For the first time since Dana Altman took over the program in 2010, Oregon men’s basketball is on a seven-game losing streak.
With just eight scholarship players available due to a rash of injuries, the Ducks’ latest loss came at home to UCLA, 73-57, late Wednesday night at Matthew Knight Arena.
Oregon is now 8-13 overall and 1-9 in Big Ten play.
For Altman, a largely successful run as head coach Oregon is well on its way to a first-ever losing season. This isn’t his longest-ever losing streak as a coach, though: Altman’s first season at Creighton in 1994-95 — before a lengthy, winning tenure leading that program — featured a nine-game losing skid.
On Wednesday, the Ducks shot just 36% including 28% from three. They were led by Kwame Evans Jr. with 24 points and Jamari Phillips with nine.
The Bruins (15-6, 7-3 Big Ten) got 18 points from Tyler Bilodeau, 15 from Donovan Dent, and 14 from Eric Dailey Jr.
Both teams came out slow offensively, shooting a combined 2 of 15 to begin the contest. Oregon’s struggles went even further as the Ducks fell behind 8-2 early and were 1 of 11 from the field.
But a pair of threes by Evans got Oregon back in it, trailing 11-8.
UCLA began to work the inside-out game, pulling ahead 18-11 and later 26-13 as the first half progressed. Dailey was a force inside, and his bucket made it 30-16.
Oregon trailed 36-22 at the break, shooting a paltry 25% in the first half and committing six turnovers to just two for UCLA.
The Bruins blew it open as the second half got rolling, going on a 8-0 run to take a 44-24 lead and force a timeout from Altman.
Oregon responded to Altman’s words in the huddle, forcing turnovers and hitting big shots to fuel a 8-0 run of its own. UCLA’s lead was down to 46-36 with 13:16 to go.
With the Ducks’ offense cooling back off, UCLA extended its lead to 55-38 near the 10-minute mark. The Bruins would slow the game down from there on out, clamping down on Oregon’s struggling offense to carry home a win.
Next game: Oregon (8-13, 1-9 Big Ten) vs. Iowa (15-5, 5-4 Big Ten)
- When: Sunday, Feb. 1
- Time: 5:00 pm PT
- Where: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene
- Stream: FS1
