Sunday, January 8
Tucson, AZ
4:00 PM
University of Oregon
12-4,3-2Pac-12
71
at
79
Arizona
14-2,4-1Pac-12
1
2
3
4
F
Oregon
25
10
17
19
71
Arizona
19
15
20
25
79
Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Ducks Drop Top-20 Matchup In Desert
01/08/23 | Women's Basketball
Oregon shot the ball well but was hurt by turnovers Sunday in a 79-71 loss at Arizona.
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Oregon women's basketball team settled for a split of its first conference road trip this season, dropping a matchup of ranked teams to No. 15 Arizona at McKale Center on Sunday, 79-71.
Grace VanSlooten had 18 points to lead the No. 18 Ducks before missing parts of the final two quarters with a leg issue, while both Te-Hina Paopao and Endyia Rogers scored 17. The Ducks (12-4, 3-2 Pac-12) shot 52.7 percent but committed 20 turnovers in their fourth loss of the season, all to teams ranked in the top 15 nationally at the time.
"I'm not sure we've played with the intensity that we need to late in the game — like, 'We've gotta get a stop," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "At the end, there were a couple of execution things we didn't do. We played good enough to win this game. This is a great environment. A good show for ESPN, a good showcase of the Pac-12, great crowd. This is a tough environment to come play and I thought for the most part kids handled it well."
How It Happened: Oregon was hot early, making 11-of-15 shots in the first quarter to lead 25-19 entering the second. A jumper from Paopao and a three-point play by Rogers gave the Ducks a 14-10 lead, and Paopao closed the quarter with a three-pointer for a six-point UO lead.
Turnovers really became a problem in the second, when the Ducks gave it away eight times. That helped Arizona outscore Oregon 15-10 in the period, though VanSlooten closed the half with a layup for a 35-34 lead at the break.
Phillipina Kyei, VanSlooten and Rogers scored during a 6-0 run early in the third, giving the Ducks a 41-36 lead. A few minutes later Chance Gray hit a three-pointer, and the Ducks had a 45-38 edge. But Arizona then went on a 14-3 run broken up only by another three from Gray, with Madison Conner hitting three-pointers to start and cap the Arizona run. Rogers scored the final basket of the quarter to get the Ducks back within 54-42.
Paopao hit a three to open the fourth quarter as Oregon took the lead, and Rogers hit another a few minutes later for a 63-62 advantage. But Conner answered that three with another big three-pointer of her own, and the Ducks didn't lead again. Two free throws by Gray tied it late at 67-67, but Arizona took a 71-67 lead into the final minute and clinched it at the free-throw line.
Notable: Ahlise Hurst went through warmups and suited up after missing the last two games, but Graves said he was hesitant to play her given that she hadn't had a full practice yet. … Kyei finished with 10 rebounds, giving her double-digit boards for the eighth game in a row and 11th time in her last 12 games. … Oregon has lost three in a row at Arizona.
Quotable:
UO coach Kelly Graves on the keys to the outcome
"The game was two areas: the points off turnovers, and the second chance I just thought really hurt us. Then when they shoot the three ball that well — and even with all of that we still had a chance."
UO coach Graves on the toughness VanSlooten showed
"She's Larry Bird, man; she's Larry Bird. The guy could have played an extra five years in his career if he didn't play so damn hard. That's what she does. She plays her (rear end) off."
Up Next: The Ducks host Washington in Matthew Knight Arena on Friday (7 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
Grace VanSlooten had 18 points to lead the No. 18 Ducks before missing parts of the final two quarters with a leg issue, while both Te-Hina Paopao and Endyia Rogers scored 17. The Ducks (12-4, 3-2 Pac-12) shot 52.7 percent but committed 20 turnovers in their fourth loss of the season, all to teams ranked in the top 15 nationally at the time.
"I'm not sure we've played with the intensity that we need to late in the game — like, 'We've gotta get a stop," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "At the end, there were a couple of execution things we didn't do. We played good enough to win this game. This is a great environment. A good show for ESPN, a good showcase of the Pac-12, great crowd. This is a tough environment to come play and I thought for the most part kids handled it well."
How It Happened: Oregon was hot early, making 11-of-15 shots in the first quarter to lead 25-19 entering the second. A jumper from Paopao and a three-point play by Rogers gave the Ducks a 14-10 lead, and Paopao closed the quarter with a three-pointer for a six-point UO lead.
Turnovers really became a problem in the second, when the Ducks gave it away eight times. That helped Arizona outscore Oregon 15-10 in the period, though VanSlooten closed the half with a layup for a 35-34 lead at the break.
Phillipina Kyei, VanSlooten and Rogers scored during a 6-0 run early in the third, giving the Ducks a 41-36 lead. A few minutes later Chance Gray hit a three-pointer, and the Ducks had a 45-38 edge. But Arizona then went on a 14-3 run broken up only by another three from Gray, with Madison Conner hitting three-pointers to start and cap the Arizona run. Rogers scored the final basket of the quarter to get the Ducks back within 54-42.
Paopao hit a three to open the fourth quarter as Oregon took the lead, and Rogers hit another a few minutes later for a 63-62 advantage. But Conner answered that three with another big three-pointer of her own, and the Ducks didn't lead again. Two free throws by Gray tied it late at 67-67, but Arizona took a 71-67 lead into the final minute and clinched it at the free-throw line.
Notable: Ahlise Hurst went through warmups and suited up after missing the last two games, but Graves said he was hesitant to play her given that she hadn't had a full practice yet. … Kyei finished with 10 rebounds, giving her double-digit boards for the eighth game in a row and 11th time in her last 12 games. … Oregon has lost three in a row at Arizona.
Quotable:
UO coach Kelly Graves on the keys to the outcome
"The game was two areas: the points off turnovers, and the second chance I just thought really hurt us. Then when they shoot the three ball that well — and even with all of that we still had a chance."
UO coach Graves on the toughness VanSlooten showed
"She's Larry Bird, man; she's Larry Bird. The guy could have played an extra five years in his career if he didn't play so damn hard. That's what she does. She plays her (rear end) off."
Up Next: The Ducks host Washington in Matthew Knight Arena on Friday (7 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
Team Stats
Oregon
UA
FG%
.527
.403
3FG%
.318
.500
FT%
.667
.789
RB
33
33
TO
20
9
STL
5
14
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
17
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's BasketballG
/ 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
