Sunday, January 21
Eugene, Ore.
5:00 PM
University of Oregon
18-3, 7-1P12
75
vs
63
Oregon State
14-5, 5-3P12
1
2
3
4
F
Oregon State
7
11
22
23
63
Oregon
12
28
16
19
75
Breakthrough! Ducks Knock Off OSU, 75-63
01/21/18 | Women's Basketball
Oregon avenged its overtime loss Friday, ended a 14-game losing streak in the series and regained sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 with Sunday's victory.
EUGENE, Ore. — Stifling first-half defense and a torrid shooting stretch to open the fourth quarter fueled the No. 7 Oregon women's basketball team to a 75-63 victory Sunday over No. 18 Oregon State, before a season-best crowd of 7,249 fans in Matthew Knight Arena.
The Ducks (18-3, 7-1 Pac-12) ended a 14-game losing streak to their Civil War rivals, avenged Friday's overtime loss in Corvallis and reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 Conference. After falling behind early Friday, Oregon held OSU to seven points in the first quarter Sunday and led by as many as 27 early in the third before the Beavers rallied to close the gap.
"I thought we were in control the whole game, and they just keep coming at you," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "But I'm really happy for the Ducks today. Great crowd, great atmosphere for women's basketball."
How It Happened: Less than 48 hours after OSU made seven three-pointers in the first quarter in Corvallis, the Beavers scored just seven points in the first Sunday. Each team had four players play at least 40 minutes and two play all 45 in Friday's overtime game, and the quick turnaround might have been a factor in what was a low-scoring first quarter Sunday. Oregon used a 10-0 run that included two of Mallory McGwire's signature midrange jumpers to take a 12-7 lead at the end of the quarter, in which OSU shot 3-of-10.
The Ducks carried momentum into the second, and blew the game open. Satou Sabally hit back-to-back three-pointers during an 8-0 run that put the Ducks up 22-9. Sabally made another three for a 29-14 lead after a great sequence by UO freshman reserve Anneli Maley, whose defense forced OSU into a turnover at one end, and whose hustle turned a potential turnover into an assist on Sabally's three-pointer at the other end. The Ducks held OSU without a field goal for the final six minutes of the half, putting together an 18-1 run that helped them to a 40-18 lead at halftime.
"I think the first 20 minutes were as good of defense as has been played in this arena since I've been here, and probably ever," Graves said after Oregon held OSU to 6-of-17 shooting in the half. "I was really proud of how hard we played."
Oregon then opened the second half with a 10-5 run that gave the UO women their largest lead of the night at 50-23. The run included two more jumpers by McGwire, and was capped by another Sabally basket. Those two were huge factors on a night the Ducks again were without injured senior Lexi Bando, and with Ruthy Hebard having an uncharacteristically off shooting night.
"I was just more focused today," said Sabally, who led the Ducks with 21 points two days after scoring just three in Corvallis. "I was ready."
The Beavers (14-5, 5-3) showed no quit, closing the third quarter on a 17-6 run. The Ducks missed their last seven field-goal attempts, for which Graves took the blame for going to a more conservative offensive approach with the big lead. The Ducks got back into rhythm to open the fourth, making their first seven shots of the quarter to maintain a comfortable lead despite the Beavers' 16-of-35 shooting in the second half.
Who Stood Out: Sabally shot 9-of-15 for the game and also grabbed five rebounds to go along with her 21 points, one off her career high. Maite Cazorla added 16 points with six rebounds, and Ionescu had 15 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. McGwire, who entered the starting lineup in Bando's absence this weekend, followed up her 10-point night Friday with a season-high 14 on Sunday. She found the touch for the midrange jumper that was so deadly last season, and also helped limit OSU post Mare Gulich to 16 points.
"I'm proud of her," Ionescu said of McGwire, her former club teammate. "She came in and she gave us a big lift. Her number was called and she was ready, and that's something big. With Lexi out, everybody has to be ready to come in and contribute in a positive way."
Ionescu and Cazorla both played all 40 minutes Sunday, after playing all 45 on Friday. Sabally played just under 40 on Sunday, leaving the floor briefly at one point, after playing 42 on Friday.
"I was ready," Ionescu said. "You don't feel your legs once you get out there — the crowd's into it, the adrenaline's running. I'm fine, and I definitely prepare myself to play the whole game. I feel great; I could go out there and play another."
What It Means: Along with ending their losing streak to OSU, the Ducks reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 standings. Oregon entered the day tied for first with Stanford at 6-1, but the Cardinal lost at UCLA on Sunday.
Notable: Oregon's last win in the series was Jan. 23, 2011, in Eugene. … Sunday's crowd was the second-largest for a women's game in Matthew Knight Arena history, and the 11th-largest for a UO women's home game all-time. … Hebard and Gulich came into the week ranked third and fourth in the NCAA for field-goal percentage, respectively, but went a combined 8-of-28 on Sunday, including 2-of-15 for Hebard.
Up Next: The Ducks play at Colorado on Friday (7 p.m. PT, Pac-12 Network).
The Ducks (18-3, 7-1 Pac-12) ended a 14-game losing streak to their Civil War rivals, avenged Friday's overtime loss in Corvallis and reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 Conference. After falling behind early Friday, Oregon held OSU to seven points in the first quarter Sunday and led by as many as 27 early in the third before the Beavers rallied to close the gap.
"I thought we were in control the whole game, and they just keep coming at you," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "But I'm really happy for the Ducks today. Great crowd, great atmosphere for women's basketball."
How It Happened: Less than 48 hours after OSU made seven three-pointers in the first quarter in Corvallis, the Beavers scored just seven points in the first Sunday. Each team had four players play at least 40 minutes and two play all 45 in Friday's overtime game, and the quick turnaround might have been a factor in what was a low-scoring first quarter Sunday. Oregon used a 10-0 run that included two of Mallory McGwire's signature midrange jumpers to take a 12-7 lead at the end of the quarter, in which OSU shot 3-of-10.
The Ducks carried momentum into the second, and blew the game open. Satou Sabally hit back-to-back three-pointers during an 8-0 run that put the Ducks up 22-9. Sabally made another three for a 29-14 lead after a great sequence by UO freshman reserve Anneli Maley, whose defense forced OSU into a turnover at one end, and whose hustle turned a potential turnover into an assist on Sabally's three-pointer at the other end. The Ducks held OSU without a field goal for the final six minutes of the half, putting together an 18-1 run that helped them to a 40-18 lead at halftime.
"I think the first 20 minutes were as good of defense as has been played in this arena since I've been here, and probably ever," Graves said after Oregon held OSU to 6-of-17 shooting in the half. "I was really proud of how hard we played."
Oregon then opened the second half with a 10-5 run that gave the UO women their largest lead of the night at 50-23. The run included two more jumpers by McGwire, and was capped by another Sabally basket. Those two were huge factors on a night the Ducks again were without injured senior Lexi Bando, and with Ruthy Hebard having an uncharacteristically off shooting night.
"I was just more focused today," said Sabally, who led the Ducks with 21 points two days after scoring just three in Corvallis. "I was ready."
The Beavers (14-5, 5-3) showed no quit, closing the third quarter on a 17-6 run. The Ducks missed their last seven field-goal attempts, for which Graves took the blame for going to a more conservative offensive approach with the big lead. The Ducks got back into rhythm to open the fourth, making their first seven shots of the quarter to maintain a comfortable lead despite the Beavers' 16-of-35 shooting in the second half.
Who Stood Out: Sabally shot 9-of-15 for the game and also grabbed five rebounds to go along with her 21 points, one off her career high. Maite Cazorla added 16 points with six rebounds, and Ionescu had 15 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. McGwire, who entered the starting lineup in Bando's absence this weekend, followed up her 10-point night Friday with a season-high 14 on Sunday. She found the touch for the midrange jumper that was so deadly last season, and also helped limit OSU post Mare Gulich to 16 points.
"I'm proud of her," Ionescu said of McGwire, her former club teammate. "She came in and she gave us a big lift. Her number was called and she was ready, and that's something big. With Lexi out, everybody has to be ready to come in and contribute in a positive way."
Ionescu and Cazorla both played all 40 minutes Sunday, after playing all 45 on Friday. Sabally played just under 40 on Sunday, leaving the floor briefly at one point, after playing 42 on Friday.
"I was ready," Ionescu said. "You don't feel your legs once you get out there — the crowd's into it, the adrenaline's running. I'm fine, and I definitely prepare myself to play the whole game. I feel great; I could go out there and play another."
What It Means: Along with ending their losing streak to OSU, the Ducks reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 standings. Oregon entered the day tied for first with Stanford at 6-1, but the Cardinal lost at UCLA on Sunday.
Notable: Oregon's last win in the series was Jan. 23, 2011, in Eugene. … Sunday's crowd was the second-largest for a women's game in Matthew Knight Arena history, and the 11th-largest for a UO women's home game all-time. … Hebard and Gulich came into the week ranked third and fourth in the NCAA for field-goal percentage, respectively, but went a combined 8-of-28 on Sunday, including 2-of-15 for Hebard.
Up Next: The Ducks play at Colorado on Friday (7 p.m. PT, Pac-12 Network).
Team Stats
OSU
ORE
FG%
.373
.484
3FG%
.333
.429
FT%
.750
.818
RB
30
41
TO
12
12
STL
5
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballKelly Graves | Selection Sunday
Monday, March 17
Deja Kelly, Peyton Scott & Phillipina Kyei | Selection Sunday
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Thursday, February 27
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Thursday, February 27
