The magic that was embedded into Pac-12 after dark has carried over into Big Ten after dark for the Oregon Ducks. The men's basketball team was on a dangerous, downward spiral in conference matchups and was on a five-game losing streak. However, the Ducks turned it around against the Northwestern Wildcats in a game that didn't tip off until after 9 p.m. PT.
At halftime, Oregon held a 14-point lead, which wasn't enough to fend off the Michigan Wolverines just over a week ago so Duck fans weren't quite comfortable. However, by the end of regulation, the Ducks had held off a late-game surge by the Wildcats to secure an 81-75 win.
Led by sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad, who scored a career-high 26 points, the Ducks dominated on offense as they shot over 38 percent from beyond the arc. Not to mention, they out-rebounded the Wildcats by six boards and forced three more turnovers than they gave up.
Don't get it twisted, the game was far from flawless, especially against a Northwestern team that is even closer to the bottom of the conference standings than Oregon. The Ducks did give up eight turnovers and they did commit 14 personal fouls to send the Wildcats to the line for 10 free throw attempts.
Yet, at the same time, a win is a win and Oregon desperately needed this victory. With the win, the Ducks are now 17-8 overall and 6-8 in conference – the team still sits at 11th in the Big Ten standings. However, Oregon has a few more opportunities to secure its place in the Big Ten Tournament.
Oregon men's basketball remaining schedule
- vs. Rutgers – Feb. 16
- at Iowa – Feb. 19
- at No. 16 Wisconsin – Feb. 22
- vs. USC – March 1
- vs. Indiana – March 4
- at Washington – March 9
The Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament is scheduled to tip off on March 12 from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.