Nate Bittle injury: Will the Oregon Center return for game vs Colorado?

The Oregon Ducks have been doing well this season despite losing junior center Nate Bittle earlier. He suffered a wrist injury in the third game of the year that required surgery. The injury was initially believed to cost Bittle the entire 2023-24 season. But he has had a remarkable recovery and has a slight chance to return this weekend.

Oregon coach Dana Altman discussed the potential of Nate Bittle returning and gave a bit of an optimistic assessment of the situation via 247 Sports:

"Nate's doctor report came back great when they took the cast off, which was a surprise to all of us. So, he's moving a little quicker, so we're hoping that he might be ready."

Bittle has played 54 career games for the Oregon Ducks (25 starts). In those games, he averaged 5.3 points, 0.5 assists, 3.8 rebounds and a block in 13.6 minutes. However, with starting center N'Faly Dante returning earlier this week, the Ducks could see themselves at the five spots as the season is in full swing.

How impactful would the return of Nate Bittle be for the Oregon Ducks this season?

The Oregon Ducks are one of the most dominant teams not currently ranked this season, as they are 13-3 (5-0 in Pac-12). The team is clicking, and getting back Nate Bittle, who originally wasn't going to play this season after the injury, would be massive.

One reason is that they can still have a predominant center on the floor when Dante needs rest. The Ducks are a promising rebounding team, averaging 35.1 total rebounds per game, and getting Bittle on the floor would help that.

Bittle is not known for playing a significant amount of time or having a crucial role for the Ducks. However, his presence alone makes Oregon a lot harder to score against. Going up against some solid offensive teams could be a chance to help slow the opposition a bit.

This Oregon team can be solid, and getting a Bittle back in the rotation makes them even better.