Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto
Notes: Final Four Trip Up For Grabs
03/30/19 | Women's Basketball
PORTLAND, Ore. - The No. 2 seed Oregon women's basketball team meets No. 1 seed Mississippi State at 11 AM PT on Sunday with a Final Four trip on the line.
#2 SEED/#7 RANKED OREGON DUCKS (32-4, 16-2 Pac-12)
PPG: 85.3 | PPGA: 62.1 | FG%: 50.4 | 3FG%: 41.4 | FT%: 76.6 | RPG: 38.1 | APG: 19.0
NCAA Tournament Record: Oregon is 14-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, 9-2 under Kelly Graves
Last Year: No. 2 seeded UO advanced to a second straight Elite Eight but lost in Spokane to Notre Dame
Series Records vs. Teams in Portland: 34-34 vs. ASU, 1-3 vs. Mississippi State, 2-2 vs. South Dakota State
Notes: The Ducks boast one of the most efficient offenses in the nation this season. Oregon's 85.3 points per game ranks third in the NCAA. UO leads the nation with a 1.90 assist-to-turnover ratio as the Ducks' 10.0 turnovers per game are the fewest in the NCAA while its 19.0 assists per game ranks sixth. The Ducks are third in the nation in field goal percentage (50.4%), first in three-point percentage (41.4%) and 19th in free throw percentage (76.6%). Oregon is also one of the least penalized teams in the NCAA, ranking fourth at 12.7 fouls per game. The Ducks are fifth in the nation in scoring margin (+23.2 points per game), 20th in the NCAA in rebounding margin (+7.6 per game) and 40th in turnover margin (+3.22 per game).
KEY STORYLINES
- The No. 2 seeded Ducks have reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year.
- Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally and Ruthy Hebard are all finalists for Naismith Starting Five postion of the year awards.
- Hebard (18.0 p, 11.7 r), Sabally (18.0 p, 11.0 r) & Ionescu (19.3 p, 10.3 a) are all averaging double-doubles in the tournament.
- Ionescu has scored in double figures in 69 straight games, dating back to Nov. 21, 2017, and 100 times in her career.
- Seniors Oti Gildon and Maite Cazorla are the winningest class in UO history, with a four-year record of 112-34.
- Kelly Graves' first Div. I coaching job was an assistant coach under Jim Sollars at the University of Portland.
- Ionescu is the all-time NCAA (men's/women's) leader with 18 career triple-doubles (prev: 12, Kyle Collinsworth, BYU)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV - ESPN w/ Dave Pasch & LaChina Robinson
Stream - WatchESPN.com & ESPN app
Radio - Terry Jonz on the call at 590 AM (EUG), 1640 AM (PDX) & TuneIn. Search for "Oregon Sports Network" on TuneIn.
OREGON'S NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
- The Ducks are making their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the 15th overall in program history in 2018-19.
- Oregon has made three straight Elite Eight trips, as a No. 10 seed in 2017 and a No. 2 seed last year and this season. The Ducks lost to UConn in the Bridgeport Regional final in 2017 and eventual national champion Notre Dame in the Spokane Regional final in 2018.
- Oregon's No. 2 seed last season was the best in program history. UO has matched that this season. The Ducks' previous best was a No. 3 seed in 1984.
- Oregon is 14-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with more than half of the wins (9) coming over the last three seasons - 3 in 2017, 3 in 2018, 3 in 2019.
- The Ducks are 6-3 in NCAA Tournament games played in Eugene. UO went 2-0 at home to open the tournament both this year and last season.
- UO made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1982, losing 59-53 to Missouri in Eugene.
- The Ducks made a program-best eight straight NCAA appearances from 1994-2001.
- The most points scored by a UO player in a NCAA Tournament game is 29, set by Sabrina Ionescu both last Sunday vs. Indiana and last year against Minnesota. The previous record was 24 by Alison Lang against Missouri on March 13, 1982.
- The most rebounds by a UO player in a NCAA Tournament game is 20, also by Lang vs. Missouri.
- Ionescu set the program's single-game tournament assists record with 12 last Sunday vs. Indiana. She broke of her own record of 11 set last season.
DOING IT WITH DEFENSE
- Even with one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, the Ducks have reached the Elite Eight using their defense.
- UO is holding teams to just 53.7 points per game in the tournament thus far on 32.6% shooting and 24.6% shooting from three.
- The Ducks held Portland State to just 40 points in the first round and South Dakota State to only 53 points in the Sweet 16.
- UO has 14 blocked shots over three games.
DUCKS TOP NO. 4 MISSISSIPPI STATE
No. 4 ranked Mississippi State entered Matthew Knight Arena on Dec. 18 with the nation's No. 4 scoring defense and No. 2 rebounding margin. The Ducks beat the Bulldogs at their own game in an 82-74 win. Oregon outrebounded MSU, 27-25, and scored 82 points. Sabrina Ionescu struggled shooting in the game, going just 5-of-18 from the field, but went a perfect 17-of-17 from the free throw line, both a UO and Pac-12 record. As a team, the Ducks went 27-of-28 from the line. Maite Cazorla, who had scored in double figures in two previous games against MSU, added 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Ruthy Hebard held MSU All-American center Teaira McCowan to five points on 2-of-5 shooting in 33 minutes.
OREGON ALL-TIME VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE
- The Ducks are 1-3 all-time vs. Mississippi State.
- Oregon and MSU have met three times over the last three years, with the Bulldogs winning in 2016 and 2017 but the Ducks winning earlier this season in Eugene, 82-74.
- Sabrina Ionescu set both a UO and Pac-12 single-game record by going 17-of-17 from the free throw line in the Ducks' win over Mississippi State in Decemeber.
- As a team, the Ducks went 27-of-28 at the line, one of four times this season that Oregon knocked down 20+ free throws in a game.
- UO and Mississippi State are both meeting as top-10 teams for the third straight time.
UO GRINDS OUT WIN VS. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
- In a game many predicted to be a shootout, featuring two of the nation's best offenses, the Ducks used their defense to beat No. 6 seed South Dakota State, 63-53, on Friday in the Sweet 16.
- The Ducks held SDSU to just 26.7% shooting overall and 20.8% shooting from three-point range.
- The Jackrabbits did grab 20 offensive rebounds to keep the game in reach.
DUCKS HOT FROM THREE VS. INDIANA
- No. 2 seed Oregon knocked down 13 three-pointers, a UO record for an NCAA Tournament game, in a 91-68 win over No. 10 seed Indiana in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- Sabrina Ionescu posted her second career NCAA tournament game triple-double with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. She joins former UO assistant Nicole Powell as the only players in NCAA Tournament history with two career triple-doubles. The 29 points is the most ever in a NCAA Tournament triple-double.
- Satou Sabally had a second straight big game, with 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocks against the Hoosiers. She's averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament.
UO OPENS TOURNEY WITH WIN VS. PORTLAND STATE
- The No. 2 seed Ducks opened the NCAA Tournament with a win for the third straight year, 78-40 over No. 15 seed Portland State.
- Satou Sabally and Ruthy Hebard each had double-doubles to lead the Ducks. Sabally scored 21 points to go with a career-high 16 rebounds while Hebard had 22 points and 11 boards.
- Oregon dominated down low, outscoring the Vikings and their pair of 6-foot-4 posts 38-8 in the paint. UO also turned 20 offensive rebounds in 18 second chance points.
- The Ducks had a season-high 16 steals vs. PSU.
NATIONAL AWARD LISTS
- Sabrina Ionescu is one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy for women's national player of the year. She joins Asia Durr, Megan Gustafson and Arike Ogunbowale. The winner will be announced on April 6 at the Final Four.
- Sabrina Ionescu was named to the Wooden Award national ballot on March 15. She is one of 15 players in the running for Wooden All-America honors, which will be announced during the Elite Eight. The Wooden Award for national player of the year will be named on April 12.
- Sabrina Ionescu is one of four finalists for the Wade Trophy, given by the WBCA for national player of the year.
- The Phoenix Club of Philadelphia presents the Dawn Staley Award each season to the nation's best overall guard. Sabrina Ionescu was named one of four finalists on March 12.
- Sabrina Ionescu, Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally were all named WBCA regional finalists for the Coaches All-America Team.
NAISMITH STARTING FIVE AWARDS
- After winning the award a season ago as a sophomore, Sabrina Ionescu is again up for the Nancy Lieberman Award for her junior season. The award is annually presented to the top point guard in the country. She made the cut to the final five prior to the postseason.
- A year after being named the Pac-12 freshman of the year, sophomore Satou Sabally is in the running for the Cheryl Miller Award, given annually to the nation's top small forward. She made the cut for the final five heading into the NCAA Tournament.
- A year after winning the inaugural Katrina McClain Award for the nation's top power forward last year, Ruthy Hebard is looking to defend her title this season. She's also made the cut to the final five.
#2 SEED/#7 RANKED OREGON DUCKS (32-4, 16-2 Pac-12)
PPG: 85.3 | PPGA: 62.1 | FG%: 50.4 | 3FG%: 41.4 | FT%: 76.6 | RPG: 38.1 | APG: 19.0
NCAA Tournament Record: Oregon is 14-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, 9-2 under Kelly Graves
Last Year: No. 2 seeded UO advanced to a second straight Elite Eight but lost in Spokane to Notre Dame
Series Records vs. Teams in Portland: 34-34 vs. ASU, 1-3 vs. Mississippi State, 2-2 vs. South Dakota State
Notes: The Ducks boast one of the most efficient offenses in the nation this season. Oregon's 85.3 points per game ranks third in the NCAA. UO leads the nation with a 1.90 assist-to-turnover ratio as the Ducks' 10.0 turnovers per game are the fewest in the NCAA while its 19.0 assists per game ranks sixth. The Ducks are third in the nation in field goal percentage (50.4%), first in three-point percentage (41.4%) and 19th in free throw percentage (76.6%). Oregon is also one of the least penalized teams in the NCAA, ranking fourth at 12.7 fouls per game. The Ducks are fifth in the nation in scoring margin (+23.2 points per game), 20th in the NCAA in rebounding margin (+7.6 per game) and 40th in turnover margin (+3.22 per game).
KEY STORYLINES
- The No. 2 seeded Ducks have reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year.
- Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally and Ruthy Hebard are all finalists for Naismith Starting Five postion of the year awards.
- Hebard (18.0 p, 11.7 r), Sabally (18.0 p, 11.0 r) & Ionescu (19.3 p, 10.3 a) are all averaging double-doubles in the tournament.
- Ionescu has scored in double figures in 69 straight games, dating back to Nov. 21, 2017, and 100 times in her career.
- Seniors Oti Gildon and Maite Cazorla are the winningest class in UO history, with a four-year record of 112-34.
- Kelly Graves' first Div. I coaching job was an assistant coach under Jim Sollars at the University of Portland.
- Ionescu is the all-time NCAA (men's/women's) leader with 18 career triple-doubles (prev: 12, Kyle Collinsworth, BYU)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV - ESPN w/ Dave Pasch & LaChina Robinson
Stream - WatchESPN.com & ESPN app
Radio - Terry Jonz on the call at 590 AM (EUG), 1640 AM (PDX) & TuneIn. Search for "Oregon Sports Network" on TuneIn.
OREGON'S NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
- The Ducks are making their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the 15th overall in program history in 2018-19.
- Oregon has made three straight Elite Eight trips, as a No. 10 seed in 2017 and a No. 2 seed last year and this season. The Ducks lost to UConn in the Bridgeport Regional final in 2017 and eventual national champion Notre Dame in the Spokane Regional final in 2018.
- Oregon's No. 2 seed last season was the best in program history. UO has matched that this season. The Ducks' previous best was a No. 3 seed in 1984.
- Oregon is 14-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with more than half of the wins (9) coming over the last three seasons - 3 in 2017, 3 in 2018, 3 in 2019.
- The Ducks are 6-3 in NCAA Tournament games played in Eugene. UO went 2-0 at home to open the tournament both this year and last season.
- UO made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1982, losing 59-53 to Missouri in Eugene.
- The Ducks made a program-best eight straight NCAA appearances from 1994-2001.
- The most points scored by a UO player in a NCAA Tournament game is 29, set by Sabrina Ionescu both last Sunday vs. Indiana and last year against Minnesota. The previous record was 24 by Alison Lang against Missouri on March 13, 1982.
- The most rebounds by a UO player in a NCAA Tournament game is 20, also by Lang vs. Missouri.
- Ionescu set the program's single-game tournament assists record with 12 last Sunday vs. Indiana. She broke of her own record of 11 set last season.
DOING IT WITH DEFENSE
- Even with one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, the Ducks have reached the Elite Eight using their defense.
- UO is holding teams to just 53.7 points per game in the tournament thus far on 32.6% shooting and 24.6% shooting from three.
- The Ducks held Portland State to just 40 points in the first round and South Dakota State to only 53 points in the Sweet 16.
- UO has 14 blocked shots over three games.
DUCKS TOP NO. 4 MISSISSIPPI STATE
No. 4 ranked Mississippi State entered Matthew Knight Arena on Dec. 18 with the nation's No. 4 scoring defense and No. 2 rebounding margin. The Ducks beat the Bulldogs at their own game in an 82-74 win. Oregon outrebounded MSU, 27-25, and scored 82 points. Sabrina Ionescu struggled shooting in the game, going just 5-of-18 from the field, but went a perfect 17-of-17 from the free throw line, both a UO and Pac-12 record. As a team, the Ducks went 27-of-28 from the line. Maite Cazorla, who had scored in double figures in two previous games against MSU, added 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Ruthy Hebard held MSU All-American center Teaira McCowan to five points on 2-of-5 shooting in 33 minutes.
OREGON ALL-TIME VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE
- The Ducks are 1-3 all-time vs. Mississippi State.
- Oregon and MSU have met three times over the last three years, with the Bulldogs winning in 2016 and 2017 but the Ducks winning earlier this season in Eugene, 82-74.
- Sabrina Ionescu set both a UO and Pac-12 single-game record by going 17-of-17 from the free throw line in the Ducks' win over Mississippi State in Decemeber.
- As a team, the Ducks went 27-of-28 at the line, one of four times this season that Oregon knocked down 20+ free throws in a game.
- UO and Mississippi State are both meeting as top-10 teams for the third straight time.
UO GRINDS OUT WIN VS. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
- In a game many predicted to be a shootout, featuring two of the nation's best offenses, the Ducks used their defense to beat No. 6 seed South Dakota State, 63-53, on Friday in the Sweet 16.
- The Ducks held SDSU to just 26.7% shooting overall and 20.8% shooting from three-point range.
- The Jackrabbits did grab 20 offensive rebounds to keep the game in reach.
DUCKS HOT FROM THREE VS. INDIANA
- No. 2 seed Oregon knocked down 13 three-pointers, a UO record for an NCAA Tournament game, in a 91-68 win over No. 10 seed Indiana in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- Sabrina Ionescu posted her second career NCAA tournament game triple-double with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. She joins former UO assistant Nicole Powell as the only players in NCAA Tournament history with two career triple-doubles. The 29 points is the most ever in a NCAA Tournament triple-double.
- Satou Sabally had a second straight big game, with 19 points, eight rebounds and four blocks against the Hoosiers. She's averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament.
UO OPENS TOURNEY WITH WIN VS. PORTLAND STATE
- The No. 2 seed Ducks opened the NCAA Tournament with a win for the third straight year, 78-40 over No. 15 seed Portland State.
- Satou Sabally and Ruthy Hebard each had double-doubles to lead the Ducks. Sabally scored 21 points to go with a career-high 16 rebounds while Hebard had 22 points and 11 boards.
- Oregon dominated down low, outscoring the Vikings and their pair of 6-foot-4 posts 38-8 in the paint. UO also turned 20 offensive rebounds in 18 second chance points.
- The Ducks had a season-high 16 steals vs. PSU.
NATIONAL AWARD LISTS
- Sabrina Ionescu is one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy for women's national player of the year. She joins Asia Durr, Megan Gustafson and Arike Ogunbowale. The winner will be announced on April 6 at the Final Four.
- Sabrina Ionescu was named to the Wooden Award national ballot on March 15. She is one of 15 players in the running for Wooden All-America honors, which will be announced during the Elite Eight. The Wooden Award for national player of the year will be named on April 12.
- Sabrina Ionescu is one of four finalists for the Wade Trophy, given by the WBCA for national player of the year.
- The Phoenix Club of Philadelphia presents the Dawn Staley Award each season to the nation's best overall guard. Sabrina Ionescu was named one of four finalists on March 12.
- Sabrina Ionescu, Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally were all named WBCA regional finalists for the Coaches All-America Team.
NAISMITH STARTING FIVE AWARDS
- After winning the award a season ago as a sophomore, Sabrina Ionescu is again up for the Nancy Lieberman Award for her junior season. The award is annually presented to the top point guard in the country. She made the cut to the final five prior to the postseason.
- A year after being named the Pac-12 freshman of the year, sophomore Satou Sabally is in the running for the Cheryl Miller Award, given annually to the nation's top small forward. She made the cut for the final five heading into the NCAA Tournament.
- A year after winning the inaugural Katrina McClain Award for the nation's top power forward last year, Ruthy Hebard is looking to defend her title this season. She's also made the cut to the final five.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballSofia Bell & Amina Muhammad | Postgame vs. Army
Monday, November 17
Kelly Graves | Postgame vs. Army
Monday, November 17
Kelly Graves | Postgame vs. Grand Canyon
Wednesday, November 12
Mia Jacobs & Katie Fiso | Postgame vs. Grand Canyon
Wednesday, November 12
