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Oregon Aims to Keep Rolling as Iowa Deals With Key Injuries
Oregon (18-8, 7-8 Big Ten) heads to Iowa City on Wednesday night, hoping to extend its two-game win streak against a struggling and injury-ridden Iowa squad (14-11, 5-9 Big Ten).
After snapping a five-game losing streak, the Ducks are regaining their form at the perfect time, improving their NCAA Tournament at-large chances. Meanwhile, Iowa is reeling from injuries, missing its leading scorer and top rebounder, Owen Freeman (finger surgery), along with key contributors.
Oregon Finding Late-Season Groove
The Ducks have turned things around with back-to-back wins over Northwestern (81-75) and Rutgers (75-57).
A key factor in their resurgence has been Jackson Shelstad, the team’s leading scorer at 13.7 points per game. The freshman guard has scored at least 16 points in five consecutive games, showing confidence from beyond the arc and playmaking ability inside.
Oregon’s hot shooting performance against Rutgers (13-of-22 from three-point range) was a sign that the team is finding its offensive rhythm.
“This time of year is when you want to be playing your best basketball,” said assistant coach Tony Stubblefield.
The Ducks will look to continue their balanced scoring attack, led by Shelstad, 7-foot forward Nate Bittle, and Keeshawn Barthelemy against an Iowa team struggling on defense.
Iowa Dealing With Injury Woes
Iowa’s biggest challenge is overcoming major injuries to key players.
- Owen Freeman (16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG) is out for the season after undergoing finger surgery.
- Riley Mulvey (6-foot-11, ankle injury) was unavailable in Iowa’s 101-75 loss to No. 25 Maryland and remains questionable.
- Drew Thelwell (10.5 PPG, illness) also missed the game against the Terrapins.
The absence of Freeman and Mulvey leaves Iowa extremely vulnerable in the post, which could spell trouble against Oregon’s Nate Bittle (6.7 RPG, 1.8 BPG), who has been a force on both ends.
Without their dominant inside presence, the Hawkeyes need to rely on perimeter shooting, especially from Josh Dix, who has stepped up in Freeman’s absence, averaging 17.8 PPG over the last four games.
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However, Dix struggled against Maryland, scoring just five points in a game where Iowa blew a halftime lead and got outscored 61-38 in the second half.
Coach Fran McCaffery was frustrated with his team’s decision-making down the stretch.
“We started quick shooting the ball, which you can’t do on the road,” McCaffery said.
Iowa has now lost four of its last five games, putting even more pressure on them to turn things around at home.
Key Matchups to Watch
| Category | Oregon | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 18-8 (7-8) | 14-11 (5-9) |
| PPG Leader | Jackson Shelstad (13.7) | Josh Dix (12.8) |
| Rebounds Leader | Nate Bittle (6.7) | Owen Freeman (6.7 – OUT) |
| 3PT Shooting | 35.4% | 32.9% |
Can Oregon Exploit Iowa’s Interior Weakness?
With Freeman and Mulvey out, Iowa is at a significant disadvantage inside. If Bittle dominates the paint and Oregon continues its hot three-point shooting, the Ducks could extend their winning streak to three games and further solidify their NCAA Tournament resume.
However, Iowa is at home, where they have played better basketball, and they will be desperate to stop their skid.
Will Oregon continue its momentum, or can Iowa find a way to overcome its injury struggles and protect its home court?
Tip-Off: Wednesday, 9:00 PM ET
Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa City, IA
TV: Big Ten Network
