The Ducks’ men’s basketball team suffered its first loss since beginning Pac-12 conference play in an 86-70 defeat at the hands of the Colorado Buffaloes. The loss comes in the first game of a two-game road trip that also features a matchup with the Utah Utes on Sunday. Despite the loss, The Ducks still sit first in the conference with a 5-1 record.
After beating its first five opponents in conference play, Oregon matched up with a Colorado team that has yet to lose on its home floor. The Ducks saw N’Faly Dante move back into the starting lineup after coming off the bench in his first game back from injury. Dante still did not quite look like his normal self, missing easy shots around the rim and being forced to the bench due to foul trouble in the first half.
Oregon struggled to contain the Buffaloes’ stars, allowing 22 points to KJ Simpson and a career-high 23 points to Cody Williams. Colorado was able to overcome a 32-12 deficit in bench points by relying on massive performances from its starters. The Ducks, on the other hand, were without a true leader of the offense, opting instead for a balanced scoring attack. Five Oregon players had eight or more points, but none scored more than 14 points in the game.
Basketball is a game of runs, and this game was a prime example of that idea. Both teams had massive runs to either extend the lead, or cut it down. After the Ducks took a 20-18 lead in the first half, the Buffaloes went on a massive 17-2 run that put them firmly in control of the game for the rest of the half. Oregon opened the second half by building on momentum it had gained at the end of the first to get an 11-0 run to bring the game closer and eventually take the lead.
Colorado was able to outscore the Ducks 32-15 in the final 12 minutes of the game to secure the win. Down the stretch, Oregon was unable to find consistent offense from any source. While the Buffaloes had Williams and Simpson as their go-to scorers, the Ducks had no one that stepped up into that role during the game. The depth of Oregon has been a strength all year, but this game made the roster look more like a collection of starters with no true star.
Jackson Shelstad had his second-straight game where he struggled from the field, and Dante was still looking like he needed time to work back into game shape. This combination meant that a scoring attack that relied on a next-man-up mentality throughout the game was put at a disadvantage when the game called for a true scorer in clutch moments.
The Ducks have their next challenge on a tough road trip when they take on the Utah Utes on Sunday. Oregon will look to maintain its lead on the top seed in the conference with a win.
