Friday, February 28
Eugene, OR
8:00 PM
University of Oregon
27-2,16-1Pac-12
88
vs
57
Washington State
11-18,4-13Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
Washington St.
11
15
16
15
57
Oregon
30
23
24
11
88
Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto
Back-To-Back-To-Back Champs
02/28/20 | Women's Basketball
The UO women's basketball team beat Washington State on Friday, and afterward celebrated a third straight Pac-12 regular-season title.
EUGENE, Ore. — The Oregon women's basketball team celebrated back-to-back-to-back Pac-12 Conference regular-season titles Friday night before a sellout crowd at Matthew Knight Arena, cutting down the net at one end of the floor after completing an 88-57 victory over Washington State.
The third-ranked Ducks (27-2, 16-1 Pac-12) mathematically became champs just before their game Friday began, thanks to Arizona's upset of Stanford. But they took care of business on their own as well, scoring the first 13 points of the game against the Cougars and leading by 35 through three quarters.
Oregon celebrated a Pac-12 title for the third year in a row, but got to do so for the first time in Matthew Knight Arena.
"This one's pretty cool, just because it was at home," UO senior Sabrina Ionescu said.
How It Happened: The Ducks scored on their first six possessions of the game, with Ionescu assisting on the first five and then scoring the sixth herself. After Washington State hit a three-pointer to get within 15-5, UO coach Kelly Graves exhorted his team to pick up the tempo, and Minyon Moore responded by driving to the basket for a layin and adding a free throw for a three-point play.
Graves got on the Ducks again in the second half, during which Oregon outscored WSU just 35-31 after leading 53-26 at halftime.
"That just goes to show the level of excellence he holds us to," Ionescu said. "Regardless of whether it's Washington State or Stanford or Oregon State, he expects us to be on our game."
Ruthy Hebard — Oregon's offensive "hammer" in the words of Graves — dominated in the post with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting. She had back-to-back baskets during a 9-0 run that put the Ducks up 46-20 in the second quarter, and she completed a three-point play just before halftime as Oregon took a 53-26 lead into the break.
Hebard scored just four points Monday in Oregon's win at Stanford, but took on a bigger role Friday.
"Tonight it was more inside," Hebard said of the UO game plan. "So I just did what I could."
Hebard's basket just before the end of the third quarter gave the Ducks their biggest lead, 77-42. WSU closed the gap by scoring the first nine points of the fourth quarter, which Oregon played without junior Satou Sabally. She went down after twisting her ankle in the third, but Graves said she could have returned if needed.
Who Stood Out: Hebard added 14 rebounds for her 54th career double-double, and Ionescu had 12 points with 12 assists for her 55th career double-double. Sabally followed her 27-point effort Monday at Stanford with 22 points in just 25 minutes of action before the injury scare Friday.
What It Means: Before the Ducks cut down the nets to celebrate their title, Ionescu was presented with a framed image to commemorate Monday's historic achievement, when she became the first player in men's or women's D-I history to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists in a career. Then, she was handed a microphone and addressed the crowd, introducing a video that was the played in the arena.
The video was a reflection on Oregon's win Jan. 26 at Oregon State, which was played shortly after the Ducks learned of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant and eight others. Ionescu said the crash made her reassess the definition of the "unfinished business" she had cited as motivation for staying at Oregon this season, in the wake of last year's Final Four loss to Baylor. Originally, her "unfinished business" was to avenge that outcome and win a national title.
"That was really the goal — up until a month ago," Ionescu said. "Then you realize there's so many more things that are important besides that final outcome. Nothing's really promised. Nothing's guaranteed. What we're building here is really remarkable and it's something that doesn't happen very often, on the men's side or the women's side. So just wanting to embrace that and immerse myself in what we built here, and being the best person on and off the court that I can. Making sure I'm more than just a basketball player; I'm reaching out in the community and really doing my best. That's really the unfinished business."
Up Next: The Ducks wrap up the regular season against Washington on Sunday (noon, Pac-12).
The third-ranked Ducks (27-2, 16-1 Pac-12) mathematically became champs just before their game Friday began, thanks to Arizona's upset of Stanford. But they took care of business on their own as well, scoring the first 13 points of the game against the Cougars and leading by 35 through three quarters.
Oregon celebrated a Pac-12 title for the third year in a row, but got to do so for the first time in Matthew Knight Arena.
"This one's pretty cool, just because it was at home," UO senior Sabrina Ionescu said.
How It Happened: The Ducks scored on their first six possessions of the game, with Ionescu assisting on the first five and then scoring the sixth herself. After Washington State hit a three-pointer to get within 15-5, UO coach Kelly Graves exhorted his team to pick up the tempo, and Minyon Moore responded by driving to the basket for a layin and adding a free throw for a three-point play.
Graves got on the Ducks again in the second half, during which Oregon outscored WSU just 35-31 after leading 53-26 at halftime.
"That just goes to show the level of excellence he holds us to," Ionescu said. "Regardless of whether it's Washington State or Stanford or Oregon State, he expects us to be on our game."
Ruthy Hebard — Oregon's offensive "hammer" in the words of Graves — dominated in the post with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting. She had back-to-back baskets during a 9-0 run that put the Ducks up 46-20 in the second quarter, and she completed a three-point play just before halftime as Oregon took a 53-26 lead into the break.
Hebard scored just four points Monday in Oregon's win at Stanford, but took on a bigger role Friday.
"Tonight it was more inside," Hebard said of the UO game plan. "So I just did what I could."
Hebard's basket just before the end of the third quarter gave the Ducks their biggest lead, 77-42. WSU closed the gap by scoring the first nine points of the fourth quarter, which Oregon played without junior Satou Sabally. She went down after twisting her ankle in the third, but Graves said she could have returned if needed.
Who Stood Out: Hebard added 14 rebounds for her 54th career double-double, and Ionescu had 12 points with 12 assists for her 55th career double-double. Sabally followed her 27-point effort Monday at Stanford with 22 points in just 25 minutes of action before the injury scare Friday.
What It Means: Before the Ducks cut down the nets to celebrate their title, Ionescu was presented with a framed image to commemorate Monday's historic achievement, when she became the first player in men's or women's D-I history to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists in a career. Then, she was handed a microphone and addressed the crowd, introducing a video that was the played in the arena.
The video was a reflection on Oregon's win Jan. 26 at Oregon State, which was played shortly after the Ducks learned of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant and eight others. Ionescu said the crash made her reassess the definition of the "unfinished business" she had cited as motivation for staying at Oregon this season, in the wake of last year's Final Four loss to Baylor. Originally, her "unfinished business" was to avenge that outcome and win a national title.
"That was really the goal — up until a month ago," Ionescu said. "Then you realize there's so many more things that are important besides that final outcome. Nothing's really promised. Nothing's guaranteed. What we're building here is really remarkable and it's something that doesn't happen very often, on the men's side or the women's side. So just wanting to embrace that and immerse myself in what we built here, and being the best person on and off the court that I can. Making sure I'm more than just a basketball player; I'm reaching out in the community and really doing my best. That's really the unfinished business."
Up Next: The Ducks wrap up the regular season against Washington on Sunday (noon, Pac-12).
Team Stats
WSU
Oregon
FG%
.456
.552
3FG%
.222
.353
FT%
.500
.783
RB
23
37
TO
14
8
STL
2
6
Game Leaders
Pts
28
FGM
11
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
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