The energy inside Matthew Knight Arena was electric, the kind of buzz you only get when a top-five team rolls into Eugene. Honestly, if you walked in at halftime, you would’ve thought the upset was in the bag. The Ducks were scrappy. They were physical. They actually held a lead.
But it didn't hold.
If you're looking for the short answer: No, the Oregon Ducks did not win today. They fell to the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines 81-71 in a game that felt much closer than the final ten-point margin suggests. It was a gritty, sometimes messy, Big Ten clash that highlighted both the potential and the current frustrations of this Oregon roster.
Breaking Down the Score: Did the Oregon Ducks Win Today?
The Ducks came into this Saturday, January 17, 2026, matchup as massive underdogs, and for good reason. Michigan is sitting at 16-1. Oregon? They're struggling to find their footing in a brutal conference schedule. Yet, for twenty minutes, the scoreboard told a different story.
Oregon led 41-40 at the break.
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Sean Stewart was basically a one-man wrecking crew. He finished with a career-high 22 points and 8 rebounds. Watching him work the paint was one of the few bright spots for Ducks fans today. But here is the thing: basketball is a forty-minute game, and the second half was a completely different beast.
Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau and Nimari Burnett simply took over. Cadeau, who finished with 17 points, has this way of getting to his spots that just deflates a defense. When he hit a layup with about two and a half minutes left to push the lead back to ten, you could almost hear the air leave the building.
The Missing Pieces in Eugene
You can’t talk about this game without mentioning who wasn't on the floor. Oregon is hurting. Badly.
Basically, the Ducks played today without their two best players:
- Nate Bittle: The senior center (averaging 16.3 PPG) is out for a month with a foot injury.
- Jackson Shelstad: The star point guard (15.6 PPG) missed his fifth straight game with a hand issue.
It’s tough. You’re asking bench guys to play starter minutes against a team that’s probably going to be a 1-seed in March. Kwame Evans Jr. did his best to fill the void with 18 points and 7 boards, and Takai Simpkins added 12, but the depth just wasn't there when Michigan started their 12-2 run in the second half.
Why the Second Half Slump Happened
Michigan shot 60% from the field in the second half. Let that sink in. You aren't going to win many games when the opponent is throwing it into the ocean from the pier.
Oregon got within six points at 74-68 with about 3:33 left on a basket by Stewart. The crowd was back into it. The "Quack" was loud. But then Morez Johnson Jr. and Cadeau responded with back-to-back buckets, and that was essentially the ballgame.
The rebounding battle was also a killer. Michigan outrebounded Oregon 36-30. In a game decided by ten points, those extra possessions are the difference between a win and a "what if."
Current Oregon Ducks Standing (As of Jan 17, 2026)
This loss drops Oregon to 8-10 overall and a concerning 1-6 in Big Ten play. It is their fourth straight loss. For a program with the pedigree of Oregon, sitting two games under .500 in mid-January is uncharted territory in recent years.
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Meanwhile, Michigan improves to 16-1. They look like the real deal.
What About the Football Team?
Since people often search "did the Oregon Ducks win today" looking for football updates, it is worth a quick look back at how the season ended. We are currently in the gap between the 2025 season and the 2026 kickoff.
The Ducks had a hell of a run in the College Football Playoff this year. They shut out Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day, which was a defensive masterpiece. Unfortunately, the ride ended on January 9 in the Peach Bowl with a tough 56-22 loss to Indiana.
So, while there wasn't a football game today, the 13-2 record from this past season is still something to be proud of, even if the ending was a bit of a gut punch.
Final Thoughts and What’s Next
It is easy to be a doomer after a ten-point loss at home, but there’s a nuance here. Playing a top-five team to a standstill for thirty-five minutes while missing your two leading scorers isn't nothing.
The Ducks showed heart. They just didn't have the legs—or the healthy bodies—to finish the job against a Michigan team that is firing on all cylinders.
Your Next Steps for Following the Ducks:
- Circle Tuesday on your calendar. Oregon hosts No. 12 Michigan State next. It doesn't get any easier, but it's another chance to snap the streak.
- Watch the injury report. Keep an eye on Jackson Shelstad's hand. If he can get back on the court sooner rather than later, this season isn't over yet.
- Follow the stats. Keep track of Sean Stewart’s development; if he continues to play like he did today, he’s going to be a problem for the rest of the Big Ten.