Oregon basketball will have a new court to play on for the 2024-25 season with Matthew Knight Arena getting a redesign. The Ducks provided the first look at the changes on Sunday by posting a video to X.
Oregon last updated its court in 2011 when it added the famous “Deep in the Woods” design that featured an image of a forest. That has been the subject of criticism, however, over the years with some fans arguing that it makes games difficult to see on TV.
The redesign takes care of that by making the hardwood a lighter color while also keeping the the unique forest look. The trees are now light green while the entire out of bounds area is darker green making for a much more aesthetically pleasing product.
You can view the new-look court below.
Oregon began construction on the new court in April, with the whole project taking around two months to complete. Alumni Tinker Hatfield and Todd Van Horne, both of whom have worked on designs for Nike, were involved in the design of the new court at Matthew Knight Arena.
Of course, one of the new features on the court is the addition of the Big Ten logo ahead of the Ducks’ move to the conference.
The new floor also has flying ducks across it and a “Lucky Duck” at each end which blends a shamrock with a duck’s foot. It is said to have costed the school around 3-4 times more than the average court redesign.
All in all, the new court at Matthew Knight Arena does a solid job of keeping the unique design of old while improving upon its flaws. It will be home to both the men’s and women’s basketball squads as well as the volleyball team for this upcoming season.
NCAA denies Oregon center N’Faly Dante additional year of eligibility
Oregon basketball veteran and elite big man N’Faly Dante has had his waiver to play in the 2024-25 season denied by the NCAA, according to college hoops insider Jon Rothstein. However, the Ducks will appeal that decision.
Rothstein reported news of Dante’s waiver denial on Thursday morning in a tweet, where he also noted Oregon’s plans to appeal. Take a look at his post right here:
“Source: Oregon’s N’Faly Dante has been denied an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA. Dante only played six games during the 20-21 season due to a knee injury. Also only played 12 games in 19-20 when NCAA Tournament was cancelled. The Ducks will appeal the decision.”
The Wichita, KS native was a consensus top-30 player in the 2019 class who picked Oregon over Kentucky and several other top programs. He was rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 26 overall player in that cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.
Beginning his career in the COVID-marred 2019-20 season, Dante fell within the umbrella of players who were all granted an extra season of eligibility thanks to the pandemic. Following 2023-24, though, he’s now played in six seasons.
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