University of Oregon
4-1,0-0Big Ten
Auburn
5-1,0-0SEC
UO Men Pick Up First Loss of the Season
11/24/25 | Men's Basketball
LAS VEGAS — Oregon matched No. 21 Auburn punch-for-punch for a half, but the Ducks couldn't keep pace down the stretch in an 84–73 loss Monday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Takai Simpkins led Oregon (4–1) with 22 points, hitting 5 of 8 from three-point range and going a perfect 7 for 7 at the line, but turned the ball over seven times. Nate Bittle added 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Devon Pryor turned in one of his best efforts of the season with nine points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Kwame Evans Jr. added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Oregon led by one point with 10 minutes to play, but bad ball control proved to be the difference for the Ducks. The Ducks committed 19 giveaways, leading to 14 Auburn points.
"We just made too many defensive mistakes," head coach Dana Altman said. "Our rotations really caused us some problems. Then the turnovers, we had 18 turnovers, they only had six."
How it happened: Despite a 37–37 tie at the half, Oregon struggled to generate consistent offense in the second half, shooting just 32.4 percent from the field and 25 percent from three. Auburn shot 57.1 percent in the second half and continued to pressure Jackson Shelstad and the Oregon ball handlers.
The Ducks briefly grabbed the lead early in the second half, going up 45–44 on a Shelstad three with 17:05 to play. Moments later, Wei Lin's second-chance three put Oregon back in front 50–49. But Auburn responded with a series of scoring bursts that shifted momentum for good—capped by a 10–0 run that stretched the Tigers' lead to 68–59.
Oregon stayed within reach thanks to Simpkins' shooting and Pryor's activity on the glass. But Auburn's efficiency in the paint proved pivotal. Auburn closed the game on a 12–6 run, taking its largest lead—11 points—on a Kevin Overton fast-break dunk with 25 seconds remaining. Tahaad Pettiford scored a game-high 24 points for the Tigers before fouling out late.
Notable: Pryor grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. … Simpkins scored a season-best 22 points. … Lin net his first three-pointer of the season and finished with five points. … The Ducks grabbed 46 rebounds, one short of the season high.
Up next: Oregon plays San Diego State Tuesday at 8 p.m. PT in Michelob ULTRA Arena (TNT).
