Oregon men’s basketball heartbroken after loss to Colorado Buffaloes

Off to an early 11-2 lead, the Oregon Ducks were looking to obliterate the Buffaloes in Eugene. Searching for win No. 20 on the season, head coach Dan Altman and his squad devastatingly lost 79-75 at home.

Jackson Shelstad got off to a hot start, shooting 3-3 from the field and earning the Ducks’ first 7 points. The freshman has stepped up to fill the role of starting guard all year and this game was one of his best yet.

Shelstad and center N’Faly Dante’s ever-growing relationship was also on display as the big man scored 10 points in the first half and Shelstad delved out 3 assists.

Combining for 3 blocks, 7 defensive rebounds, and 8 forced turnovers, the entire Duck roster was playing lights out in a must-win game ahead of March Madness.

A run by Colorado in the final 10 minutes of the half allowed the Buffaloes to regain the lead with just 1:50 remaining on the clock.

However, because of the Ducks’ relentless style of play, the half ended with a seesawing score. Heading to the locker rooms at halftime, Oregon and Colorado were tied at 37 points apiece.

Dante's defensive prowess was on display throughout the second half. The center amassed 5 blocks, 3 steals, and 12 total rebounds.

Shelstad’s hot shooting continued in the second half as he racked up 23 total points for a career-high but Oregon just couldn’t get rid of the pesky Buffaloes. Tied at 50 points with 11:33 remaining, the Pac-12 matchup continued to teeter back and forth.

Colorado's Tristan de Silva and J'Vonne Hadley were also shooting well and combined for 42 points by the end of regulation. KJ Simpson was a third Buffalo with double-digit points in the game.

Jermaine Couisnard's three-point attempt with 5 seconds remaining fell short and the Ducks' hopes were squashed.

In a game that came down to the final seconds after an outstanding start by Oregon and an equally impressive answer by Colorado, the Buffs walked away with the win.

Dropping this game to the Buffs most likely knocks the Ducks out of contention for the NCAA Tournament and they will make a third consecutive appearance in the NIT.

The Ducks will host the Utah Utes in Matthew Knight Arena on Saturday, March 9 at 6 p.m. PT. Fans can tune into the Pac-12 Network to watch Oregon in action.

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