The Oregon Ducks will look for their third straight win when they face the Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday in Iowa City.
Oregon (18-8, 7-8 Big Ten) ended a five-game losing streak last week, registering consecutive home wins over Northwestern, 81-75 on Feb. 11, and Rutgers, 75-57 on Sunday.
The Ducks are seeking a few more regular-season victories in order to increase their chances for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid.
Oregon made 13 of 22 3-point shots against the Scarlet Knights, with Jackson Shelstad going 3 of 6 from long range. Shelstad, the Ducks’ leading scorer at 13.7 points per game, has put up at least 16 points in each of his past five contests.
“This time of year is when you want to be playing your best basketball,” Oregon assistant coach Tony Stubblefield said after the Rutgers game.
Iowa (14-11, 5-9) is in a tough spot without leading scorer Owen Freeman, who underwent season-ending finger surgery earlier this month. The 6-foot-10 sophomore, who was logging 16.7 points per game, also was the Hawkeyes’ top rebounder at 6.7 per contest.
If 6-foot-11 Riley Mulvey is unavailable due to illness as he was the Hawkeyes’ 101-75 loss at then-No. 25 Maryland due to an ankle injury, the Hawkeyes would lack depth in the post. That could create a big advantage for Oregon’s 7-foot Nate Bittle.
Iowa guard Drew Thelwell (10.5 ppg) also missed the game against the Terrapins.
The Ducks figure to look inside anyway, as Bittle can score from anywhere, plus he rebounds well and has good jump shooters to whom he can kick the ball if double-teamed in the paint.
Iowa’s Josh Dix has stepped up his offense in the absence of Freeman, averaging 17.8 points over the past four games with two 20-point efforts. However, he scored just five at Maryland as the Hawkeyes squandered a halftime lead and wound up getting routed.
“We started quick shooting the ball, which you can’t do on the road,” Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. “So that was unfortunate.”
It was Iowa’s fourth loss in the past five games.
–Field Level Media
