Finally.
That has to be what is going through the minds of the Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team after they snapped a five-game losing streak with an 81-75 win over Northwestern Tuesday night inside Matthew Knight Arena.
With the win, Oregon improves to 17-8 overall and 6-8 in Big Ten play. Northwestern dropped to 13-12 overall and 4-10 in league action. It was the Ducks’ first win in February and the first victory since an 82-71 win over Washington Jan. 21. The Ducks played four of five on the road and they lost all five of those games before Tuesday night’s win.
Point guard Jackson Shelstad had a career night with 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. Keeshawn Barthelemy added 19 and Nate Bittle poured in 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Oregon vs Northwestern Keys to the Game
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Just like in the Michigan State game, the Ducks, led by Shelstad, played a nice first half where they were efficient on offense and played stingy defense. Shelstad had 13 points before halftime and wound up with TK points.
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The Ducks held the Wildcats to just 39 percent shooting in the first half and 3-of-10 from long range to take a commanding 39-25 lead into the break.
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Unfortunately, the defense didn’t last as Northwestern was able to shoot its way back into the game. The Wildcats shot 62 percent from the field in the second half and 5-of-9 from three-point land. Although they came within five late, the Wildcats never had a chance to take the lead.
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Oregon was efficient from an offensive standpoint and always managed to end a run from the opponent with a three or a trip to the line. The Ducks scored 42 points in the second half, but gave up 50.
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The Ducks made hay from the free throw line as they made 25-of-28 from the charity stripe, including 21-of-24 in the second half alone.
Oregon vs Northwestern Players of the Game
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Jackson Shelstad: 26 points
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Keeshawn Barthelemy: 19 points
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Nate Bittle: 14 points, 7 rebounds
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Ty Berry (N’western): 23 points
Oregon vs Northwestern Notable Stats
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Free Throws: Oregon 25-of-28, Northwestern 5-of-10
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Points off Turnovers: Oregon 18, Northwestern 14
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Points in the Paint: Oregon 24, Northwestern 38
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Oregon: 16 assists on 24 field goals
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Fast Break Points: Oregon 16, Northwestern 2
What’s Next for Oregon Ducks
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon vs Northwestern Instant Reactions: Ducks finally snap losing streak
