EUGENE, Ore. (Interstat) — Nate Bittle scored 26 points and blocked five shots, leading Oregon to an 80-57 victory over Omaha in a nonconference men’s basketball game Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena.

The Ducks, improving to 7-6, used a dominant defensive performance and a balanced offensive attack to pull away from the Mavericks in the second half. Omaha, which fell to 7-8, kept the game competitive early but could not sustain its offense against Oregon’s length and pressure.

Bittle, a 7-foot center from Central Point, Oregon, was the catalyst on both ends of the floor. He shot efficiently from the field, added two assists and controlled the paint defensively. His performance set the tone, particularly during a first-half stretch where he recorded multiple blocks and sparked Oregon’s transition game.

The game’s most important sequence came early, establishing Oregon’s defensive dominance and stifling Omaha’s initial momentum. After Omaha’s Tony Osburn opened the scoring with a 3-pointer, the Ducks responded with an 11-0 run fueled by Bittle. He scored on a hook shot, then blocked a driving layup by Khamani Cooper on the other end. On the ensuing possession, Bittle drained a 3-pointer to push Oregon’s lead to 8-3. Minutes later, he swatted a 3-point attempt by Osburn, one of his three first-half blocks, as the Ducks built a double-digit lead they would never relinquish.

Oregon led 39-29 at halftime and steadily expanded its advantage after the break. The Ducks shot 48% from the field for the game and held Omaha to just 34% shooting. Oregon’s defense also forced 15 Mavericks turnovers, converting them into 19 points.

Osburn led Omaha with 18 points in 38 minutes. Brock Scholl, a 6-foot-8 forward from Omaha, Nebraska, added nine points and two assists for the Mavericks.

Takai Simpkins scored 15 points for Oregon, while Jackson Shelstad contributed 13 points and four assists. Dezdrick Lindsay facilitated the offense with a game-high seven assists to go with five points.

A crowd of 5,392 watched as Oregon bounced back from a loss to Gonzaga earlier in the week. The Ducks’ victory was never seriously threatened in the second half, as their lead ballooned to as many as 23 points.

Omaha, which entered the game having won two of its last three, including an overtime victory at Lamar, struggled to find consistent scoring outside of Osburn. The Mavericks were outrebounded 42-31 and managed only six second-chance points.

Oregon’s victory covered the pregame point spread, as the Ducks were installed as 20.5-point favorites. The total score of 137 points fell well under the over/under line of 155.5.

The game was part of a challenging nonconference slate for both teams. Oregon now looks ahead to a tough stretch of Big Ten Conference play, beginning with a road game at Maryland on Jan. 2. Omaha opens Summit League action on the road at South Dakota State on Jan. 1.