TK Simpkins Hits Game-Winner as Oregon Edges Hawaii 60–59 in Season Opener
The Oregon Ducks stumbled through their opening game, plagued by 21 turnovers and barely connecting on 12.5% of their three-pointers. A 14-point lead vanished after Kwame Evans Jr. injured his left knee, shifting momentum sharply in Hawaii’s favor.
Evans' fall with 10:33 remaining allowed Hawaii to go on a 14-0 run to tie the game, eventually taking the lead in a tense final five minutes. The Ducks managed to recover late, surviving an ugly performance through sheer persistence and a clutch final possession.
“Obviously I wish we’d have rebounded like that all game,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “We really went after those last two possessions, kept the ball alive, had some looks just couldn’t get anything.”
TK Simpkins Seals the Win
Transfer guard TK Simpkins delivered the decisive moment, scoring 18 points overall and banking in the game-winning shot with 4.2 seconds left. The play began with a long rebound from a missed three-pointer by walk-on Drew Carter, which Simpkins chased down before driving to the rim for the final basket.
“I think we got four or five offensive rebounds off missed shots on that final possession,” center Nate Bittle said. “We were crashing the glass really hard; we needed that last bucket.”
Game Snapshot
- Final score: Oregon 60, Hawaii 59
- Turnovers: 21
- Three-point percentage: 12.5%
- Attendance: 5,627 at Matthew Knight Arena
Author’s Summary: Despite poor shooting and numerous turnovers, Oregon narrowly escaped defeat behind TK Simpkins’ clutch shot, overcoming adversity and holding off Hawaii in a shaky season debut.