The Oregon Ducks are in a free fall, and the numbers tell the story. Seven straight losses, a sputtering offense, and a roster that’s been decimated by injuries-it’s been a brutal stretch for Dana Altman’s squad.
And while the team has shown flashes of fight, like the overtime battle at Rutgers that kicked off this skid, the last six games have been rough: just 59 points per game in that span, and an average margin of defeat of 17 points. That’s not just a cold streak-it’s a full-on spiral.
But there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
Oregon (8-13 overall, 1-9 in Big Ten play) will host No. 25 Iowa on Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena, and there’s cautious optimism that senior guard Takai Simpkins could be back in the lineup.
Simpkins sat out Wednesday’s loss to UCLA with an ankle injury and is officially listed as questionable, but the Ducks are hoping he’ll be ready to go. And they need him-badly.
Simpkins has been one of Oregon’s most consistent offensive weapons this season, averaging 12.4 points per game and shooting a team-best 36.6% from beyond the arc. He’s hit 37 triples on the year, and without him, the Ducks have struggled to find reliable outside shooting or scoring punch. During the UCLA game, Simpkins was one of three starters out due to injury, and that lack of depth has been glaring.
The injury list reads like a who's who of Oregon's core. Point guard Jackson Shelstad, a key playmaker and floor general, is out for the season with a hand injury.
That’s a massive blow. Meanwhile, center Nate Bittle has missed the last four games with an ankle injury and won’t be available against Iowa either.
There is some hope he could return for the upcoming road trip to Purdue and Indiana, but for now, Oregon is still operating shorthanded.
That’s a tough position to be in against an Iowa team that’s quietly putting together a strong season. The Hawkeyes (15-5, 5-4 Big Ten) come into Eugene riding a three-game win streak and sitting ninth in the conference standings. They’ve been competitive in nearly every game this season, with their five losses-including to top-10 teams like Iowa State, Illinois, and Purdue-coming by an average of just 5.7 points (with the exception of a blowout loss to Michigan State).
Iowa is led by senior guard Bennett Stirtz, a transfer who followed head coach Ben McCollum from Drake. Stirtz is averaging 18.4 points and has been the engine behind one of the Big Ten’s most efficient offenses.
The Hawkeyes rank third in the conference in both field goal percentage (50.4%) and three-point shooting (37.3%), and they knock down an average of 8.2 threes per game. That kind of offensive efficiency could pose serious problems for an Oregon defense that’s been asked to do too much with so little support on the other end.
The Ducks' margin for error is razor thin right now. With a depleted roster and a struggling offense, they’ll need to dig deep to compete with a disciplined, high-scoring Iowa team.
If Simpkins can suit up, it gives Oregon a much-needed perimeter threat and veteran presence. But even then, the Ducks will have to bring their best effort on both ends just to keep pace.
Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. PT on Sunday, and fans can catch the action on FS1 or stream it via Fubo or Sling. For those tuning in on the radio, coverage will be available across KUGN, KUJZ, KFXX, and KYKN, as well as Sirius channel 381.
Looking ahead, Oregon’s schedule doesn’t get any easier. After Iowa, the Ducks hit the road for matchups against Purdue and Indiana before returning home to face Penn State and Minnesota. If they’re going to turn this season around, it has to start soon-and it likely has to start with getting healthy.
For now, all eyes are on Simpkins’ status. Because if Oregon is going to stop the bleeding, they’ll need every bit of firepower they can get.