angel, TJ Bamba, Supreme Cook, and Ra’Heim Moss. The Ducks also landed highly-touted JUCO prospect Dezdrick Lindsay, freshman Jamari Phillips, and international talent Oleksandr Kobzystyi. 

The Ducks also have three highly talented sophomores who are poised to make an impact this season as they take on larger roles: Jackson Shelstad, Kwame Evans Jr., and Mookie Cook. Last year’s freshman standout Jackson Shelstad is entering his second season with the Ducks after proving he was built for big moments, averaging 12.8 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field as a freshman. 

Early last season, Shelstad and the Ducks got a firsthand experience with the elite competition the Big Ten provides when they hosted Michigan. With just two seconds left in overtime, Shelstad hit a deep three-pointer to give his team an 86-83 victory over its future conference foe. 

Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad goes up for a shot as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana Grizzlies at Matthew Knight Arena Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sophomore small forward Kwame Evans Jr. put up 6 points during the matchup against Montana and is on track to have a successful season. In Oregon’s season opener against UC Riverside, Evans posted a career-high 23 points and six rebounds, including shooting 2-5 from behind the arc. As the season progresses, having a player with Evans' length and size down low combined with his three-point shooting will be a valuable asset for Altman. 

“He’s working harder,” Altman said. “He’s bringing more effort to practice. When he plays hard, he’s really talented.” 

Cook, who was out with injury for the majority of last season, has returned and is ready to make an impact. However, Oregon has a great deal of depth in terms of its guards. Between Bamba, Ra’Heim Moss, Tracey, Keeshawn Barthelemy, and Cook, Oregon boasts guards exploding with talent. Although Cook has yet to score this season, he is sure to make an impact as he figures out what his role on this team will be. 

Next, the Ducks will take on the University of Portland at home in Matthew Knight Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 12. 

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