The Oregon men's basketball team had stormed into the top ten of the national rankings after multiple non-conference upsets and started its season with a 12-1 overall record. However, when the No. 9 Ducks hosted the No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini, the matchup didn't go according to plan.
Despite an incredible performance by transfer forward Supreme Cook, who came off the bench in the Big Ten matchup, the Ducks failed to find their shot throughout the two halves and fell to the Fighting Illini in a stunning 109-77 loss.
Final score. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/mgx5CDfrOQ
— Oregon Men's Basketball (@OregonMBB) January 3, 2025
Cook, who contributed 20 points to the team's total, also produced 2 rebounds and 1 assist throughout Oregon's losing effort. Only senior center Nate Bittle, transfer guard TJ Bamba, and sophomore forward Kwame Evans Jr. joined Cook in double-digit scoring.
Sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad, who became a star for the Ducks during the 2023-24 season, once again struggled to find his shot and was only able to produce 9 points by the end of the game. Shelstad also struggled to maintain possession as he let go of 3 turnovers while earning 0 steals of his own.
On the other side of the court, six Fighting Illini earned double-digits in the points column, including four players that scored 15 or more points agains the Ducks. With the loss, Oregon fell to a losing record in conference play (1-2) while Illinois improved its overall record to 10-3 with a 2-1 record in Big Ten games.
The Ducks have just three days between matchups before they host the unranked Maryland Terrapins. Oregon and Maryland are scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. PT on Jan. 5 from Matthew Knight Arena.