Still Dancing! Ducks Reach Elite Eight

Saturday, March 25

Bridgeport, CT

8:30 AM

University of Oregon

23-13

Maryland

32-3

Oregon

Maryland

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

03/25/17 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Oregon Quotes Oregon Maryland NCAA Tournament Box

Oregon not only played in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time ever, it beat Maryland on Saturday and advanced to the regional final.

By: Joe Waltasti

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Oregon women's basketball team is not ready for its dream season to end. The No. 10 seed Ducks upset No. 3 seed and No. 4 ranked Maryland, 77-63, in the Sweet 16 on Saturday and will play in the Elite Eight on Monday.

Oregon will meet the winner of No. 1 seed UConn and No. 4 seed UCLA.

"I continue to be amazed at this team," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "You know, just the fact that over the last five days we went cross-country twice, had final exams, played a great team -- three great teams in this tournament. And you know, they continue to show poise down the stretch, and I'll tell you, it's just impressive to watch. We continue to get better and better as a basketball team. We're excited to move on, regardless of who we play next."

HISTORIC WIN: The No. 4 ranked Terrapins are the highest ranked team the Ducks have ever defeated.

HOW IT HAPPENED: The Ducks and Terps traded baskets for most of the first quarter. Maryland had a three-point edge, 10-7, with 3:23 left in the first but the Ducks took a 17-16 lead at the end of thequarter on an Oti Gildon layup.

Oregon started to pull away in the second quarter. A Sabrina Ionescu three-pointer with 3:42 left in the quarter gave the Ducks a 29-23 lead and she hit another three with 30 seconds left to put the Ducks up, 36-37, at halftime.

Maryland cut the Oregon lead to just three, 40-37, with 5:26 left in the third but the Ducks answered with a 7-0 run to push their lead to 10. The Ducks led by as much as 14 in the third before taking a 59-47 lead into the fourth quarter.

Maryland scored twice to start the fourth quarter but again the Ducks answered and a Gildon offensive rebound and putback gave the Ducks a 14-point lead, 69-55. Maryland used an 8-0 run to cut the Oregon lead to just six points, 69-63, with 3:19 left but the Terps would not score again. Oregon closed the game on an 8-0 as they hit free throws down the stretch to ice it.

Dancing to the #Elite8. Highlights from Oregon's 77-63 win over Maryland. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/HGgSbORQ4Z
— Oregon WBB (@OregonWBB) March 25, 2017

BOX SCORE: Ionescu finished with a game-high 21 points plus six rebounds and seven assists. Ruthy Hebard added 16 points and eight rebounds. Gildon came off the bench and nearly posted her first career double-double with 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

NEARLY PERFECT: The Ducks went 15-of-16 at the free throw line, breaking the program's NCAA Tournament record for single-game free throw percentage (.938). Oregon shot 88.5 percent from the line in the tournament against Missouri in 1982.

STILL DANCING: After making their first Sweet 16 appearance in program history this week, the Ducks will now make their first Elite Eight trip. This is the second Elite Eight trip for head coach Kelly Graves. He took Gonzaga to the regional final in 2011. He is the only coach to take two double digit seeds to the Elite Eight.

TOP-25 WINS: Oregon has now beaten No. 9 ranked Duke and No. 4 ranked Maryland in back-to- back games. The Ducks have defeated six top-25 teams this season.

ELITE TOGETHER: Oregon became the first athletic department to have both its women's and men's teams reach this year's Elite Eight. South Carolina has a chance to match that when their top-seeded women played later Saturday in Stockton, Calif.