Comeback Bid Ends In Heartbreak

Sunday, January 15

Eugene, OR

12:00 PM

University of Oregon

13-5,4-3Pac-12

Washington State

13-4,3-3Pac-12

OT 1

Washington St.

Oregon

Photo by: @EricEvansPhoto

01/15/23 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Game Book (PDF)Photo Gallery

Oregon rallied from down 14 in the fourth to force overtime, but WSU came away with the win Sunday.

By: Rob Moseley

EUGENE, Ore. — For a moment, it looked as though a furious fourth-quarter rally was going to help Oregon avoid an upset for the second time in three days. But only for a moment.

Two days after the UO women completed a comeback against Washington in the final five minutes, the Ducks made up an 11-point deficit to Washington State in the final 3:22 of regulation on Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena. Though a potential game-winning three by Ahlise Hurst was waved off due to a clock issue, Grace VanSlooten hit two free throws to force overtime. But another comeback bid at the buzzer came up short when Te-Hina Paopao couldn't get a shot to drop, and WSU came away with an 85-84 victory.

"We certainly have a disappointed locker room," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "I told them I'm really proud of the fight we had and the heart we played with, certainly down the stretch in regulation. As poorly as we played at times, we had a chance to win the game; that's all you can ask for. It's disappointing, but we just didn't have enough players have good games tonight."

The No. 21 Ducks (13-5, 4-3 Pac-12) fell behind by 10 in the first quarter, rallied to lead by 10 in the third, then fell behind by as many as 14 in the fourth. Endyia Rogers made a three-pointer with 4 seconds left in regulation to get the Ducks within two, then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and kicked to Hurst for the apparent game-winner. Though that shot wasn't to be, VanSlooten's clutch free throws extended the game into overtime, where a three-pointer by Paopao with 19 seconds left and a WSU turnover gave the Ducks a look at a game-winner that didn't fall.

Rogers finished with 33 points on 6-of-8 three-point shooting, one point shy of her career high. Chance Gray added a career-high 22 points with five three-pointers, and Paopao had 11 points with seven rebounds. VanSlooten finished with 10 points and six rebounds, but the Ducks were outscored in the paint 46-24, with Phillipina Kyei playing only 14 minutes before leaving to be examined for a concussion.

"I had 33; it wasn't enough," Rogers said when asked about her individual performance. "I missed a free throw, a couple open shots. It just was not enough. I had 33, but we still lost."

How It Happened: The Ducks missed their first six shots of the game while WSU started 5-of-6, as the Cougars quickly opened up a 13-3 lead. Paopao and Rogers got to the hoop for buckets to spark the Ducks, but it took a three-pointer from Rogers late in the period to get Oregon back within 19-14 through one quarter.

The Ducks quickly made up that deficit. Three-pointers by Gray and Rogers on consecutive possessions tied it, 22-22, and Rogers scored to make it an 8-0 run that gave the UO women their first lead, 24-22. After WSU made a three to end the run, Gray hit two more three-pointers to put Oregon up 30-25. Gray's five three-pointers Sunday were as many as she had in the four previous games combined, and she was a big reason the Ducks had a 38-29 lead at halftime.

"My dad was here, so I got in the gym with him; he always knows that to do to get me right," Gray said. "That's really what it was, and a confidence thing as well, just believing in myself."

Rogers scored all 13 points by Oregon in the third quarter, including a three-pointer and two free throws that gave the Ducks a double-digit lead at 43-33. From that point until well into the fourth quarter, WSU then made 17-of-18 field-goal attempts, including 14 straight. Despite Rogers' efforts, the Cougars got within 51-50 entering the fourth quarter, and they opened the fourth on a 13-2 run to lead 63-53.

Kyei had taken a hard fall in the second quarter, and though she played a few minutes in the third, she left the game for good with 3:22 left in that quarter. Without her presence in the post, the Cougars repeatedly got to the basket.

"We didn't get enough stops," Rogers said. "We didn't get the stops we needed — and the scores we needed, because when we got stops, we needed to score."

WSU's lead in the fourth was as much as 14, at 71-57. The Ducks got back within nine after a three-point play by Gray and a bucket by VanSlooten, and Rogers got it back to nine at 73-64. From there the Cougars didn't make another field goal in regulation, and two free throws each from Paopao and Gray cut the UO deficit to 73-68. Down six with less than 30 seconds to go, the Ducks got three offensive rebounds on one possession before Gray hit a three that made it a one-possession game. Two WSU free throws made it 76-71 before Rogers pulled up for a three with 4 seconds left, stole the inbounds pass and kicked to Hurst for a three that went in, sending the crowd into hysterics.

But officials went to the table to review a timing issue that took place during the play, causing one to whistle play dead before Hurst's shot.

"I certainly don't blame that," Graves said after the loss. "I blame our defense at times. That's what lost the game — lack of focus from time to time."

The Ducks were awarded possession with 0.6 seconds left, they inbounded to VanSlooten and the freshman was fouled. She calmly knocked down both free throws, and the game went to overtime.

"I'm really proud of her for that," Rogers said. "She showed a lot of grit and focus at the free-throw line. I had to turn my head a little bit, because I didn't want to see anything I didn't want to see. But she played great tonight and hit two big free throws."

WSU's ability to score in the post was an issue again in overtime, however, and the Cougars led throughout. It was 85-81 before Paopao hit a three with 19 seconds left, and Rogers again kept hope alive with a steal. The Ducks designed a play intended to create a scoring chance for Rogers, but after probing the post looking for space she gave up the ball and it ended up in the hands of Paopao, who absorbed contact in the lane and got off a shot while falling backward, which didn't drop.

Notable: Oregon's nine turnovers were one off the team's season low of eight. The Ducks lost for the first time this season when committing less than 15 turnovers…. The Ducks have now split each of their first three weekends of Pac-12 Conference play. … Oregon had won eight straight over Washington State. … Rogers' six rebounds gave her an even 400 in her career. … Prior to tipoff, Graves was honored with a special ball commemorating his 200th win with the Ducks earlier this season.

Quotable:
Freshman guard Chance Gray on the lapses that led to 14 straight made shots by WSU
"It was just defensive lulls. Not being aware, resting off the ball — I know I got backdoor'd. Simple plays like that, you can't have down the stretch."

Head coach Kelly Graves on what it will take to bounce back this week for a game at OSU
"We've just got to get ourselves healthy and we've got to get ourselves mentally right, and physically ready. Because now we gotta go back up to Corvallis, and you know how hard or how tough they played us down here. (After) a couple of home losses, you want to win the Pac-12 championship that means we've got to steal a couple on the road now somewhere. And hopefully that starts Friday in Corvallis. We'll see; we've got to play a lot better."

Up Next: The Ducks play at Oregon State on Friday (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network).