Eugene Omoruyi’s 31 points and 11 rebounds in his Oregon debut wasn’t enough to put the Ducks over Missouri. 

Oregon opened its 2020-21 season Wednesday night against the Missouri Tigers at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. 

The Tigers came into the contest after winning their first game of the season over Oral Roberts 91-64.The Ducks, on the other hand, were playing their first game of the season, and it showed as Missouri dominated the first half. 

Oregon was shaky out of the gate, allowing 11 points off seven turnovers and getting stopped on any attempt to penetrate the Tigers’ defense. 

“We weren’t sharp that first half, we probably should have been down more than 11,” Oregon head coach Dana Altman said.“Eugene [Omoruyi] fought his tail off to keep us in that game.”

Missouri executed separate scoring runs of 12-4 and 13-0, led by Mark Smith’s 13 points. Senior big man Jeremiah Tilmon added eight points and six rebounds in the first half. 

Missouri led 42-31 at halftime. 

The Ducks got off to a better start in the second half, cutting the deficit to five, guided by six straight points from Omoruyi. 

Shortly thereafter, the Tigers hit a three to break a drought of 15 straight missed field goals.

Oregon threatened multiple times over the course of the second half, but Missouri was able stave off any comeback attempt, hitting timely threes and eventually extended their lead to 16 points midway through the half. 

The Ducks clawed back and made it interesting in the final minutes. Down five with 45 seconds to play, Oregon desperately tried to make up for lost time. 

Missouri was able to make free throws to prevent a miracle comeback, and the Ducks wound up losing 83-75. Missouri’s Xavier Pinson scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half.

Tonight, Oregon was without their starting point guard and most experienced player Will Richardson.

Richardson, a preseason all-Pac-12 selection and team leader, underwent thumb surgery after sustaining an injury this week and is expected to miss six weeks. 

The lack of depth showed.

Chris Duarte and Eric Williams Jr. added 22 and 13 points respectively. Combined with Omoruyi’s 31, the trio accounted for 88 percent of the team’s scoring.

The good news for Oregon is that there is a long way to go in the 2020-21 season.

“We’ll build on a lot of things, it’s a long season,” Altman said. “We all have to get better, and we will.”

The Ducks look to bounce back Friday night against Seton Hall.