Northwestern Edges Oregon in Nail-Biting Finish
Saturday, February 28, 2026, 2:00 PM ET · Welsh-Ryan Arena
Northwestern Wildcats 63, Oregon Ducks 62, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Oregon Ducks vs Northwestern Wildcats?
Northwestern Wildcats beat Oregon Ducks 63-62 at Welsh-Ryan Arena on February 28, 2026.
Who was favored in Oregon Ducks vs Northwestern Wildcats?
Northwestern Wildcats were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -166 (about 62% implied). The favorite won.
In a tightly contested matchup, the Northwestern Wildcats narrowly defeated the Oregon Ducks 63-62 at the Welsh-Ryan Arena on February 28, 2026. This game was significant as it marked the first time these two teams met since the previous season, where Northwestern fell to Oregon 75-81. Both teams entered the game with similar records, with Northwestern at 13-16 and Oregon at 11-18, making the stakes high for both sides as they looked to improve their standings.
Northwestern came into the game with a recent form of 4-6 over their last ten games, riding a two-game winning streak after victories against Indiana Hoosiers and Maryland Terrapins. In those games, they averaged 68.2 points scored while allowing 74.5 points per game. At home, the Wildcats had a record of 2-2 in their last four games, showing a slight advantage in familiar territory. In contrast, Oregon had a record of 3-7 in their last ten games, also on a two-game winning streak after defeating Wisconsin Badgers and USC Trojans. The Ducks averaged 65.3 points scored and allowed 73.1 points during that stretch, with a home record of 2-4 and an away record of 1-3.
The game unfolded with both teams exchanging leads throughout the contest. Key moments included a free throw by Kwame Evans Jr. that brought Oregon within one point at 56-55, and a layup by Arrinten Page that gave Northwestern a brief lead at 57-56. The back-and-forth continued as Nate Bittle's contributions kept Oregon competitive, including a layup that momentarily put the Ducks ahead 58-57. However, Northwestern's Nick Martinelli and Jayden Reid responded with crucial baskets, including a floating jump shot by Martinelli that ultimately sealed the game for the Wildcats.
In terms of injuries, the block does not provide specific details, but the performance of both teams indicated that they were at full strength for this critical matchup. The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Northwestern favored by 3.5 points, with a total set at 141.5. The odds reflected a competitive matchup, emphasizing the close nature of the game.
Conditions during the game were not detailed in the block, but the atmosphere in the Welsh-Ryan Arena was likely charged, given the proximity of the teams in terms of records and the stakes involved. Fans witnessed a thrilling finish, with Northwestern's home win probability at 1.0, indicating confidence in the Wildcats' ability to secure the victory.
Overall, this game showcased the resilience of both teams, with Northwestern managing to edge out Oregon in a dramatic finish. The Wildcats will look to build on this momentum as they head into the final stretch of the season.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | NU -3.5 | 141.5 o -110 / u -110 | Oregon Ducks +140 · Northwestern Wildcats -166 |
Leaders
- PointsNick Martinelli22Northwestern Wildcats
- AssistsNick Martinelli7Northwestern Wildcats
- ReboundsNick Martinelli11Northwestern Wildcats
- PointsNate Bittle19Oregon Ducks
- AssistsDrew Carter5Oregon Ducks
- ReboundsKwame Evans Jr.15Oregon Ducks
Recent form
Northwestern Wildcats
Last 10: 4-6Streak W268.2 scored · 74.5 allowed per game2-2 at home
- W72-68at Indiana HoosiersFeb 25
- W78-74vs Maryland TerrapinsFeb 19
- L49-68at Nebraska CornhuskersFeb 14
- L75-87vs Michigan WolverinesFeb 12
- L70-76at Iowa HawkeyesFeb 8
- L44-84at Illinois Fighting IlliniFeb 5
- L62-76vs Washington HuskiesFeb 1
- W94-73vs Penn State Nittany LionsJan 30
- L64-71at UCLA BruinsJan 24
- W74-68at USC TrojansJan 22
Oregon Ducks
Last 10: 3-7Streak W265.3 scored · 73.1 allowed per game1-3 away
- W85-71vs Wisconsin BadgersFeb 26
- W71-70at USC TrojansFeb 21
- L44-61vs Minnesota Golden GophersFeb 18
- W83-72vs Penn State Nittany LionsFeb 14
- L74-92at Indiana HoosiersFeb 10
- L64-68at Purdue BoilermakersFeb 7
- L66-84vs Iowa HawkeyesFeb 2
- L57-73vs UCLA BruinsJan 29
- L57-72at Washington HuskiesJan 25
- L52-68vs Michigan State SpartansJan 21
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 37-3 | - | 19-1 |
| Nebraska | 28-7 | 4 | 15-5 |
| Michigan State | 27-8 | 4 | 15-5 |
| Illinois | 28-9 | 4 | 15-5 |
| Wisconsin | 24-11 | 5 | 14-6 |
| Purdue | 30-9 | 6 | 13-7 |
| UCLA | 24-12 | 6 | 13-7 |
| Ohio State | 21-13 | 7 | 12-8 |
| Iowa | 24-13 | 9 | 10-10 |
| Indiana | 18-14 | 10 | 9-11 |
| Minnesota | 15-18 | 11 | 8-12 |
| USC | 18-14 | 12 | 7-13 |
| Washington | 16-17 | 12 | 7-13 |
| Rutgers | 14-20 | 13 | 6-14 |
| Northwestern | 15-19 | 14 | 5-15 |
| Oregon | 12-20 | 14 | 5-15 |
| Maryland | 12-21 | 15 | 4-16 |
| Penn State | 12-20 | 16 | 3-17 |
Box score
| Stat | Oregon Ducks | Northwestern Wildcats |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 23-59 | 25-56 |
| Field goal % | 39 | 45 |
| Three-pointers | 7-19 | 4-16 |
| Three-point % | 37 | 25 |
| Free throws | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| Free throw % | 75 | 75 |
| Rebounds | 37 | 32 |
| Offensive rebounds | 16 | 11 |
| Defensive rebounds | 21 | 21 |
| Assists | 17 | 17 |
| Steals | 5 | 11 |
| Blocks | 1 | 7 |
| Turnovers | 16 | 12 |
| Team turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 11 | 18 |
| Fast-break points | 2 | 20 |
| Points in the paint | 28 | 32 |
| Fouls | 13 | 13 |
| Largest lead | 12 | 6 |
| Lead changes | 16 | 16 |
| Time in front | 44 | 46 |
How the scoring went
- 1st Half21-24Drew Carter makes 23-foot three point jumper (Nate Bittle assists)
- 1st Half21-26Jayden Reid makes driving layup
- 1st Half23-26Takai Simpkins makes 11-foot floating jump shot (Drew Carter assists)
- 1st Half24-26Kwame Evans Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
- 1st Half25-26Kwame Evans Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2
- 1st Half27-26Nate Bittle makes layup (Sean Stewart assists)
- 1st Half28-26Nate Bittle makes free throw 1 of 1
- 1st Half31-26Jamari Phillips makes 28-foot three point jumper (Takai Simpkins assists)
- 1st Half33-26Takai Simpkins makes 2-foot dunk (Drew Carter assists)
- 1st Half33-29Jake West makes 26-foot three point jumper (Nick Martinelli assists)
- 1st Half36-29Nate Bittle makes 35-foot three point jumper (Drew Carter assists)
- 2nd Half38-29Nate Bittle makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half38-31Arrinten Page makes 5-foot hook shot (Jayden Reid assists)
- 2nd Half40-31Kwame Evans Jr. makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half43-31Kwame Evans Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Takai Simpkins assists)
- 2nd Half43-33Tre Singleton makes 19-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half43-35Tre Singleton makes driving layup (Nick Martinelli assists)
- 2nd Half43-37Nick Martinelli makes 12-foot floating jump shot (Jayden Reid assists)
- 2nd Half43-39Arrinten Page makes 0-foot dunk (Jayden Reid assists)
- 2nd Half45-39Sean Stewart makes 1-foot dunk (Kwame Evans Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half45-41Nick Martinelli makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half45-43Jayden Reid makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half45-46Jordan Clayton makes 25-foot three point jumper (Nick Martinelli assists)
- 2nd Half45-48Nick Martinelli makes 14-foot floating jump shot (Jayden Reid assists)
- 2nd Half46-48Wei Lin makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half49-48Takai Simpkins makes 24-foot three point jumper (Wei Lin assists)
- 2nd Half49-51Angelo Ciaravino makes 24-foot three point jumper (Jayden Reid assists)
- 2nd Half49-53Nick Martinelli makes 12-foot floating jump shot (Jayden Reid assists)
- 2nd Half51-53Nate Bittle makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half51-55Nick Martinelli makes 19-foot jumper (Tre Singleton assists)
- 2nd Half53-55Wei Lin makes 21-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half55-55Kwame Evans Jr. makes layup (Sean Stewart assists)
- 2nd Half56-55Kwame Evans Jr. makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half56-57Arrinten Page makes layup (Nick Martinelli assists)
- 2nd Half58-57Nate Bittle makes layup (Drew Carter assists)
- 2nd Half59-57Nate Bittle makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half59-59Nick Martinelli makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half59-61Jayden Reid makes 10-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half62-61Wei Lin makes 23-foot three point jumper (Nate Bittle assists)
- 2nd Half62-63Nick Martinelli makes 12-foot floating jump shot (Jayden Reid assists)
Win probability
Above the line favours Northwestern Wildcats, below favours Oregon Ducks.
Venue
- Welsh-Ryan ArenaEvanston, IL
- Attendance5564
- OfficialsEarl Walton, Doug Sirmons, Jeffrey Anderson
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