EUGENE, Ore. — For the second consecutive game, Oregon built a commanding halftime lead, this time taking a 14-point advantage into the break. Despite a furious second-half charge from Northwestern, the Ducks held on for an 81-75 victory on Wednesday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.

Oregon (17-8, 6-8 Big Ten) saw its defense struggle in the second half, allowing 50 points as the Wildcats shot 61.8% from the field and 55.6% from three-point range over the final 20 minutes. But key contributions from Jackson Shelstad and Keeshawn Barthelemy helped the Ducks secure the win, keeping Northwestern at bay with clutch baskets and free throws down the stretch.

Shelstad led all scorers with 26 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, while going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Barthelemy added 19 points, hitting four three-pointers and sealing the game with late free throws. Nate Bittle anchored the interior with 14 points and seven rebounds.

Northwestern (15-10, 6-8 Big Ten) was paced by Ty Berry, who scored 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from deep. K.J. Windham provided a spark off the bench with 20 points, knocking down four three-pointers. Nick Martinelli added 16 points and six rebounds.

Oregon led by as many as 17 points in the first half, finishing the period on a strong note with a 9-0 run to take a 39-25 lead into the locker room. The Ducks shot 47.1% from the field overall and hit 25 of 28 free throws (89.3%), a key factor in overcoming Northwestern’s second-half surge.

The Wildcats made their push after halftime, using a 7-0 run early in the second half to cut the deficit to single digits. Windham’s three-pointer with 5:11 remaining trimmed Oregon’s lead to 67-62, and Berry’s triple moments later made it a five-point game. But the Ducks responded with timely buckets, including a crucial three-pointer from Barthelemy at the 4:39 mark to stretch the lead back to eight.

Free throws proved to be the difference down the stretch. Oregon knocked down 21-of-24 foul shots in the second half, including Shelstad, Barthelemy, and Brandon Angel converting at the line in the final minute to keep Northwestern from completing the comeback.

The Ducks’ defensive effort forced 11 turnovers, leading to 18 points off takeaways. Oregon also won the rebounding battle 33-27 and dominated in transition with a 16-2 edge in fast-break points.

Next up for Oregon is a home game against Rutgers on Sunday at 4 p.m. PT. The win gives the Ducks some much-needed momentum as they push toward the final stretch of the conference schedule.