This one didn’t need a late collapse to be frustrating.
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Unable to slow down a talented Washington team offensively, or rely on members of its bench for more than a few possessions at a time, Oregon men’s basketball (8-12, 1-8 Big Ten) found a new way to fall to an old nemesis.
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There was no counter for the onslaught Washington unleashed on the way to a 72-57 victory at Alaska Airlines Arena after the Huskies (12-9, 4-6 Big Ten) turned a huge early lead into a wire-to-wire dominant win. Powered largely by a massive rebounding advantage (45-23), Washington went on a 19-7 run to start the game and eventually led by as many as 20 points.
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The fact that Oregon’s two best players were on the bench in street clothes is likely no solace to head coach Dana Altman, who saw his typically proud program suffer a sixth-straight loss.
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Led by NBA-caliber forward Hannes Steinbech, Washington ballooned its early lead to a 15- point halftime advantage. Not even a nearly three-minute Husky drought late in the second half was enough for Oregon to crawl back in a game where it shot 3-15 from range.
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On the other hand, Washington rotated through eight players, each of whom saw at least 17 minutes of action, with Jaco Ognacevic providing a spark with four 3-pointers off the bench.
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A lack of reliable ball-handlers and rotational consistency was once again a culprit for the Ducks, who finished the game with four assists.
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Going a remarkable 24-28 from the charity stripe will be little solace for an Oregon team that lost on all the margins and shot 36% from the field.
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Along with Steinbach and Ognacevic, three other Huskies scored in double-digits. Sean Stewart led Oregon with 15 points and Kwame Evans Jr. had nine points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes,  but neither impacted the game in meaningful ways. No Duck did.

The Huskies were far from perfect — they went 3-13 on layups — but did more than enough to beat a skidding Oregon team. 

Washington was more forceful on the glass. It was quicker in transition. It was more aggressive to the basket. And even though the Huskies went cold at times, they were more willing to take the 3-point shot.

All of those caveats added up to another beatdown in what has been a struggle of a season in every way for Altman’s squad.

Their path won’t get any easier, with the Ducks heading home to host a talented UCLA squad Wednesday night at 8 p.m.