The Oregon Ducks defeated the Maryland Terrapins, 83-79, in a thriller Sunday afternoon. The Ducks trailed by as many as 13, but thanks to key contributions from star guards Jackson Shelstad and Keeshawn Barthelemy, the Ducks avoided falling to 1-3 in conference play and losing two straight home games.
In the first half, it looked like Oregon was going to get blown out for the second game in a row. But with just under eight minutes left in the first half, Shelstad scored eight points in 69 seconds. The solo run gave the Ducks some life and allowed them to cut Maryland’s lead to three at halftime.
The Ducks started the second half trailing 45-42, but quickly went on a 14-2 run, leading by nine with 15 minutes left in the game. At this point, it looked like the Ducks might run away with the game, but the Terrapins came roaring back, retaking the lead with nine minutes remaining.
In the final 10 minutes of the game, neither team could pull away from the other, and with two minutes left, the game was tied 76-76. Just then, Barthelemy scored three points to go ahead, and after that, Oregon made several key stops to close out the victory.
Oregon vs. Maryland, the keys to the game
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The Ducks would not have won this game without Jackson Shelstad. The sophomore guard was as productive and efficient as possible, not missing a shot until nearly 30 minutes into the game. At one point, Maryland was guarding Shelstad at half court without the ball in his hands.
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It was truly a dynamic match, the advantage changed hands several times and both teams made several massive runs. Without their big run to end the first half, or their 14-2 run to start the second half, the Ducks wouldn’t have gotten close in this game.
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Both teams shot basketball very well on Sunday. Both finished over 45% from the field and over 40% from three. In an offense-dominated game like this, it’s only fitting that the outcome came down to defense.
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The Ducks’ defense was much improved since their awful performance Thursday against Illinois, but it still had room for improvement. Down the stretch, Oregon tightened things up on defense, preventing the Terrapins from making any of their final nine field goal attempts.
Players of the Oregon vs. Team B game
Jackson Shelstad: 23 points, 8/10 FG, 5/5 3P, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
Keeshawn Barthélemy: 14 points, 5/8 FG, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 block
Nate Bittle: 16 points, 6/10 FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal
Bam Tracey: 10 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
KJ Evans: 10 points, 7 rebounds
Notable Oregon Statistics vs. Maryland
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Oregon finished 52 percent from the field and 43 percent from three. The Terrapins also shot 43% from deep, but after shooting over 50% from the field for most of the game, Maryland’s FG% dropped to 47% in the final minutes.
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The Ducks made 13/15 free throws and the Terrapins only had 14/19. Several of those Maryland misses came in the final minutes of the game.
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The depth of the Ducks helped make the difference in this game. Their bench dominated Maryland’s 26-12.
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Oregon guards Jackson Shelstad and Keeshawn Barthelemy combined for 37 points on 72.2 percent shooting.
What’s next for Oregon’s ducks?
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January 9 – at Ohio State Buckeyes
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January 12 – at Penn State Nittany Lions
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January 18 – vs. No. 20 Purdue Boilermakers
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January 21 – vs. Washington Huskies
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January 25 – at Minnesota Golden Gophers
After a two-game homestand to kick off the bulk of Oregon’s conference schedule, the Ducks hit the road for two games against Big Ten opponents. After that, Oregon returns home for a Top 25 matchup and a rivalry game against Washington.
