UCLA will look to stay undefeated in conference play this season, but three key Oregon players stand in the way and could threaten the Bruins.
Last game, the Bruins really struggled against individual performances, especially against star center Hannes Steinbach, a player who put up 29 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 11 for 12. UCLA has a new set of talent looking to bring them down.
Nate Bittle | Center
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Oregon’s Nate Bittle celebrates a 3-point shot against Oregon State during the first half at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Nov. 17, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Hannes Steinbach exposed a key weakness in UCLA’s defense — the Bruins struggle against skilled centers. Fortunately for UCLA, they haven’t faced many this season. That changes against Oregon, where they’ll match up with a player on Steinbach’s level in Nate Bittle.
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The 7’0 center from Oregon is averaging 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, while shooting 48.3%. Bittle is the Ducks’ leading scorer and rebounder this season. Shutting him down quickly will be in the Bruins’ best interest.
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Oregon’s Nate Bittle celebrates the victory over Oregon State with Duck fans at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Nov. 17, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Xavier Booker will have to learn quickly from the Washington showdown if there is any hope in slowing down Bittle.
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Kwame Evans Jr. | F
Oregon forward Kwame Evans Jr., right, blocks a shot by USC guard Chad Baker-Mazara as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on Dec. 2, 2025. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Like Bittle, Kwame Evans Jr poses as a serious rebounding threat. Something that Eric Dailey Jr will have to slow down. Dailey Jr has struggled as of late, but we can be sure that he will not be outplayed on a stage as big as this one.
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Evans Jr is averaging 12.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting an impressive 50% from the field. His ability to rebound and score at a high level will make him a threat in this game.
Dec 2, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Kwame Evans Jr. (10) shoots the ball during the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
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In his last game against USC he scored 23 points, while shooting 6-12. He also shot well from three going 2-5, highlighting another aspect of his game that UCLA needs to be cautious of.
Jackson Shelstad | G
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Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad, left, moves the ball under cover from USC forward Ezra Ausar as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on Dec. 2, 2025. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Ducks’ second-highest scorer this season has been Jackson Shelstad, a player who could prove to really make things hard for the Bruins’ star Donovan Dent.
At this point of the season, Shelstad has been very solid, averaging 15.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. He has been doing this on an OK 36.9% shooting percentage. Shelstad has proven to be the Ducks’ number two threat this season, and figuring out how to stop him and Bittle will be a tall task.
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Dec 2, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks guard Jackson Shelstad (3) reacts to the score late in the second half against the Southern California Trojans at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
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With Dent looking better all-around, this matchup will be a huge decider in this one. However, that is only a third of the challenge; the Bruins will also need to figure out how to slow down Bittle and Evans Jr.
Dec 3, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) dribbles the ball while guarded by Washington Huskies guard Quimari Peterson (0) during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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The University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to approve a $1.55 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year.
But they asked university leadership to return with an amended proposal by Dec. 15, when more details about future budget cuts will be known.
FILE — The Board of Trustees recently approved next year’s budget for the University of Oregon. The vote comes several weeks after the school’s president announced that he wants the university to reduce its annual budget as revenues and out-of-state enrollment decline.
Brian Bull / KLCC
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The vote comes several weeks after University of Oregon President Karl Scholz announced that he wants the school to reduce its annual budget by around $65 million.
At a trustees meeting Monday, Scholz said the estimated budget shortfall for next year is just around $23 million. But he said out-of-state enrollment is below historical norms for the second year in a row, and it’s unlikely to bounce back.
“One year can be an aberration. Two years is a pattern,” said Scholz. “And I believe we have to treat it as a new reality.”
Scholz said in May that discussions about the budget would happen over a six-month period. He said no final decisions about cuts would be made over this summer.
On Monday, UO Senate President Dyana Mason told trustees that the Senate had approved a new process to allow for community feedback in the cost-cutting process.
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Mason said the provost will work with the deans on budget proposals, finding “clear rationale” for why programs are considered for elimination.
The provost would then bring those proposals to the Senate Committee for Academic Modifications—which includes staff, faculty and students—for feedback.
Once the plans are nearly finalized, the Senate could then hold a period for public comment.
Mason told trustees that a six-month timeline is better than the three months that frustrated some staff last year, but she recommended taking however much time is necessary.
“The worst situation would be rushing forward to make decisions without appropriate evidence, data, feedback from the people that are most in the know about the impact on our students,” said Mason.
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UO’s Board of Trustees Chair Steve Holwerda said that every week that university delays the decisions could cost them millions of dollars.
Nathan Wilk is a reporter with the KLCC newsroom.This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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Oregon’s juvenile justice system has been reshaped in recent years by a sweeping reform law that changed how the state handles minors accused of serious crimes.
Senate Bill 1008, which took effect in 2020, ended automatic transfers of juveniles into adult court and eliminated life without parole sentences for juveniles. The law also created “second-look” hearings and established parole eligibility after 15 years for certain offenders who committed crimes before turning 18.
To help explain the law and its impact, KVAL’s Frannie Pedersen put together a timeline video tracing the history of Senate Bill 1008, from the passage of Measure 11 in 1994 to the reforms that later reshaped Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
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The video breaks down how the law changed, why lawmakers pushed for reform, and how SB 1008 continues to influence Oregon’s justice system today. Viewers can watch the full video for a detailed timeline and explanation of the changes.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”
“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”
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“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”
“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”
According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”
In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
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On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.
