Ducks overcome self-dug hole with Takai Simpkins game-winner

The Oregon Ducks tipped off their basketball season last night against the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors, narrowly winning 60-59. The Ducks held a 33-26 lead at halftime, and then expanded that lead to 14 with 11:05 in the second half. However, after a mess of turnovers, lack of rebounding, and an injury to Kwame Evans Jr., the Ducks found themselves trailing. It required a heroic shot from Takai Simpkins with 4.2 seconds left to lift the Ducks over the Rainbow Warriors.

It was a sloppy outing for the Ducks, as they turned the ball over 21 times. Despite winning the total rebound battle, Oregon failed to get key defensive rebounds in tight spots. The Rainbow Warriors took advantage of those missed opportunities, clawing back into the game and eventually taking the lead.

Ducks' Early 2nd Half Run

About six minutes into the second half, the Ducks looked like they had taken control of this game. Ducks' forward Sean Stewart came to life, scoring 6 points in the span of about 2 minutes, pushing Oregon to a big lead. After four straight points from Nate Bittle and a layup from Dezdrick Lindsay, the Ducks found themselves ahead by 15 points.

Then, Kwame Evans Jr. went down holding his knee, giving the Rainbow Warriors a 4-on-5 opportunity. Gytis Nemeiksa cashed in on that opportunity for Hawai'i, hitting a big three-point shot. Here lies the turning point for the Rainbow Warriors, as Oregon began to plateau.

Hawai'i Strikes Back

The injury to Evans Jr. resulted in a massive run by the Rainbow Warriors. A series of ill-advised fouls and turnovers added fuel to the fire. Isaac Johnson single-handedly picked apart the Ducks, bringing Hawai'i all the way back to tie the game 50-50 with 7:43 left.

Oregon allowed Hawai'i to grab multiple offensive rebounds, many of which came from Isaac Johnson, giving them second chances and extending possessions. After the game was tied, the Ducks and Warriors took turns taking the lead. With 9 seconds left, the Ducks found themselves down 58-59, on the verge of defeat.

Simpkins Saves Oregon

Drew Carter lined up to take a three-pointer for the win with 9 seconds left, but he missed. Takai Simpkins was there for the offensive rebound after Hawai'i tipped it out, then drove to his right. With a defender in his face, Simpkins rose and made a tough layup to put the Ducks in front with 4.5 remaining. Hawai'i had no timeouts and was forced to go the length of the court. Their last-second attempt from Hunter Erickson was no good, as the Ducks won 60-59.

Simpkins, the transfer from Elon Phoenix, led the Ducks to a tight victory while Jackson Shelstad was out. He proved he can be a great complementary scorer when Shelstad returns, as it was obvious the Ducks were missing his play-making. Simpkins finished the game with 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. Despite shooting 1-6 from three, Simpkins shot 7-12 overall. If he can get his three-point shot to fall, the Ducks are going to have an exciting backcourt when Shelstad returns from injury.