Wisconsin fell 85-71 to Oregon on Wednesday, starting their two-game Pacific Northwest road trip with a loss to a Ducks team that has just three Big Ten wins.
Despite having three top-10 wins and a multitude of other impressive performances this season, Wisconsin has repeatedly fallen to inferior teams, including USC, Indiana and Ohio State last Tuesday. Their matchup with the Ducks was an opportunity for the Badgers to prove their consistency against lower-level teams, but, the Badgers struggled mightily, further extenuating concerns over the team’s inconsistencies.
Unlike other losses, Wisconsin jumped out to a quick start, leading by as much as nine just under eight minutes into the first half. Nick Boyd led the way early for the Badgers, scoring nine of the team's first 23 points. But as his efficiency dwindled, so did Wisconsin’s lead.
The Ducks then embarked on a 13-2 run, taking the lead back with 5:39 to go. However, John Blackwell refused to let the game get out of hand, scoring seven of his 10 first-half points in the last three minutes to give the Badgers a 33-30 lead at the break.
Shooting came at a premium for both teams early. Wisconsin shot just 29% from deep and 30% overall in the first half. Six of the Badgers’ nine field goals were 3s. The Ducks made just 30% of their deep balls in the first half, and no player entered double figures. Lin Wei led Oregon with nine points.
Wisconsin’s shooting woes worsened after the break, while Oregon got hot.
Oregon responded to Wisconsin’s offensive struggles with a 21-4 run that gave the Ducks a12-point lead with under seven minutes to go.
As he did in the two teams’ previous matchup a year ago, Ducks seven-footer Nate Bittle terrorized the Badger defense, scoring 20 points, 13 coming in the second half. His dominance was eerily similar to last year, a game that Oregon won in overtime and Bittle had a game-high 23 points.
Offensively, Wisconsin couldn’t match the Ducks, going 8-for-24 from deep in the second half, attempting only 12 2-point shots. Turnovers also doomed the Badgers, who tallied nine in the second half, helping Oregon score 15 fast-break points and 18 off turnovers. The Ducks also shot lights out from the field in the second, draining six of their nine threes and going over 70% from the field. Add in Oregon’s 15 free throws, and the Badgers stood no chance.
Blackwell was the leading scorer for Wisconsin with 22, but the points came on below-average consistency (6-for-18 FG). All of his field goals were 3-pointers. Boyd scored just two points in the second half, going 1-for-7.
The Badgers broke the program record for 3-point attempts with 45, shattering the previous mark of 40, which was done twice: against Providence on Nov. 27 and against Temple in 2001. Still, they made just 14 of them (31%) and are now 3-8 when shooting 33% or less from beyond the arc, exemplifying just how much the Badgers rely on the 3-pointer
The Badgers continue their West Coast trip Saturday when they travel to Washington to take on the Huskies. Despite Washington’s weak 14-14 record (13th in the Big Ten), Wisconsin’s loss against Oregon once again proves no team in the conference can be taken lightly. Tip is set for 3 p.m.
