The 2025-26 Big Ten men’s basketball tournament tipped off with a clash between two teams desperate for redemption: the Oregon Ducks and the Maryland Terrapins. On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at Chicago’s United Center, the 16th-seeded Ducks (12-19, 5-15 Big Ten) squared off against the 17th-seeded Terrapins (11-20, 4-16 Big Ten) in a play-in round that, for both squads, was truly do-or-die. The stakes? The winner would earn a shot at No. 9 seed Iowa the following afternoon, while the loser’s season would come to a bitter end.
Fans tuning in on Peacock at 5:00 p.m. ET were treated to a matchup that, while not featuring this year’s national powerhouses, had all the tension of March’s signature madness. Both Oregon and Maryland entered the tournament with their fair share of struggles and a season’s worth of adversity weighing on their shoulders. For the Ducks, this campaign marked the worst under head coach Dana Altman’s 14-year tenure. Oregon had never before lost more than 15 games in a single season with Altman at the helm; this year, they’d already tallied 19 defeats. Injuries, particularly the season-ending hand injury to star guard Jackson Shelstad just before Big Ten play began, had forced Altman to overhaul his approach. The Ducks’ offense, once predicated on perimeter playmaking, now revolved around seven-foot center Nate Bittle, who not only led the team in scoring but also in assists.
Despite the setbacks, Oregon closed the regular season with a glimmer of hope, winning three of their last five games after a brutal start that saw them drop 10 of their first 11 conference matchups. Their earlier meeting with Maryland on January 2, 2026, provided a blueprint for success: the Ducks secured a 64-54 victory in College Park, holding the Terrapins to just 28% shooting from the field and a frigid 20% from beyond the arc. Bittle starred in that contest, posting 16 points and seven rebounds, and his return from an ankle injury had sparked improved play; over his last nine games, he averaged an impressive 17.6 points and 7.2 boards.
Maryland, meanwhile, limped into the postseason on a four-game losing streak and with little momentum. The Terrapins’ 4-16 Big Ten record was the second-worst in the conference, and their offensive woes were glaring—they were the lowest-scoring team in Big Ten play, averaging under 70 points per game. Yet, the emergence of freshman guard Andre Mills offered a silver lining. Mills finished the season on a tear, scoring in double figures in 10 of the last 11 games and dropping 30 points in the regular season finale against Illinois. Notably, he became the first Maryland freshman since Joe Smith to notch two 30-point games in a single season. Senior guard David Coit also flashed scoring potential, but inconsistency plagued his performances.
Both teams faced significant roster uncertainty heading into the tournament. For Maryland, Lukas Sotell and Myles Rice were listed as questionable, while Pharrel Payne (leg) joined Rakease Passmore (Achilles) on the sidelines. Oregon had its own injury woes, with Devon Pryor (groin) and Ege Demir (shoulder) questionable and Shelstad definitively ruled out.
With so much on the line, oddsmakers at DraftKings pegged Oregon as 4.5-point favorites, with the total set at 138.5 points. The Ducks’ moderate defensive solidity—ranking 84th nationally in defensive rating—stood in contrast to Maryland’s struggles on both ends, as the Terrapins sat outside the top 135 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. The betting consensus and expert models leaned toward Oregon, with many predicting the Ducks would cover the spread. As one preview put it, "Oregon is moderately solid defensively and should be able to make it hard on Maryland, especially because the Terrapins lack a strong individual scorer."
On the court, the match unfolded as a test of will and adaptability. Oregon’s starting lineup featured Takai Simpkins and Drew Carter in the backcourt, with Sean Stewart and Kwame Evans Jr. joining Bittle up front. Maryland countered with Coit and Mills at guard, Elijah Saunders and Solomon Washington as forwards, and Collin Metcalf manning the center. The Terrapins, in dire need of offensive spark, looked to Mills to carry the load yet again.
Statistically, the teams’ profiles suggested a defensive battle. Oregon’s previous win over Maryland was built on stifling perimeter defense, and with the Terrapins’ season-long shooting woes, that trend seemed likely to continue. Maryland’s offensive rating woes were compounded by the lack of an elite scorer, though Mills’ late-season heroics hinted at the possibility of a breakout performance.
For both programs, the Big Ten tournament represented a last chance at salvaging a difficult year. Only the winner would keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive, as neither squad had a résumé strong enough to warrant at-large consideration. The Ducks entered the contest ranked No. 97 in KenPom and No. 102 in the NET, while the Terrapins languished at No. 128 and No. 151, respectively. The pressure was palpable—every possession, every loose ball, and every coaching adjustment took on outsized importance.
As the game progressed, Oregon’s defensive discipline and Bittle’s interior presence proved pivotal. The Ducks’ ability to contest shots and limit Maryland’s second-chance opportunities mirrored their earlier success against the Terrapins. Mills, for his part, fought valiantly to keep Maryland within striking distance, but the absence of reliable secondary scoring and the Terrapins’ ongoing shooting woes hampered their comeback attempts. Coit, while capable of getting hot, struggled to find a rhythm against Oregon’s perimeter defenders.
It’s worth noting that the Big Ten’s expanded 18-team format added new urgency to the play-in round, and the United Center provided a neutral backdrop that minimized any home-court advantage. With both fan bases having to travel significant distances, the energy in the building was driven by the stakes more than by crowd noise.
While the final result was still unfolding at press time, the narrative remained clear: Oregon, despite a season marred by injuries and inconsistency, leaned on its defensive identity and the leadership of Nate Bittle to control the tempo and put themselves in position to advance. Maryland, for all its grit and the emergence of freshman star Mills, simply couldn’t overcome a year’s worth of offensive struggles and roster instability.
The outcome of this opening-round battle would determine who moves on to face Iowa and who heads home for the offseason. For now, the Ducks and Terrapins embodied the spirit of March—fighting for survival, searching for redemption, and reminding fans that in college basketball, hope springs eternal, even in the face of adversity.