Penn State Falters Late in Eugene, Falls to Oregon in Costly Big Ten Setback
Penn State had a golden opportunity to climb out of the Big Ten cellar Saturday afternoon in Eugene. Instead, the Nittany Lions left the West Coast with a frustrating 83-72 loss to Oregon - a game that slipped away thanks to familiar issues that have plagued this team all season.
Let’s start with the turnovers. Penn State coughed it up 14 times, and Oregon made them pay - converting those giveaways into 20 points. That’s a tough pill to swallow against any opponent, but especially against a Ducks squad that entered the day riding a 10-game losing streak and struggling to find consistent offense in conference play.
And yet, Oregon found its rhythm - particularly from beyond the arc. The Ducks torched Penn State’s perimeter defense, knocking down 14 of 27 threes.
That’s over 50 percent from deep for a team that came in shooting just 32.1 percent from long range. It was only the second time all season Oregon had scored more than 77 points in a Big Ten game.
Freshman guard Kayden Mingo was a bright spot in the loss, matching a career-high with 24 points on an efficient 9-of-13 from the field. The first-year standout continues to be a steady presence for Mike Rhoades’ squad, even as the team struggles to find consistency around him.
After pulling off an upset at Washington earlier in the week, Penn State had a chance to build some momentum. Instead, the Lions return home with a split from their West Coast swing and a 2-13 record in Big Ten play, dropping them back into a tie for last place with Northwestern - a team that beat them soundly earlier this season.
Oregon, meanwhile, finally snapped its skid, picking up its first win since January 2. The Ducks improved to 2-12 in the conference and 9-16 overall.
Penn State trailed by six at halftime but had a chance to make a run early in the second half. Instead, they turned it over four times in the first nine minutes after the break, and Oregon capitalized with eight quick points to extend the lead to 62-51. From there, the Lions never got closer than eight.
To their credit, Penn State cleaned up the turnovers the rest of the way - but by then, the damage was done. Oregon pushed the lead to as many as 15, and while the final margin was trimmed to 11 in garbage time, the game was never really in doubt down the stretch.
Foul trouble added to Penn State’s woes. In a tightly called game that featured 38 total fouls and 49 free throw attempts, the Lions lost center Ivan Juric with just over six minutes left. Juric fouled out with Penn State trailing by 12, and without him, the Lions had no answer for Oregon’s 7-footer Nate Bittle, who finished with 22 points and dominated the paint late.
Early on, it looked like Penn State might take control. The Lions opened the game with strong defensive energy, holding Oregon to just two makes on its first nine shots and jumping out to a 15-8 lead.
But then the Ducks got hot - and stayed hot. Oregon hit five straight threes during one stretch, part of a blistering 9-of-12 shooting run that flipped the game and gave them a 29-23 lead.
That stretch exposed the same defensive lapses that have haunted the Lions in too many road games this season. Oregon poured in layups, dunks, and open threes, and by halftime, the Ducks had built a 38-32 lead. Mingo’s 11 first-half points helped Penn State stay within striking distance, but the Lions never regained control.
Josh Reed added 13 points for Penn State, and Freddie Dilione chipped in 10. But the Lions just couldn’t keep up with Oregon’s balanced attack.
Alongside Bittle’s 22, guard Takai Simpkins also dropped 22 points, including 4-of-5 from three. Forward Dezdrick Lindsay added key buckets as well, combining with Bittle to shoot 9-of-13 from the field in the first half alone.
Now, Penn State heads back to Happy Valley for what could be its best remaining shot at a win. The Nittany Lions will host Rutgers on Wednesday - the only game left on their schedule that analytics site KenPom currently projects them to win.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on BTN.
Rutgers, like Penn State, is in a rough stretch. The Scarlet Knights are 9-15 overall and 2-11 in Big Ten play heading into their Sunday matchup with Maryland. Steve Pikiell’s squad has dropped seven straight, and both teams will be desperate to snap out of their respective funks.
For Penn State, it’s a chance to regroup, reset, and maybe - just maybe - find a spark to finish the season on a more positive note.