CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon overcame a sluggish first half and a double-digit deficit to edge Oregon State 78-75 in a thrilling non-conference showdown Thursday night. The Ducks, now 5-0 in their first season as a member of the Big Ten, showed grit in a hostile Gill Coliseum environment to remain unbeaten. Meanwhile, the Beavers suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 4-1.
The Ducks leaned heavily on Jackson Shelstad, who broke out of a season-long shooting slump to deliver a stellar second-half performance. Shelstad finished with 15 points, six assists, and several clutch plays in the final minutes, including a decisive jumper with 25 seconds left to give Oregon a three-point lead. Nate Bittle dominated inside, posting a game-high 23 points and 14 rebounds, including several key defensive stops down the stretch.
First-Half Struggles
Oregon State controlled much of the first half, building a 47-37 lead at the break. The Beavers capitalized on a stark free throw disparity, going 7-for-8 at the line while Oregon failed to attempt a single free throw. The rebounding battle was also one-sided, with the Beavers grabbing 12 offensive rebounds to Oregon's two, fueling a 13-0 advantage in second-chance points by the midway mark of the second half.
Michael Rataj was the catalyst for Oregon State, scoring 20 points and adding 10 rebounds in a commanding effort. Parsa Fallah chipped in 11 points but found himself in foul trouble late, ultimately fouling out with just over a minute remaining.
Second-Half Turnaround
The Ducks regrouped in the second half, focusing on defensive intensity and attacking the paint. Oregon’s 10-0 run midway through the half, capped by a Shelstad three-pointer, flipped the momentum and gave the Ducks their first lead since the early minutes of the game. That run came as Oregon State’s starting frontcourt battled foul trouble, with Fallah and Rataj picking up critical fouls that limited their aggressiveness.
Bittle’s presence in the paint was pivotal, as he cleaned up the glass and converted critical put-backs to help Oregon claw back into the game. The Ducks outscored the Beavers 41-28 in the second half, fueled by better ball movement and efficient shooting. Oregon finished the night shooting 49% from the field, including 41% from three-point range.
Final Minutes
With 1:22 left and the Beavers trailing by two, Fallah missed the front end of a one-and-one, allowing Oregon to maintain control. Oregon State’s Josiah Lake II missed a critical free throw moments later, leaving the Ducks clinging to a one-point lead. Shelstad then delivered his signature moment with a pull-up jumper, extending the lead to three with 25 seconds remaining.
Oregon State had a chance to tie, but a contested three-pointer by Rataj in the final seconds came up short. Jadrian Tracey sealed the victory for Oregon with two free throws in the closing seconds.
Key Stats and Takeaways
Oregon finished with a 9-12 edge at the free throw line after drawing more fouls in the second half, a key factor in flipping the game. Despite being outrebounded 38-30 overall and allowing 17 offensive boards, the Ducks made up for it with efficient shooting and timely stops. Oregon outscored the Beavers 14-10 in points off turnovers, capitalizing on several late-game miscues.
Shelstad’s performance marked a turning point for the sophomore guard, who had struggled with his shot early this season. Bittle continued to assert himself as the team’s anchor, recording his third double-double of the season.
For Oregon State, Rataj’s strong night was not enough to overcome a poor second-half shooting performance, as the Beavers hit just 28% of their field goals after halftime.
Bigger Picture
Oregon heads to face No. 23 Texas A&M next Teusday when we will get a chance to see how much of the early season success is based on a weak early schedule and how much is the team starting to gel.
The Ducks are as healthy at this point of the season as they have been in a while and that is good, but this is the second game in the last three that the Ducks looked sluggish in the first half. I still like where Altman has this team, but they are going to need to see some improvement in furst half play moving forward.
