If you were hoping for a late-night miracle in Lincoln, I’ve got some bad news. Honestly, it wasn't even close. Last night, the Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team ran into a buzzsaw in the form of the No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The final score was 90-55.
Yeah, you read that right. A 35-point loss. It was the kind of game where you start checking the score in the first half and think, "Okay, they're hanging in there," and then you look back ten minutes later and the wheels haven't just fallen off—they’ve rolled into the Missouri River.
The Ugly Breakdown: Who Won the Oregon Ducks Game Last Night?
So, who won the Oregon Ducks game last night? Nebraska won. And they didn't just win; they put on a shooting clinic that made the Ducks look like they were standing in slow motion. The Huskers stayed perfect on the season, moving to 17-0, while Oregon dropped to a frustrating 8-9.
If you’re looking for a silver lining, there isn't much of one. The Ducks actually played decent ball for about 16 minutes. They were hitting shots, moving the rock, and trailing by only a couple of buckets late in the first half. But Nebraska closed that half on a 14-2 run, and that was basically the ballgame.
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Why Nebraska Blew the Doors Off
It mostly came down to two guys: Pryce Sandfort and Braden Frager. They combined for 51 points. That’s nearly the entire Oregon team’s total by themselves. They both hit seven 3-pointers. Seven! Every time Oregon tried to switch to a zone or hedge a screen, Nebraska found the open man at the arc.
- Nebraska’s 3-Point Shooting: 17-of-36 (that's 47.2% from deep).
- Turnover Margin: Oregon gave it away 16 times. Nebraska turned those into 23 points.
- Bench Scoring: Nebraska’s bench outscored Oregon’s 37-7.
When you get outscored by 30 on the bench and give up 17 triples, you aren't winning many games in the Big Ten.
The Duck Perspective
Wei Lin was really the only bright spot for Dana Altman’s squad. He finished with 14 points and hit a few deep balls, but he was swimming against the current all night. Takai Simpkins added 12, but it was a struggle.
Missing Jackson Shelstad is clearly hurting this team more than people realize. He’s been out with that shooting hand injury, and without his ability to break down the defense and settle the offense, Oregon looks lost when things get fast. They shot just 29.6% in the second half. You can't win on the road in this conference shooting like that.
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A Brutal Stretch for Dana Altman
This loss marks three in a row for the Ducks. It’s actually their worst 17-game start in about 15 years. For a program that usually finds its stride in January and February, this feels different. The move to the Big Ten has been a physical adjustment, sure, but last night was purely about shot-making and perimeter defense.
Altman was back in his home state—he’s from Wilber, just down the road from Lincoln—and he’s usually got a trick up his sleeve for these moments. Not last night. Nebraska is ranked No. 8 for a reason, and they played like a Final Four contender while Oregon looked like a team still trying to figure out its identity.
What’s Happening With Other Ducks Teams?
While the men’s basketball team was getting humbled, the rest of the Oregon sports world is in a bit of a transition.
The Oregon Football season ended a few days ago in the Peach Bowl. If you missed that, it was another tough one—a 56-22 loss to Indiana. But the big news there is that Dante Moore is staying for 2026, and they just landed Dylan Raiola in the transfer portal. The quarterback room is going to be a circus (in a good way) next year.
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The Women’s Basketball team is also coming off a tough loss, falling 85-81 to No. 15 Michigan State this past Sunday. They have a massive test coming up Thursday against Iowa. If you're looking for a win, keep an eye on the women's squad; they've shown a lot more grit in tight games lately than the men have.
Real Talk: Is the Season Over?
It's not "over," but the margin for error is gone. To get into the NCAA Tournament conversation, Oregon basically has to go on a tear starting right now. The problem? No. 4 Michigan is coming to Eugene this Saturday.
Basically, the Ducks have to find a way to stop the bleeding at Matthew Knight Arena. If they can't defend the three-point line better than they did last night, it’s going to be a long flight home for a lot of Big Ten opponents—and a long winter for Ducks fans.
What to Watch for Next
- Defensive Rotations: Look at how Altman adjusts the perimeter defense. They were late on almost every closeout against Nebraska.
- Health Update: All eyes are on Jackson Shelstad’s hand. If he’s not back for Michigan, the Ducks are in serious trouble.
- The Raiola Factor: While it’s football news, the buzz in Eugene is all about the transfer portal. It might be the only thing keeping fans optimistic right now.
If you're planning on heading to the game this Saturday or just watching from the couch, expect a lot of defensive adjustments. The Ducks need to find some pride on that end of the floor after what happened in Lincoln.
Check the official Oregon Athletics site for ticket availability for the Michigan game, as the student section is expected to be packed despite the recent slump. If you're betting the over/under, keep in mind that Oregon's defense has been porous, but their home-court energy usually keeps scores higher than road games. Move forward by focusing on the defensive glass and transition defense, as those will be the metrics that decide if Oregon can pull off the upset against Michigan.