Ducks' Elite Eight Run Ends vs. UConn

Monday, March 27

Bridgeport, CT

4:00 PM

University of Oregon

23-14

Connecticut

36-0

Oregon

UConn

03/27/17 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Joe Waltasti

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Oregon women's basketball team's exciting run in the NCAA Tournament ended on Monday night at Webster Bank Arena with a 90-52 loss to No. 1 seed UConn in the Elite Eight.

The No. 10 seed Ducks upset No. 7 seed Temple in the first round, No. 2 seed Duke in the second round and No. 3 seed Maryland in the Sweet 16.

UConn won its 111th straight game in advancing to the Final Four in Dallas.

HOW IT HAPPENED: UConn opened up a 15-4 lead early, keyed by 3-of-4 shooting from three-point range. The Huskies went on a 17-0 run to make it a 23-4 lead before Lexi Bando knocked down a three-pointer. Oregon hit two more threes before the end of the first but trailed, 28-13, going into the second quarter.

After hitting two threes to end the first, the Ducks scored four points early in the second to go on a 10-2 run. Oregon trailed, 30-17, with 8:25 left in the second after a Maite Cazorla layup. After a pair of Sabrina Ionescu free throws made it a 34-21 lead for the Huskies with 6:15 before halftime, UConn went on a 13-0 run and eventually led, 49-24, at halftime.

In the second half the Ducks mounted a short 6-0 run to cut the UConn lead to 57-32 with 4:47 remaining in the third. The Ducks kept fighting in the fourth but the Huskies prevailed, 90-52.

BOX SCORE: Sabrina Ionescu tallied a team-high 15 points to go with eight rebounds and three assists. The Ducks shot 42 percent from the field but committed 22 turnovers.

TOURNAMENT STATS: Ruthy Hebard led the Ducks with 71 points over four games in the NCAA Tournament. She also grabbed a team-high 33 rebounds. Sabrina Ionescu totaled 65 points, 29 rebounds and 23 assists during the Ducks' run to the Elite Eight.

ALL-REGIONAL TEAM: Napheesa Collier, UConn, Gabby Williams, UConn, Saniya Chong, UConn, Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon and Jordin Canada, UCLA.

HISTORY: Not only did the No. 10 seed Ducks make their first appearance in the Elite Eight on Monday night, they made their first ever Sweet 16 trip on Saturday. Oregon is now 8-13 all-time in the tournament in 13 trips overall. This was the Ducks' first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2005.

SO MUCH BACK: The Ducks, the only team in the 64-team NCAA Tournament to start three freshmen, bring back their entire starting lineup for next season. Oregon returns 100 percent of both its points and rebounds tallied in the tournament for next season.

TOP-25 WINS: Oregon played 16 games against top-25 teams this season, going 6-10 in those contests. Oregon defeated No. 24 Michigan State in non-conference play, No. 20 California and No. 15 UCLA in the regular season, No. 11 Washington in the Pac-12 Tournament and No. 9 and No. 4 Maryland in the NCAA Tournament. The No. 4 ranked Terrapins were the highest ranked team the Ducks have ever defeated.

GRAVES IN THE TOURNAMENT: This was Kelly Graves' second trip to the Elite 8 and it was just the third time a double-digit seed reached the regional final. Graves also took No. 11 seed Gonzaga to the Elite 8 in 2011. Graves is now 11-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament over nine appearances. His teams have upset No. 2 seeds twice and No. 3 seeds three times, including both No. 2 seed Duke and No. 3 seed Maryland this year.