The Oregon Ducks kicked off the final road trip of its season with a key win, narrowly defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in Iowa City, 80-78. After leading by as many as 10, the Ducks allowed the Hawkeyes to field a comeback and trailed with less than three minutes to play.
The first half was all Oregon, despite some shoddy defense from the Ducks. Iowa was not defending its paint well at all in the first 20 minutes, and the Ducks took advantage. Oregon walked into the locker room up, 45-37 after scoring 26 paint points in the first half.
Oregon’s start to the second half was bad at best. Of its first 11 shots, the Ducks made just two, allowing the Hawkeyes to knot the score up quickly. From that point to the final buzzer, neither team was able to pull away. In the final 90 seconds, Oregon’s defense made several key stops, keeping the Ducks in the lead and carrying Oregon to victory.
Oregon vs Iowa Keys to the Game
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Iowa has struggled all season to defend paint offense, and the Ducks made sure to attack that weakness, especially in the first half. At halftime, Iowa adjusted their defense, which made things harder on Oregon’s interior offense. The Ducks had to find other ways to score, such as Nate Bittle mid-range pull-ups. Oregon finished with 22 shots at the rim and 38 points in the paint.
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After turning the ball over three times in the first half, Oregon coughed it up six times in the second, helping Iowa claw its way back. In contrast, the Hawkeyes turned it over five times in the first half but just twice in the second.
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After the break, Iowa pivoted its offensive focus to the perimeter, which was a fruitful adjustment. The Hawkeyes were 7/14 from deep in the second half, and Payton Sandfort, Iowa’s star guard, was 4/7 himself.
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Oregon’s best player, Jackson Shelstad, was a non-factor in Wednesday’s game, scoring just 3 points and shooting 0/7 from the floor. Everyone has bad games, and with Oregon’s offensive focus on the interior, it’s understandable that Shelstad’s production would decline, but the Ducks could’ve used a few makes from its star guard. Shelstad did knock down two clutch free throws down the stretch, which was key to the Ducks walking off the court in regulation.
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In the final five minutes of the game, the Ducks offense hit a wall. Each time Oregon came up the court — and a few times it didn’t even make it that far — the Ducks let the shot clock wind down with little to no off-ball or on-ball movement. Several possessions ended with turnovers or bad looks, which gave the Hawkeyes more and more life. Oregon had just enough to hang on.
Oregon vs Iowa Players of the Game
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Nate Bittle: 21 points, 8/13 FGs, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks
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Keeshawn Barthelemy: 10 points, 4/10 FGs, 2/5 3Ps, 2 assists, 2 rebounds
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TJ Bamba: 10 points, 4/11 FGs, 2/3 3Ps, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
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KJ Evans: 8 points, 3/3 FGs, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 steal
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Brandon Angel: 10 points, 4/9 FGs, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 black
Oregon vs Iowa Notable Stats
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Oregon outscored Iowa 38-24 in the paint.
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The Ducks were strong on the offensive glass, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds and scoring 19 second-chance points. Oregon was disciplined on the opposite glass, allowing just eight Iowa offensive rebounds and five second-chance points.
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Oregon, a team that relies on fast-paced, transition offense, finished with zero fastbreak points. Iowa had 10.
What’s Next for Oregon Ducks
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Feb. 22 — at No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers
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Mar. 1 — USC Trojans
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Mar 4. — Indiana Hoosiers
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Mar. 9 — at Washington Huskies
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Mar. 12-16 — Big Ten Championship Tournament
Oregon’s upcoming matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers is the most important matchup left on the Ducks’ schedule. The Badgers average 82 points per game, and it is an effective defensive team as well. If Oregon can pull out a win in Madison, they’ll add to their impressive list of Quadrant 1 wins, which would lead to a big jump in Oregon’s seeding in the Big Ten Tournament and March Madness.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks Basketball clings onto road win against the Iowa Hawkeyes
