The Wisconsin Badgers entered Matthew Knight Arena on February 25, 2026, riding a wave of optimism. With a 19-8 record and positioned 19th nationally in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency, the Badgers were eyeing a strong finish to their regular season and a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. Their opponents, the Oregon Ducks, had endured a turbulent season, entering the contest with a 10-17 record and just three Big Ten wins. Yet, basketball is never played on paper—and in Eugene, it was Oregon that flipped the script, toppling Wisconsin 85-71 in front of a sparse but lively crowd.
The Badgers, who had recently dispatched Iowa with authority, looked poised to capitalize on Oregon’s inconsistency. The Ducks had lost 10 straight games in the heart of conference play but had shown signs of life, winning two of their previous three before facing Wisconsin. As tipoff approached, the arena’s quiet was punctuated only by the sound of Wisconsin players hyping themselves up in the tunnel—a prelude to a night that would ultimately belong to the home team.
From the opening minutes, Wisconsin appeared in control. John Blackwell, who has made a habit of starting strong, drained a three-pointer for the game’s first points. The Badgers stretched their lead to 21-12 midway through the first half, capitalizing on Oregon’s early shooting woes. At that point, the Ducks were connecting on just 29% of their field goals, and the Badgers’ confidence was palpable. Austin Rapp’s and-one at the 13:04 mark even marked Wisconsin’s first two-point attempt of the game, underscoring their aggressive perimeter approach.
Yet, basketball is a game of runs, and Oregon soon found their rhythm. Sparked by Wei Lin’s nine points in a 13-2 surge, the Ducks seized their first lead at 25-23 with 5:39 left in the half. The momentum shift was punctuated by a fastbreak dunk from Kwame Evans Jr., courtesy of a pinpoint outlet pass from Nate Bittle. Evans then swatted away a shot on the next possession, igniting the Ducks and their fans.
Despite the Ducks’ push, Wisconsin managed to cling to a 33-30 halftime lead. The first half was a defensive slog: the Badgers shot just 30% from the field and 29% from beyond the arc, while Oregon wasn’t much better at 37% and 30%, respectively. Still, the Badgers’ perimeter shooting kept them afloat, with Blackwell tallying 10 points on 2-of-7 shooting and Nick Boyd adding nine on 3-of-5. Both teams committed just three turnovers apiece in the opening stanza.
But the second half was a different story. Oregon’s offense, which had sputtered early, suddenly exploded. The Ducks shot a blistering 70.8% from the field and 66.7% from three-point range after the break, averaging an eye-popping 1.618 points per possession. Nate Bittle, who finished with 20 points, was especially lethal—scoring 13 of his points in the second half and proving nearly unstoppable in the paint. Takai Simpkins added 17 points, while Evans Jr. contributed 16 points and matched his season high with four blocks. Wei Lin’s 13 points rounded out a balanced Ducks attack.
Wisconsin, meanwhile, saw its offense grind to a halt. The Badgers shot just 36.1% in the second half and finished at 33.3% for the game. Their reliance on the three-point shot was historic—they attempted a program-record 45 threes, breaking the previous mark of 40 set against Providence in 2021 and Temple in 2001. But quantity didn’t translate to quality: Wisconsin connected on just 31.1% of those attempts. Blackwell, despite leading the team with 22 points, made only 6 of 18 shots—all from beyond the arc. "John Blackwell's perimeter shooting has been somewhat of a silver lining, going 5 of 12 from behind the 3-point line," noted John Steppe, as Blackwell’s fifth triple forced an Oregon timeout late in the contest.
The critical stretch came midway through the second half. With 11:34 remaining, the teams were deadlocked at 47 apiece. But a 12-2 Oregon run, capped by Sean Stewart’s emphatic dunks, gave the Ducks a 54-49 lead with just over nine minutes to play. The Badgers’ offense went ice-cold, missing seven straight shots and enduring a scoring drought of more than three minutes. Oregon’s defense, anchored by Evans Jr., forced nine second-half turnovers, converting those miscues into 24 points—the difference in a game that slipped away from Wisconsin in a hurry.
There were moments of hope for the Badgers. Nolan Winter, who had limped off the court early in the second half, returned after a media timeout, but his impact was limited—he finished with just three points on 1-of-4 shooting. Boyd, who had flirted with a triple-double in the previous game against Iowa, managed 11 points and seven assists but struggled to find his shooting touch. No other Wisconsin player reached double figures.
Oregon’s victory marked their fourth Big Ten win in a season defined by adversity. The Ducks have now won three of their last four games, signaling a late-season resurgence. For Wisconsin, the loss was their second to an unranked opponent in three games—a stumble at a critical juncture as they jockey for tournament seeding and a coveted double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Before the game, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard made a point to shake hands with University of Oregon president John Karl Scholz, a former Wisconsin provost—a small gesture of sportsmanship in a matchup that would prove anything but friendly on the court. The crowd in Eugene was notably sparse, with many empty seats and curtained-off upper decks, but those in attendance witnessed a Ducks squad playing with renewed energy and purpose.
Looking ahead, Wisconsin will aim to regroup as their West Coast road trip continues. The Badgers are set to face Washington on February 28, followed by a home game against Maryland and a regular-season finale at Purdue. According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and USA TODAY’s bracketology updates, Wisconsin remains projected as a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the margin for error is shrinking as March approaches.
For Oregon, the win offers a much-needed boost as they prepare to visit Northwestern. The Ducks’ late-season surge may not be enough to salvage a postseason berth, but it’s a testament to their resilience after a grueling 10-game losing streak.
In the end, Wednesday night’s contest was a reminder that college basketball is as unpredictable as it is thrilling. The Badgers, favored by 5.5 points according to BetMGM, left Eugene searching for answers, while the Ducks celebrated a hard-earned, confidence-building win. With the regular season winding down and tournament stakes rising, both teams now look to write the next chapter of their respective stories.