Written by Yaniv Horenstein

EUGENE, Ore. -- Oregon men’s basketball hosted the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday afternoon at MKA. The Ducks are unfortunately battling a slew of injuries, competing without N’Faly Dante, Nate Bittle, Mookie Cook, and Jesse Zarzuela. Nonetheless, even facing a size disadvantage, the Ducks fought in a tight battle against the Wolverines and closed the game with an exciting overtime victory.

The key to the first half was crashing the offensive glass. The Ducks reeled in eight offensive rebounds, leading to 12 second chance points. Michigan followed the same pattern, grabbing 12 offensive rebounds, but fortunately for the Ducks, it only led to nine second chance points.

In typical fashion, Oregon’s first half scoring was spread out. Going into the break, Kario Oquendo led the team with eight points, and Kwame Evans Jr. and Jermaine Couisnard followed close behind with seven points each. Oregon shot the ball efficiently, ending the half on 48% field goal shooting, and 80% from behind the arc. The Ducks assisted six of their 15 made baskets, but at times the offense was stagnant, leading to uncharacteristic turnovers.

The second half began with a barrage of Michigan three-pointers. The Wolverines hit five threes in a row and took the lead from the Ducks. The run was led by Michigan’s leading scorer on the season, 5-foot-11-inch Dug McDaniel. The shifty guard finished his 42-minute stint in the game with seven three-pointers, and 33 points.

Luckily, Oregon’s Brennan Rigsby put a stop to Michigan’s hot second half start with an 8-0 run of his own. Rigsby continues to provide an energy spark whenever the Ducks need it the most. He finished the game as the Ducks leading scorer, scoring 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, and three-of-three from deep.

The Ducks matched Michigan’s streaky three-point shooting. While the Wolverines hit 13 threes on 42% efficiency, the Ducks knocked down ten of their own, at a more effective rate of 63%. The real difference-maker was inside the paint, where Oregon outscored their opponent 44-28. This should serve as a huge relief for Duck fans, as Oregon is without their two star seven-footers.

Kario Oquendo played a major role in the Ducks victory over Michigan. His ability to create his own shot by driving to the rim and finishing through contact is something the Ducks will continue to use throughout the season. Oquendo hit five of his eight shots and hit two clutch free throws to tie the game and send it into overtime.

Jadrian Tracey and Mahamadou Diawara played solid defense in the paint and led the Ducks in rebounds with a combined 13 boards. Over the course of the next month, Diawara will play a significant role for the Ducks as their only true center. The big man out of Mali shot a perfect three-for-three from the field and grabbed a steal as well.

In overtime, the game remained close. Luckily for Oregon, Jackson Shelstad rose to the occasion in his home debut. His lockdown defense against Dug McDaniels late in the game was stellar. Shelstad put pressure on McDaniels’ handle and recorded a block on one of his three-point attempts.

Shelstad showcased his talent in the last minute of the game. With 47 seconds remaining, he shook his defender on the perimeter, drove to the basket, and found Diawara for an open dunk, giving the Ducks a two-point lead. Michigan tied the game with a turnaround jumper by Olivier Nkamhoua, but they left time on the clock. With six seconds remaining, Jackson Shelstad hit a deep three to win the game for Oregon, prompting an eruption of cheers from the season-high attendance at Matthew Knight Arena. Oregon basketball has a bright future with Shelstad at the helm.

The Ducks will have a week of rest before taking on the University of Texas El-Paso in Eugene, next Saturday at 6 PM.

Audio Story by David Miller

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