EUGENE – The wait-and-see attitude of the masses toward the Oregon men’s basketball program is no longer appropriate.

The No. 12 Ducks (9-0, 1-0 Big Ten) have moved into the top 15 in the polls and efficiency and have already posted several marquee non-conference wins. As UCLA (7-1, 1-0) comes to Matthew Knight Arena this afternoon (3 p.m., Big Ten Network), a five-figure crowd is more than desired – it’s earned.

“My biggest concern is that it’s a great atmosphere for the guys,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “We won at home. For a while we won a lot at home. And the atmosphere in this building can be really good if the students and everyone are involved.

“We had some consistency, but it wasn’t top-10 type, top-20 type. That’s why I understand that the fans want to see us play at a higher level. But I thought the boys had always competed. I’ve never felt like they weren’t playing hard – we were shorthanded a few games – but our guys always seem to come out and compete. Hopefully we have a great atmosphere. We need to establish a home court.”

Despite 14 consecutive 20-win seasons under Altman, UO has had just one blowout — last season against Arizona — over a 92-game home stretch since 2018-19.

The Big Ten’s four West Coast members are far behind the rest of the conference in terms of fan support entering this season, with the exception of Northwestern.

With an average attendance of 5,681, Oregon ranks 74th nationally and 16th in the Big Ten this season, ahead of only UCLA and USC. As conference play begins, the value will certainly improve, especially after New Year’s, but currently it would be the lowest in the building’s 14-season history.

“We need to make this a home ground for our fans – our football stadium may be small compared to these, but it is vibrant and makes a difference,” Altman said. “It makes a difference in basketball because everyone stays on top of things. We’ve had some great crowds over the years. It’s one of those years where I hope our fans want to keep up with some of the other fan bases as we move into the Big Ten.”

According to KenPom, the Bruins have played one of the weakest schedules in the country, ranking 348th out of 364 Division I teams. That will change significantly with the game this afternoon.

Former Oregon State forward Tyler Bilodeau (14.1 points, 6.1 rebounds) and former USC guard Kobe Johnson are two of the core pieces of this year’s UCLA squad. Regardless of personnel, Mick Cronin’s teams have played competitive games against the Ducks.

“Defensively, they’re going to grab and hold and be physical,” Altman said. “On offense, they will wear you down and try to get the shot they want. It will be a physical game and we have to play, there is no doubt about that.

“They are talented and we know it will be a tough and tough game, just like our games in the last three to four years since Mick has been there.”