Maryland men’s basketball vs. Oregon preview

Maryland men’s basketball’s 73-58 win over Old Dominion on Sunday was its first taste of victory in 26 days.

Part of that is due to a three-game losing streak, but part of that was extended breaks between each of those three games amid college finals and the holidays. There was a seven-day gap between each leg of the skid — the Terps will only get that much rest one more time this season.

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Schedule intensity increases with the Big Ten slate now underway, both in terms of opponents and allotted rest. But fortunately for Maryland, it still had five days to recover for its return to Big Ten play Friday against Oregon — the Terps’ first contest of the new year.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. from Xfinity Center. The game will stream on Peacock.

Oregon Ducks (7-6, 0-2 Big Ten)

2024-25 record: 25-10 (12-8 Big Ten)

The Ducks looked like a fringe title contender at one point last season, peaking at No. 9 in the Associated Press poll in December before falling out of the poll altogether for most of Big Ten play. They still earned a No. 5 seed in March, where they fell to No. 4-seed Arizona in the second round.

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It doesn’t look like Oregon is bound for a similar caliber of postseason. Head coach Dana Altman’s squad has won all seven games against Quad 3 and 4 opponents and lost all six games against Quad 1 and 2 opponents.

To their credit, the Ducks’ record may not be indicative of their talent. Two losses to currently-ranked squads — No. 7 Gonzaga and No. 24 USC — came by an average of just seven points. Oregon may be able to hold its own against the brutality of a Big Ten schedule.

Players to know

Nate Bittle, senior center, 7-foot-0, No. 32 — Oregon revolves around its fifth-year senior big man on both ends of the court. Bittle’s stamina isn’t up with the best of them — 27 minutes per game is fourth on the team — but he’s the Ducks’ most impactful piece when he’s on.

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Bittle is a brick wall in the paint, with his…

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Publish date : 2026-01-01 11:50:00

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