The top of the Pac-12 standings will be in focus Thursday when Oregon plays host to Arizona State at Eugene, Ore.
The teams are part of a three-way tie for first place in the conference, along with No. 9 Arizona, heading into play Thursday.
Oregon coach Dana Altman announced this week that 7-foot center Nate Bittle should be ready to return against the Sun Devils after missing the past two months with a wrist injury that required surgery.
Altman said the Ducks (13-5, 5-2 Pac-12) will not have freshman forward Mookie Cook after the McDonald’s All-American aggravated an ankle injury in last week’s loss at Utah.
Cook, who has averaged 1.2 points in 6.4 minutes over five games this season, did not make his season debut until Jan. 4 because of the injury.
Bittle averaged 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in the three November games he played before his injury.
“(Bittle) didn’t feel comfortable last Sunday but practiced hard today,” Altman said Tuesday. “We’ll see how it feels. I don’t want to make any promises, but if he gets through (Wednesday) and gets through shootaround and he feels OK, I would sure like to play him.”