After an unexpected five-game losing streak, the Oregon Ducks needed to get back on track. Tuesday’s 81-75 home win over the Northwestern Wildcats might be what they needed to find their groove.

The Ducks showed a sense of urgency from the opening tip. In the fifth minute, Jackson Shelstad paired a 3-pointer with a fast-break layup to give Oregon an 11-4 lead. Northwestern fought back and tied the game, but then Oregon went on an extended scoring run that lasted the rest of the first half. The Ducks led by 17 around the one-minute mark and went into the locker room up 14. 

Both teams traded points for the majority of the second half. However, things started to get interesting around the eight-minute mark. Oregon led by 13 after a pair of Nate Bittle free throws, but then Northwestern went on an 11-3 run over the next few minutes. Oregon called a timeout to regroup with five minutes remaining and guard Keeshawn Barthelemy immediately sank a 3 to halt the Wildcats’ momentum. From there, Northwestern couldn’t cut the lead any further, and the Ducks were able to grind out a difficult but important win. 

Oregon’s difficulty scoring from outside the paint has been well-documented throughout the season, as it was one factor that contributed to their long losing streak. Tuesday, Oregon was outscored 36-24 in the paint and still came out on top. It also shot an impressive 38 percent from outside the 3-point arc. This game proved that Oregon is becoming more versatile and can win in a variety of ways.

Shelstad’s stellar performance was instrumental in Oregon’s ability to pull out this win. He scored 26 points going 8-for-11 from the field and 4-for-6 from 3. He was also perfect from the free-throw line. Barthelemy and center Nate Bittle also showed out, scoring 19 and 14 respectively. Like Shelstad, Barthelemy was 4-for-6 from behind the arc.

Oregon made the Wildcats’ fouls count, as it made 89 percent of its free throws. The Ducks also won the rebounding battle and dominated in transition with 16 fast-break points to the Wildcats’ two. One area of concern for Oregon might be bench production, as its bench was outscored 24-10. Roster depth continues to be an issue for this program, and it is something that may need to be addressed in future recruiting and transfer cycles.

Before their losing streak, the Ducks were projected in the No. 2 to No. 4  seed range. Unfortunately for them, they fell a couple of seed lines over the past few weeks and now sit as a likely seven seed. The Ducks have a relatively light remaining schedule, as they won’t have to face any of the Big Ten’s top contenders until the conference tournament. In the postgame presser, Shelstad emphasized the importance of this win, stating that “for some teams, one win is all it takes.” Shall the Ducks finish the season strong, they can improve their Big Ten and March Madness position. After all, this team has eight victories in Quadrant 1, which is tied for the second-most of any team in Division I.

This has been a chaotic season of college basketball, and Oregon head coach Dana Altman mentioned the multiple losses by ranked teams that occurred tonight. Various teams have gone on losing streaks and bounced right back into early-season form —most notably Kentucky, who lost four of six going into Tuesday but were able to right the ship against Tennessee with an impressive shooting night. Oregon's performance tonight, at least offensively may inspire hope within the fanbase that the team can return to its winning ways.

Oregon will return to the court for a home contest against Rutgers on Sunday at 4 p.m. From Matthew Knight Arena.