Oregon Routs Montana in Stubblefield's Debut
Tony Stubblefield made his first game as Oregon interim head coach a winning one in an 87-69 season-opening victory over Montana.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball
Oregon defeated Montana 87-69 in the season opener Monday night in Eugene, Oregon. The win came in interim head coach Tony Stubblefield's debut after Dana Altman announced his retirement.
Why it matters
The opening win gives Oregon an early result under a new interim coach following a change at the top of the program. Stubblefield returned to Oregon after three seasons at DePaul, and the result offers an early read on the team's direction.
Tyrone Riley IV scored 17 points and Malique Ewin recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds for Oregon. Jordan Clark and Jalen Brown each scored 19 points for Montana, which shot less efficiently than Oregon across the game.
The players
Tony Stubblefield
Stubblefield is a longtime college basketball coach who previously spent three seasons at DePaul before returning to Oregon.
Dana Altman
Altman is a veteran college basketball coach who led Oregon's program until announcing his retirement.
The details
Oregon used a 15-2 run after the game was tied 57-57 with 10:41 to play to pull away, with Riley scoring six points during the stretch including an alley-oop dunk. Andrew Meadow scored 14 points and Fred Payne added 12 points and five assists for Oregon.
Timeline
Oct. 7: Stubblefield was named Oregon interim head coach after Altman's retirement.
Monday, Nov. 2: Oregon defeated Montana 87-69 in the season opener.
Wednesday: Montana hosts Salish Kootenai.
Friday: Oregon hosts Eastern Washington.
Season Trajectory
The result is the first data point of the season for Oregon, following a leadership transition that began with Altman's retirement. How Oregon performs in its early home games against Eastern Washington will help define the team's early-season trajectory under Stubblefield.
Fans tracking Oregon's rotation can note Riley's 17 points and Ewin's double-double as early indicators of roles under the new coaching staff. Montana's next game against Salish Kootenai on Wednesday will show whether Clark and Brown can keep up their scoring.
The takeaway
Early results under interim coaches can set expectations for a season, but a single opening win is only a first data point. Watching the next few games will show whether Oregon's offense holds its efficiency against stronger competition.
What happens next
Oregon hosts Eastern Washington on Friday, its next scheduled game.
Further reading
For more on the program's current direction, see Basketball coverage from Eugene.
