Turnovers and poor shooting cost Oregon in its first mens’ basketball loss of the season.
The Ducks committed 18 turnovers and shot just 37.7% from the field in an 84-73 loss to No. 21 Auburn in the Players Era Festival Monday night at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
“We just made too many defensive mistakes,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “Our rotations really caused us some problems. Then the turnovers, we had 18 turnovers, they only had six.”
Takai Simpkins scored 22 points but had seven turnovers for Oregon (4-1), which had most of its struggles from three yet again but defending inside the paint was its undoing.
Tahaad Pettiford scored 24 points and Keyshand Hall added 18 and six rebounds for Auburn (5-1), which outscored UO in the paint 38-24 thanks to shooting 59.5% from two-point range.
The game was tied 37-37 at halftime despite 10 Oregon turnovers that led to eight points for Auburn, The Ducks got to the free throw line more and made more three-pointers.
A rebounding advantage was for naught as the Ducks were out-scored 20-12 in the paint in the second half, thanks in part to an 11-4 edge for Auburn on fast breaks.
The Tigers shot only 21.7% from three to Oregon’s 27.3%, but Jackson Shelstad (nine points, eight assists) went 1 for 11 from behind the arc.
Kwame Evans Jr. had 11 points and seven rebounds but was 0 for 3 from three and Nate Bittle added 10 points and seven rebounds, but shot just 2 of 11 from the field for the Ducks, who led midway through the second half but could not sustain. The Tigers went on a 10-0 run and the Ducks never got closer than five the rest of the way.
Oregon faces San Diego State Tuesday night (8 p.m., TNT).
