LOS ANGELES — An Oregon team that did not lose away from home has suddenly dropped back-to-back road games to end January going 4-4 and put a promising season on the brink of tumbling into peril in the coming weeks.

The No. 16 Ducks once again got off to a dreadful start, settling for 16 attempts from three in the first half while getting dominated on the glass. Going inside more in the second half was far too little too late, especially with UCLA making 47.8% of its 23 attempts from behind the arc in a 78-52 shellacking Thursday night at Pauley Pavilion.

“We didn’t compete,” guard Keeshawn Barthelemy said. “We were too lackadaisical in the second half with turnovers. We had a decent start in the second half and let it slip. We gave into it. UCLA was hitting a lot of shots. You’re not going to win a lot of games giving up threes like that.”

Nate Bittle had 13 points and five rebounds, Barthelemy scored 12 and TJ Bamba added 11 for Oregon (16-5, 5-5 Big Ten), which scored a season-low and made a season-low four three-pointers in its lowest scoring output against UCLA in Dana Altman’s tenure.

“It’s embarrassing,” Altman said. “To go 4 for 23 from three and a lot of them weren’t very good shots. Quick shots in possession. Then we make a good run in the second half, really work the ball. We shot 60% from two but we go 4 for 23 from three and they go 11 for 23 and obviously that’s the big difference in the game.”

Eric Dailey Jr. scored 21 points and Tyler Bilodeau and Dylan Andrews each had 15 for UCLA (16-6, 7-4), which won its sixth straight to sweep the season series. It’s the second time in three seasons the Bruins swept the Ducks and the largest margin of victory in the series for UCLA since March 7, 2009.

Bilodeau and Dailey each scored 11 in the first half for UCLA, which shot 54.8% from the field and was plus-nine on the boards to build a 40-26 halftime lead.

“We didn’t really take anything away,” Barthelemy said. “They were really comfortable out there. They were moving the ball around and that’s a sign we’re not taking passes away, we’re not in the lanes like we should be. Sometimes it starts with me as a guard getting up in the lanes and using my quickness. I wasn’t able to do that tonight; I didn’t get any deflections or steals.”

Meanwhile, Oregon attempted 16 three-pointers in the first half compared to 13 from inside the arc. The shifted dramatically in the second half, with some initial success, but it was a brutal night from behind the arc on both ends of the court for UO.

“We didn’t have many deflections and their ball movement was pretty good and they got what they wanted,” Altman said. “They hit a few tough ones but for the most part they got what they want. I thought we took some quick ones, especially in the first half, really quick threes (with) nobody in rebounding position and didn’t make them guard.

“There’s a fine line there; you don’t want to get them totally not being aggressive from three but we just bad decision. We took poor shots. it’s a poorly coached team. I got to put that on myself. To allow us to shoot as many threes as we did.”

Jackson Shelstad was held scoreless for the second time this season, though he attempted just two shots, both from three, and had four rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes.

“We got to get him some better looks, he’s got to get into ball screens more often but we do have to get him some shots,” Altman said. “I think he’s got to move a little bit better. A lot of those quick threes didn’t give him the opportunity to get the ball back a second time (in a possession).”

With such few contributors it was no wonder Oregon had its fewest points since scoring 41 against Colorado on Jan. 5, 2023.

Oregon has dropped back-to-back road games to fall into a three-way tie for eighth in the Big Ten entering a brutal February featuring road trips to Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Wisconsin. Practically, Sunday’s home game against Nebraska (13-8, 3-7) has become a must-win for the Ducks and the Cornhuskers are coming off a stunning win over Illinois.

“We got respond,” forward Brandon Angel said. “I think everyone’s been here before in your basketball career, where things just aren’t going right. Make no mistakes, we did not play hard enough to win this ballgame. We didn’t play hard enough at Minnesota. That’s obviously disappointing, frustrating.

“It’s on me as a senior, as one of the older guys to make sure we come out ready to play. That’s not the standard that’s set at this program and that’s not what we represent when we talk about Oregon basketball.”