Ducks Suffer Rare Loss At Utah

Sunday, January 21

Salt Lake City, UT

12:00 PM

University of Oregon

13-5,5-2Pac-12

Utah

14-5,5-3Pac-12

Oregon

Utah

Photo by: Carter Cunningham

01/21/24 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Oregon saw an 11-game win streak over the Utes come to an end Sunday, when the Ducks couldn't convert a couple of late opportunities.

SALT LAKE CITY — In a back-and-forth game that featured nine ties and 15 lead changes, Oregon missed a couple of crucial chances late and suffered its first loss at Utah in more than a decade on Sunday, 80-77.

Neither team led by more than six at any point, and the Utes led 72-67 after a 9-0 run late in the game. Trailing 76-75 with less than 30 seconds left, the Ducks missed two chances at a go-ahead basket, and then also a chance to tie it from the free-throw line with 2 seconds remaining before Utah iced it at the other end.

Jermaine Couisnard had 26 points to lead the Ducks (13-5, 5-2 Pac-12), who had won six in a row before losing twice on the road trip. He missed on a drive to the hoop with 12 seconds left and N'Faly Dante couldn't get a putback to drop either; Dante finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, and made 1-of-2 free throws with Oregon down 78-76 and 2 seconds left.

The Ducks will be back home this week, looking to extend a 9-0 start to the season in games played at Matthew Knight Arena.

How It Happened: Oregon scored on its first four possessions of the second half, the last a three-pointer by Keeshawn Barthelemy for a 42-39 lead. Two baskets by Dante gave the UO men a 47-42 advantage, and a bucket by Kwame Evans Jr. made it 52-48 moments later.

After Couisnard hit a three-pointer for a 57-53 lead, Utah scored seven straight. The Ducks got back out in front 64-63 when Dante scored, and another Couisnard three made it 67-63. But Utah responded with a 9-0 run to take the lead for good, despite some late dramatics.

A three-point play by Dante got Oregon back within 72-70, and Couisnard got the Ducks within 74-73 on his seventh three-pointer of the afternoon. With Utah up 76-75 and 27 seconds left, the Utes missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Couisnard couldn't get to the rim to finish at the other end and Dante didn't get a putback to drop.

The Utes then made two free throws for a three-point lead with 8 seconds left. They fouled Barthelemy and he made one free throw before missing the second, which Dante rebounded with the Ducks down by two. He was fouled on the putback attempt and missed the first free throw, before banking in the second. Utah iced it at the free throw line with 1 second remaining.

Jackson Shelstad

Couisnard opened scoring in the game with a three-pointer, and Brennan Rigsby followed with two more as Oregon got out to an early 9-7 lead. Utah answered with an 8-0 run, before two more Couisnard threes tied it, 15-15.

An extended scoring drought for the Ducks allowed Utah to put together a 7-2 run for a 24-19 lead, before the UO men scored six straight capped by a bucket from Jackson Shelstad to claw back in front by one. Couisnard put the Ducks back up by one at 30-29, and Kario Oquendo followed with a three-pointer that Utah answered at the buzzer as Oregon took a 33-32 lead into halftime.

Up Next: The Ducks host Arizona State on Thursday (6 p.m., Pac-12 Network).