Monday, February 24
Stanford, CA
6:00 PM
University of Oregon
26-2,15-1Pac-12
74
at
66
Stanford
24-4,13-3Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
Oregon
18
14
24
18
74
Stanford
8
14
16
28
66
Ionescu Caps Monumental Day With Historic Performance
02/24/20 | Women's Basketball
Sabrina Ionescu began Monday by speaking at the Bryant family's memorial service in Los Angeles, and capped it by making history in Oregon's win at Stanford that clinched a share of the Pac-12 title.
STANFORD, Calif. — Sabrina Ionescu's ability to rise to the occasion was tested like never before Monday. As fans in Eugene and throughout the basketball world have come to expect, she was more than up to the task.
On a day that tested her resolve like no other, Oregon's star senior responded by rising to heights never before seen in the history of college basketball. In the process, she elevated to the No. 3 Ducks to a piece of their third straight Pac-12 Conference regular-season title, thanks to a 74-66 victory Monday night over No. 4 Stanford at Maples Pavilion.
A day that began for Ionescu in Los Angeles, speaking before an estimated 20,000 mourners and a national television audience at the memorial for Kobe Bryant held in Staples Center, ended with the UO senior becoming the first player in NCAA basketball history — female or male — to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in her career.
"I tried to do everything I could to hold it together tonight," Ionescu told ESPN in a postgame interview, "and my team helped me a lot."
Ionescu needed nine rebounds to achieve the historic milestone entering Monday, and she reached it early in the third quarter. It came on the way to the 26th career triple-double of her career — and her second on Oregon's weekend road trip to her home turf in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ionescu had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists and Satou Sabally added 27 points with nine rebounds to lead the UO women to a season sweep of the Cardinal with Monday's win. Oregon enters the final weekend of the regular season with a two-game lead in the Pac-12 standings over Stanford and holding the tiebreaker, ensuring that the Ducks will be the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament in Las Vegas beginning March 5.
"In true Sabrina fashion, she goes out on the biggest day in the biggest moment and shines bright," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "It was really neat to see how hard she competed tonight. Gave it everything she had."
Monday's historic performance had further personal meaning for Ionescu based on the date: 2/24/20. Those represent the jerseys numbers, respectively, of Bryant's daughter who also perished in the January helicopter crash that took his life, Gianna; Bryant himself; and finally Ionescu herself.
"That one was for him," said Ionescu, who missed pregame warmups because she was sick to her stomach Monday evening. "To do it on 2/24/20 is huge. We talked about that in the preseason; I can't really put that into words. He's looking down and really proud of me."
How It Happened: The Ducks (26-2, 15-1 Pac-12) trailed for just 1:05 of Monday's game, though it was not without some tense moments. The Cardinal took its first lead at 8-7 with 5:19 left in the first quarter, but Oregon's defense then forced 12 straight missed shots by Stanford to close the period, and the UO women put together an 11-0 run to lead 18-8.
Stanford's cold stretch ultimately reached 14 straight misses, but a bucket early in the second made it a 10-point game again at 20-10. Sabally made a three-pointer at other end — assisted by Ionescu — the first of five straight makes in a row by the Ducks as they built their biggest lead of the night, 31-12. That hot streak was capped by a Taylor Chavez bucket — also assisted by Ionescu — with 4:35 left in the quarter, but that also was Oregon's final field goal of the first half as Stanford rallied within 32-22 at the break.
After Ionescu opened the third quarter with a bucket, the Cardinal put together its longest run of the night, a 7-0 spurt to get within 34-29. A midrange jumper by Erin Boley and two more three-pointers by Sabally got the lead back to double digits at 42-32, and moments later Ionescu set up Sabally on a three-point play for a 49-34 lead. Chavez ended the quarter with a three-pointer that put the Ducks up 56-38.
Stanford didn't go quietly, but the Cardinal also didn't cut the lead any closer than eight the entire fourth quarter, and that came on the final basket of the night. Back-to-back threes by Lexie Hull — who matched Sabally with a game-high 27 points — cut Oregon's lead to 67-58, but Sabally scored at the other end. It was 67-58 with Ionescu scored on three straight possessions for the Ducks, icing the game, Oregon's third straight Pac-12 championship and an unforgettable day for the Ducks' star point guard.
"This win and how we played tonight showed a lot of grit," Ionescu told ESPN. "Really proud of this team."
Who Stood Out: Ionescu made 9-of-19 shots, getting to 21 points despite not making a three-pointer. Sabally was 10-of-17 from the floor with four three-pointers, and her nine rebounds offset a quiet night by Ruthy Hebard, who finished with four points and four rebounds.
What It Means: The impact of Monday's game is hard to quantify. On a night when Oregon faced Stanford on ESPN2, mere hours after Ionescu captured the nation's attention with her tribute at the memorial for Bryant, the Ducks dominated the Cardinal for the second time this season and Ionescu accomplished something never before seen in college basketball history.
Up Next: The Ducks kick off their final homestand of the regular season by hosting Washington State on Friday (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
On a day that tested her resolve like no other, Oregon's star senior responded by rising to heights never before seen in the history of college basketball. In the process, she elevated to the No. 3 Ducks to a piece of their third straight Pac-12 Conference regular-season title, thanks to a 74-66 victory Monday night over No. 4 Stanford at Maples Pavilion.
A day that began for Ionescu in Los Angeles, speaking before an estimated 20,000 mourners and a national television audience at the memorial for Kobe Bryant held in Staples Center, ended with the UO senior becoming the first player in NCAA basketball history — female or male — to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds in her career.
"I tried to do everything I could to hold it together tonight," Ionescu told ESPN in a postgame interview, "and my team helped me a lot."
Ionescu needed nine rebounds to achieve the historic milestone entering Monday, and she reached it early in the third quarter. It came on the way to the 26th career triple-double of her career — and her second on Oregon's weekend road trip to her home turf in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ionescu had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists and Satou Sabally added 27 points with nine rebounds to lead the UO women to a season sweep of the Cardinal with Monday's win. Oregon enters the final weekend of the regular season with a two-game lead in the Pac-12 standings over Stanford and holding the tiebreaker, ensuring that the Ducks will be the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament in Las Vegas beginning March 5.
"In true Sabrina fashion, she goes out on the biggest day in the biggest moment and shines bright," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "It was really neat to see how hard she competed tonight. Gave it everything she had."
Monday's historic performance had further personal meaning for Ionescu based on the date: 2/24/20. Those represent the jerseys numbers, respectively, of Bryant's daughter who also perished in the January helicopter crash that took his life, Gianna; Bryant himself; and finally Ionescu herself.
"That one was for him," said Ionescu, who missed pregame warmups because she was sick to her stomach Monday evening. "To do it on 2/24/20 is huge. We talked about that in the preseason; I can't really put that into words. He's looking down and really proud of me."
How It Happened: The Ducks (26-2, 15-1 Pac-12) trailed for just 1:05 of Monday's game, though it was not without some tense moments. The Cardinal took its first lead at 8-7 with 5:19 left in the first quarter, but Oregon's defense then forced 12 straight missed shots by Stanford to close the period, and the UO women put together an 11-0 run to lead 18-8.
Stanford's cold stretch ultimately reached 14 straight misses, but a bucket early in the second made it a 10-point game again at 20-10. Sabally made a three-pointer at other end — assisted by Ionescu — the first of five straight makes in a row by the Ducks as they built their biggest lead of the night, 31-12. That hot streak was capped by a Taylor Chavez bucket — also assisted by Ionescu — with 4:35 left in the quarter, but that also was Oregon's final field goal of the first half as Stanford rallied within 32-22 at the break.
After Ionescu opened the third quarter with a bucket, the Cardinal put together its longest run of the night, a 7-0 spurt to get within 34-29. A midrange jumper by Erin Boley and two more three-pointers by Sabally got the lead back to double digits at 42-32, and moments later Ionescu set up Sabally on a three-point play for a 49-34 lead. Chavez ended the quarter with a three-pointer that put the Ducks up 56-38.
Stanford didn't go quietly, but the Cardinal also didn't cut the lead any closer than eight the entire fourth quarter, and that came on the final basket of the night. Back-to-back threes by Lexie Hull — who matched Sabally with a game-high 27 points — cut Oregon's lead to 67-58, but Sabally scored at the other end. It was 67-58 with Ionescu scored on three straight possessions for the Ducks, icing the game, Oregon's third straight Pac-12 championship and an unforgettable day for the Ducks' star point guard.
"This win and how we played tonight showed a lot of grit," Ionescu told ESPN. "Really proud of this team."
Who Stood Out: Ionescu made 9-of-19 shots, getting to 21 points despite not making a three-pointer. Sabally was 10-of-17 from the floor with four three-pointers, and her nine rebounds offset a quiet night by Ruthy Hebard, who finished with four points and four rebounds.
What It Means: The impact of Monday's game is hard to quantify. On a night when Oregon faced Stanford on ESPN2, mere hours after Ionescu captured the nation's attention with her tribute at the memorial for Bryant, the Ducks dominated the Cardinal for the second time this season and Ionescu accomplished something never before seen in college basketball history.
Up Next: The Ducks kick off their final homestand of the regular season by hosting Washington State on Friday (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
Team Stats
Oregon
Stan
FG%
.482
.391
3FG%
.350
.379
FT%
.765
.500
RB
34
36
TO
13
12
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
10
3FGM
4
FTM
3
Pts
21
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballKelly Graves | Selection Sunday
Monday, March 17
Deja Kelly, Peyton Scott & Phillipina Kyei | Selection Sunday
Monday, March 17
Peyton Scott & Ari Long: "A good, competitive basketball game."
Thursday, February 27
Kelly Graves: "We've played really well."
Thursday, February 27
