It’s really hard to believe that Oregon men’s basketball started the season ranked No. 21. Especially considering it took the team over an entire half of play to score 21 points. The Ducks (8-7, 2-2 Pac-12) averaged barely one point per minute in their demeaning 68-41 loss to Colorado (10-6, 2-3 Pac-12) in Boulder on Thursday night. 

Brennan Rigsby – a JUCO transfer from De Beque, Colorado – led the team onto the court for warmups, but had far from an ideal homecoming. Rigsby had eight points, one assist and three rebounds – and incredibly he was Oregon’s third highest scorer in a game where nobody had more than 10 points.

The Ducks’ were finally healthy again with forward Nate Bittle, guard Jermaine Cousinard and forward Ethan Butler all in the lineup for Oregon. But no combination that Dana Altman tried found any success against Colorado’s defense.

He struggled to find a balance between getting Cousinard and Bittle back into the flow of the offense, while also trying to compete with the Buffaloes. It ultimately resulted in the Ducks’ worst shooting performance in Altman’s time at the helm. Oregon’s 41 points scored are also the fewest since March of 2009. The Ducks had three assists throughout the forty minute game – also a low under Altman.

The Buffaloes were without KJ Simpson – arguably their best player – and Oregon finally seemed healthy again making the 27 point loss even more absurd.

The Ducks had no answers for Colorado’s Tristan da Silva. The junior forward had 30 points – more than any three Ducks combined – seven rebounds and three assists. Had he not been subbed out late in garbage time, he may have outscored Oregon himself. 

The three point shooting woes from earlier in the season returned on Thursday. The Ducks’ were 1-of-14 from three point range, and the one shot they made was 16 minutes into the second half. Oregon was also uncharacteristically outrebounded 46-28. Colorado had more rebounds than the Ducks had points.

Oregon shot a measly 57.1% from the free throw line — an issue, unlike the rebounding, that’s plagued this team throughout the season. Colorado gifted Oregon 18 fouls, and it didn’t matter at all. The Ducks were also 26.9% on field goal shooting and 7.1% from three point range. 

If there hadn’t already been enough talk of Will Richardson’s inconsistencies, then Thursday certainly didn’t do him any favors. He played 30 minutes, scored five points and had one assist. Rivaldo Soares – who continues to start games for the Ducks – had more fouls than points in 25 minutes of play.

Oregon fell to 8-7 on the year and 2-2 within the conference, and is still looking for its first road win of the season.

The Buffaloes are unranked, but Oregon did its best to make them look like they were. There aren’t many other ways to describe the heinous play that Oregon displayed in Boulder on Thursday.

The loss can be blamed on altitude sickness, an off night or even a new year’s funk. But the injury excuse won’t cut it anymore. So, this team is running out of cards to play to explain these losses and time to put together a win streak if they want any chance of an NCAA Tournament appearance. 

The Ducks play Utah (12-4, 5-0 Pac-12) in Salt Lake City on Saturday. Oregon will also have a chance for redemption when it rematches with Colorado in Eugene on January 26.