N’Faly Dante delivered a game-winning dunk and some bold words after leading the Oregon Ducks to a thrilling 60-58 victory against their rivals, the Oregon State Beavers. Dante made 9 of 13 shots for the Ducks. Jackson Shelstad was effective in a 15-point performance, while Couisnard added 11 to round out the double-digit scoring for the Ducks. The Ducks surged ahead early, with budding star Jackson Shelstad contributing 11 of his eventual 15 points to give Oregon a commanding 36-24 lead at halftime. However, a second-half stumble nearly derailed what seemed like a decisive victory.
Photo Cred: USA Today
Oregon looked in control for the majority of the second half, using its advantage inside to maintain its double-digit lead. Despite maintaining strong defensive play and holding a 51-38 lead with six minutes remaining, the Ducks faced a fierce comeback from the Beavers. Oregon State sank seven of eight shots from the field, ultimately tying the game at 58-58 on free throws from Jordan Pope.
“I’m glad we got to beat little bros. We own this state,” said Dante, who notched 22 points, six rebounds, and two blocks in an impressive performance.
Photo Cred: Oregon Live
With just 40 seconds left on the clock and the game deadlocked, the Beavers failed to secure a crucial rebound after three missed shots by the Ducks. In the final seconds, Jermaine Cousinard found Dante open under the basket, setting up Dante’s emphatic game-winning dunk with 0.7 seconds remaining.
Reflecting on the intense matchup, Oregon coach Dana Altman acknowledged the tough fight his team faced and the need to address late-game mistakes. “We knew we were in for a fight, because we gave them so much confidence… They had some really good players who played their tails off,” Altman said.
Rataj led the Beavers with 17 points and nine rebounds. Bilodeau contributed 12 points and six boards. Akanno and Pope scored 10 apiece. Pope, who averages a team-best 17 points per game, made just 4 of 17 shots and missed all seven of his 3-point attempts. Looking ahead, the Oregon Ducks will hit the road to face Stanford at Maples Pavilion this Thursday. Meanwhile, the Oregon State Beavers will travel to Haas Stadium to take on the Cal Golden Bears in California.
