Your Oregon Ducks traveled east on Friday night to take on the Maryland Terrapins, looking to capture their first conference win of the season. Oregon came out sharp on both ends of the floor, building a quick 15-8 lead. The Terps would make a couple of pushes, but every time they did, the Ducks had an answer, on their way to take a 34–27 lead into halftime.
The second half turned into a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to find consistent rhythm. Maryland would tie the game at 43 with about 11 minutes remaining, but that would be as close as they would get, with the Ducks going on a quick 7–0 run to regain control. From there, the Ducks clamped down defensively, forcing tough shots and limiting second chances down the stretch, to seal a 64–54 road victory.
It was a gritty win for Oregon, who picked up its first Big Ten victory of the season. Nate Bittle once again led the way for the Ducks, scoring 16 points while adding 7 rebounds and 5 blocks. Takai Simpkins matched him with 16 points of his own, while also contributing 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Kwame Evans Jr. provided a strong all-around performance as well, finishing with 12 points and 8 boards. Wei Lin, filling in for Jackson Shelstad, would add another 8 points, 2 rebounds and an assist in 22 minutes of action.
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All-in-all, it was a strong road win for the Ducks, who showed toughness and composure in a traditionally hostile environment. Oregon will look to build on this momentum on Monday, January 5th, when they take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
As always, ’Sco Ducks. 🦆
