With a deadlocked score and just minutes left in the contest, Maryland men’s basketball and No. 9 Oregon were fighting for a slim, elusive advantage it could carry to a win.

The Ducks found it.

With 2:16 left, Oregon’s Keeshawn Barthelemy sunk his team’s 12th 3-pointer of the evening to give the Ducks a three-point lead they never relinquished en route to a 83-79 win Sunday in Eugene, Oregon.

The Terps faltered terribly, finishing the game on a 1-of-9 shooting stretch. They are now 4-14 in games decided by six points or less over the last two seasons.

Both teams burst out of the tunnel with energy and pace. Maryland started hot, a stark contrast to its struggles in recent outings. In the first four and a half minutes, the Terps shot 6-of-10 from the field and connected on two 3-pointers.

Oregon, though, was eager to bounce back after a crushing 109-77 loss to No. 22 Illinois. The Ducks played with aggression, attacking the rim and drawing contact, exploiting a Maryland defense that had multiple players foul out in Thursday’s game against Washington.

Maryland built a 23-15 lead by the midpoint of the first half, following a 3-pointer from Ja’Kobi Gillespie and a close-range finish by Derik Queen. Both players, who each struggled Thursday, made a noticeable impact early.

Maryland’s playmaking shined in the opening 10 minutes, racking up nine assists to Oregon’s three. Julian Reese and Gillespie showcased their chemistry, with Reese repeatedly cutting into the paint and attempting push floaters off pick-and-roll actions.

The Terps pushed their lead to 13 points with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half, but Oregon responded with a flurry. The Ducks drained three 3-pointers and made key defensive stops to trim Maryland’s advantage to two points in just four minutes.

The game stayed tight as halftime approached. Maryland briefly extended its lead when Rodney Rice hit a deep three with the shot clock winding down, followed by Jay Young’s steal on the inbounds pass, which he converted into a quick two points.

Oregon’s Jackson Shelstad kept the Ducks in contention with a brilliant start, going a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and tallying 14 points in the game’s first 16 minutes. He finished the night with 23 points, shooting 5-of-5 from downtown.

For Maryland, DeShawn Harris-Smith built on his strong performance against Washington. His size and creativity posed problems for Oregon’s guards, leading to multiple open looks for his teammates. He finished with four points, five rebounds and two assists.

At the break, Maryland held a slim 45-42 lead.

Reese kicked off the second half with authority, slamming home a rim-running dunk. But Oregon quickly responded, tying the game and then seizing its first lead of the evening with a 3-pointer, capping an 8-0 run.

The Ducks weren’t done. Over the next three minutes, they unleashed a 14-0 run, fueled by precision shooting. Maryland struggled to find its rhythm, opening the half just 1-of-4 from the field, while Oregon sizzled at 6-of-7, including two perfect strikes from beyond the arc.

Young finally broke Maryland’s scoring drought with a much-needed 3-pointer, trimming the Ducks’ lead to 56-50.

Oregon’s hot shooting remained the difference early in the half, as the Ducks connected on seven of their next nine attempts. Maryland endured a brutal stretch, going over three minutes without a field goal.

Despite the Ducks’ surge, Maryland refused to fold. With eight minutes remaining, the Terps clawed their way back into the game, reclaiming a three-point lead by way of a gritty 13-2 run. Gillespie, Rice and Queen led the charge, combining aggressive drives and clutch finishes to reignite the offense.

With the game tied at the 4:34 mark, both teams experienced difficulties converting around the rim as they jousted for the lead.

But the clutch play of Oregon ultimately broke through in the final few minutes, while Maryland fell flat. It shot poorly from the floor to finish and Queen received a technical foul for calling a timeout when the Terps did not have one, sealing their demise.

Three things to know

1. Rodney Rice impressed. After posting 10 points, four rebounds and two assists against Washington, Rice upped his offensive production, notching a team-high 19 points, three rebounds and four assists on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and 6-of-6 shooting from the charity stripe.

2. Oregon won the 3-point battle. While the Terps have shown instances of high-level shot-making this season, Sunday went in favor of the Ducks from downtown. Oregon went 12-of-28 from distance, while Maryland went 9-of-21.

3. A missed opportunity. Heading into the weekend, the Terps were in position to crack the Associated Press top-25 poll, sitting at an unofficial No. 26. But Maryland went 0-2 on its West Coast road trip, and are now just 1-3 in conference play.