Facing their highest-ranked opponent so far, the Oregon Ducks (6-5, 0-2 Big Ten) men’s basketball faced the seventh-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs (11-1, 0-0 WCC) a few hours up the road at the Moda Center in Portland.
Spreading the ball early has been Oregon’s game plan throughout the year, but with little consistent success. Against the Bulldogs, the offense clicked early as each starter contributed one make to the 12-point total after the first five minutes of action.
A 3-pointer each from Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle cashed, as well as a self-created dunk from Kwame Evans, which seemed like early sparks for the Ducks.
The big man battle of Bittle and Gonzaga redshirt junior Braden Huff got off to hot starts; both led their team in scoring through the first half.
“He’s a really skilled player,” Huff said of Bittle. “Can shoot it really well, good post-game and then defensively he’s really big in there.”
The senior center and Oregon native led the way in the first half with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, as well as a steal and four blocks.
Bittle’s excellent first half was a comforting sight for Duck fans. Last game, he bounced back after playing just seven minutes the previous contest against UC Davis, garnering some concern about the severity of his ankle injury from the fan base.
“He’s been out, he hasn’t practiced much with his ankle,” head coach Dana Altman said. “He looked a lot bouncier than he has for weeks. That first half was by far his best half all around.”
“It’s great to see him healthy,” Gonzaga’s Mark Few added. “I think when you see him healthy, you can see how skilled he is, and when you play him, you forget how big he is.”
Despite Oregon starting in rhythm, the Ducks found themselves facing a consistent one-to-two score deficit throughout the first half. Credit must be given where it is due, as Gonzaga began the game 6-for-8 from 3-point range. The Bulldogs were finding their shooters and capitalizing on open looks.
Mistakes plagued Oregon to begin the second half, and it was still able to keep Gonzaga from pulling away, but allowed the Bulldogs to control the offensive glass, resulting in control of the pace. The Ducks were able to battle back and forth for the lead, but their own mistakes, including a lane violation called on Shelstad, halted their ability to take charge in the first half.
Oregon entered the break down 42-39 after a buzzer-beating 3 from Grand Canyon transfer Tyon Grant-Foster gave Gonzaga the edge.
In the first six and a half minutes of the second half, Gonzaga outscored Oregon 17-8. Altman called a timeout after a 13-3 run resulted in the Bulldogs’ biggest lead of the day and visual frustration for the Ducks coach and players.
Following that timeout, Evans knocked down a spot-up 3 from the right wing, followed by a stop and a 3-point play as Bittle finished through contact, suddenly cutting the Bulldogs’ lead in half with over 12 minutes left.
As the clock dwindled down, Oregon attempted to surge and overcome the Zags’ onslaught inside the paint. But the Ducks weren’t able to string offensive momentum into defensive stops, and Gonzaga took care of the ball, with just five turnovers in the game.
Colgate transfer guard Braeden Smith was a matchup nightmare for Oregon. The Duckguards couldn’t stay in front of him and cut off his lanes to the hoop, while the wings and big men couldn’t defend without fouling.
Smith, a redshirt junior, finished with a team-leading seven assists to go with his 21 points on just 10 shots. He showed poise and quick decision-making while initiating Few’s offense.
Bittle finished with a season high of 28 points to go with nine rebounds and five assists. A fantastic outing from the centerpiece of Oregon’s team, but unfortunately, without much support.
With a final score of 91-82, the Ducks received just 13 points from their second unit, relying on their starters to carry the load — anything but a recipe for success.
“We’re going to have to have someone step up,” Altman said. “I’m not sure where that is, but we didn’t get much from the bench tonight.”
Gonzaga tallied up 40 points off the bench, rotating nine players who all played over 13 minutes. In contrast, Oregon rotated just seven players for over 13 minutes — both Jamari Phillips and Ege Demir saw the court for just two stretches of play, each accumulating less than seven minutes on the floor.
Bittle and the Oregon Ducks will look to break their .500 level of play when they return to Matthew Knight Arena, hosting the Omaha Mavericks on December 28th at 5:00 pm.