Saturday, March 23
Pittsburgh, PA
6:40 PM
University of Oregon
24-12,12-8Pac-12
73
vs
86
Creighton
25-9,14-6Big East
1
2
OT 1
OT 2
F
Oregon
34
28
9
2
73
Creighton
36
26
9
15
86
Photo by: Ian McFarland/UO Athletics
Postseason Run Ends In Double Overtime
03/23/24 | Men's Basketball
Oregon battled to the end Saturday before falling to Creighton in double overtime of a second-round NCAA Tournament game.
PITTSBURGH — A magical postseason run ended for the Oregon men's basketball team Saturday night, though as usual the Ducks put up an epic fight to the end.
A week after winning the Pac-12 Tournament championship game to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, the Ducks came to the "City of Champions" and came within a whisper of the Sweet Sixteen. Ultimately, the UO men fell in double overtime to Creighton, 86-73, in a second-round tournament game played at PPG Paints Arena.
Trailing midway through the second half, the Ducks (24-12) rallied into a 58-52 lead thanks to a 9-0 run fueled by their dynamic postseason duo, N'Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard. But a missed free throw with 26 seconds left — Oregon's first attempt of the game from the line — left the door open for Creighton to tie it, and the Bluejays did so before a potential winner by Couisnard at the buzzer didn't fall.
The tables turned in the first overtime, as Creighton led much of the way before Couisnard hit a game-tying three with 16 seconds left and the Bluejays couldn't win it at the buzzer. But the second overtime, which UO point guard Jackson Shelstad watched on the bench due to a knee issue, saw Creighton score 15 straight points to end Oregon's season.
"It was a heck of a game," UO coach Dana Altman said. "We had opportunities, and we made more mistakes than they did. It was a great effort, especially by my two seniors — Jermaine and Dante played their tails off. We just had our opportunities and made some critical mistakes."
Couisnard followed up his 40-point performance in Thursday's first-round win over South Carolina by scoring 32 points with eight rebounds Saturday. Dante finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds, plus two blocks and two steals.
Shelstad (seven) and Jadrian Tracey (six) were the only other Ducks to score Saturday. The game began after 10 p.m. local time after the previous game also went to overtime, and it ended well after midnight.
"It's been a great ride, a great journey with these guys," Tracey said of Oregon's postseason surge the last two weeks. "We all bought in at the end of the season and really stayed connected."
The Ducks trailed much of the first half, before a three by Couisnard and a bucket from Tracey gave them a 32-30 lead just before halftime. Creighton retook the lead with a three, Shelstad scored to put Oregon back up with 42 seconds to go, and for the second time in this tournament the Ducks saw the opposition hit a three just before the halftime buzzer.
That gave the Bluejays a 36-34 lead at the break, fueled by a 23-15 advantage on the boards that led to a 14-2 edge in second-chance points.
As usual this postseason, Oregon flipped the script in the second half. The Ducks had a 21-17 rebounding advantage in the half, had just three turnovers and limited Creighton to 38.7 percent shooting. All of that eventually paid dividends when Dante scored three straight buckets in the game and then Couisnard hit a three-pointer to cap a 9-0 run that gave Oregon a 58-52 lead with 5:20 to go.
"I made some coaching mistakes, and I'm gonna have to live with that," Altman said. "Because those two guys … we've been riding them all year. It was special to watch those two guys."
Creighton then scored six straight to tie it, before two more buckets from Dante made it 62-58 with 1:15 left. After Creighton hit two free throws to get within two with 27 seconds to go, the Ducks inbounded the ball to Dante and he was fouled. Taking the first UO free throw of the entire game, Dante missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Creighton tied it with 8 seconds left, and Couisnard's attempt to drive to the goal for a game-winner was no good.
"I wish I could have made my last free throws," Dante said. "That could have been the game. … I don't know what to even say. This one just hurts."
Oregon scored first in the first overtime, before a 7-2 run put Creighton up 69-66. A putback by Tracey — the only UO points after halftime not scored by Dante or Couisnard — made it a one-point game, and after two Bluejays free throws Couisnard hit a game-tying three with 16 seconds to go. Creighton couldn't score at the other end, but the Bluejays then dominated the second overtime to secure the win.
Shelstad was not on Oregon's bench to start the second overtime, eventually returning and taking a seat with a wrap protecting what Altman said was a knee sprain.
"He guarded all night very well," Tracey said. "It would have been great to have him out there."
A week after winning the Pac-12 Tournament championship game to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, the Ducks came to the "City of Champions" and came within a whisper of the Sweet Sixteen. Ultimately, the UO men fell in double overtime to Creighton, 86-73, in a second-round tournament game played at PPG Paints Arena.
Trailing midway through the second half, the Ducks (24-12) rallied into a 58-52 lead thanks to a 9-0 run fueled by their dynamic postseason duo, N'Faly Dante and Jermaine Couisnard. But a missed free throw with 26 seconds left — Oregon's first attempt of the game from the line — left the door open for Creighton to tie it, and the Bluejays did so before a potential winner by Couisnard at the buzzer didn't fall.
The tables turned in the first overtime, as Creighton led much of the way before Couisnard hit a game-tying three with 16 seconds left and the Bluejays couldn't win it at the buzzer. But the second overtime, which UO point guard Jackson Shelstad watched on the bench due to a knee issue, saw Creighton score 15 straight points to end Oregon's season.
"It was a heck of a game," UO coach Dana Altman said. "We had opportunities, and we made more mistakes than they did. It was a great effort, especially by my two seniors — Jermaine and Dante played their tails off. We just had our opportunities and made some critical mistakes."
Couisnard followed up his 40-point performance in Thursday's first-round win over South Carolina by scoring 32 points with eight rebounds Saturday. Dante finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds, plus two blocks and two steals.
Shelstad (seven) and Jadrian Tracey (six) were the only other Ducks to score Saturday. The game began after 10 p.m. local time after the previous game also went to overtime, and it ended well after midnight.
"It's been a great ride, a great journey with these guys," Tracey said of Oregon's postseason surge the last two weeks. "We all bought in at the end of the season and really stayed connected."
The Ducks trailed much of the first half, before a three by Couisnard and a bucket from Tracey gave them a 32-30 lead just before halftime. Creighton retook the lead with a three, Shelstad scored to put Oregon back up with 42 seconds to go, and for the second time in this tournament the Ducks saw the opposition hit a three just before the halftime buzzer.
That gave the Bluejays a 36-34 lead at the break, fueled by a 23-15 advantage on the boards that led to a 14-2 edge in second-chance points.
As usual this postseason, Oregon flipped the script in the second half. The Ducks had a 21-17 rebounding advantage in the half, had just three turnovers and limited Creighton to 38.7 percent shooting. All of that eventually paid dividends when Dante scored three straight buckets in the game and then Couisnard hit a three-pointer to cap a 9-0 run that gave Oregon a 58-52 lead with 5:20 to go.
"I made some coaching mistakes, and I'm gonna have to live with that," Altman said. "Because those two guys … we've been riding them all year. It was special to watch those two guys."
Creighton then scored six straight to tie it, before two more buckets from Dante made it 62-58 with 1:15 left. After Creighton hit two free throws to get within two with 27 seconds to go, the Ducks inbounded the ball to Dante and he was fouled. Taking the first UO free throw of the entire game, Dante missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Creighton tied it with 8 seconds left, and Couisnard's attempt to drive to the goal for a game-winner was no good.
"I wish I could have made my last free throws," Dante said. "That could have been the game. … I don't know what to even say. This one just hurts."
Oregon scored first in the first overtime, before a 7-2 run put Creighton up 69-66. A putback by Tracey — the only UO points after halftime not scored by Dante or Couisnard — made it a one-point game, and after two Bluejays free throws Couisnard hit a game-tying three with 16 seconds to go. Creighton couldn't score at the other end, but the Bluejays then dominated the second overtime to secure the win.
Shelstad was not on Oregon's bench to start the second overtime, eventually returning and taking a seat with a wrap protecting what Altman said was a knee sprain.
"He guarded all night very well," Tracey said. "It would have been great to have him out there."
Team Stats
Oregon
CU
FG%
.403
.387
3FG%
.333
.385
FT%
.800
.929
RB
43
48
TO
9
11
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
32
FGM
13
3FGM
6
FTM
0
Pts
28
FGM
12
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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