Friday, March 6
Indianapolis, Ind.
Approx. 6 p.m.
University of Oregon
22-12,8-10Big Ten
58
vs
80
Michigan
25-5,15-3Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Oregon
13
11
19
15
58
Michigan
18
15
23
24
80
Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Conference Tournament Run Ends In Quarters
03/06/26 | Women's Basketball
The UO women's basketball team lost Friday to Michigan, and the Ducks now look ahead to the NCAA Tournament.
INDIANAPOLIS — Playing in the home of the Indy 500, the Oregon women's basketball team was running low on gas Friday.
The UO women saw their Big Ten Tournament run end in the quarterfinal round, with an 80-58 loss to No. 8 Michigan at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Ducks (22-12) now await word of their NCAA Tournament seed March 15, after bolstering their résumé with wins Wednesday and Thursday.
"We knew it was going to be a mental battle more, and a physical battle coming into this game," UO point guard Katie Fiso said. "You know, we played two games already, this being our third; we did our best, doing recovery, treatment, stuff like that, to prepare for this game. Like coach said, you know, just got to play through that fatigue."
The Ducks were playing their third game in three days Friday, against a Michigan team that earned a double bye into the tournament thanks to its top-four seed. The Wolverines used the extra fuel in their tanks to hound Oregon defensively and post a 44-31 rebounding advantage.
Oregon had pushed the Wolverines to double overtime before losing 92-87 back on Dec. 29, a game in which Michigan had a 60-34 advantage on the boards. That included 28 offensive rebounds that led to a 20-0 edge in second-chance points, and a similar formula unfolded in Friday's rematch — the Wolverines had 19 offensive boards and 20 second-chance points.
"I think we played with them for a while, played okay in the first half," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "Certainly our first-shot defense was pretty good, but we gave them too many second-chance points. And then that second half, I think we just ran out of gas. You know, we were three games in three days — not making that an excuse, but that's real, though, and we just didn't have as much left in the tank."
Sensational sophomores Fiso and Ehis Etute wrapped up standout weeks in the conference tournament. Etute recorded her third double-double in three games, with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Fiso scored 22 to average 18.7 across the three games. She was 10-of-16 from the field with seven assists Friday.
"We are a pretty young team, but at the end of the day, what matters is winning," Etute said. "Our age doesn't really matter. What we took away from this is that we have a lot of areas to grow in. We kind of saw where we lacked and what we were lacking, and we know what we're supposed to work on in the offseason and also before the tournament. And we'll see if that translates."
How It Happened: Ari Long hit a three-pointer for Oregon's first points, tying the game, and back-to-back buckets by Fiso knotted the score again, 7-7. But Michigan scored the next five points, and sustained that lead at the edge of the first quarter, 18-13.
Michigan's defensive pressure got to the Ducks in the second half, to the tune of six UO turnovers. Oregon shot the ball more efficiently, 41.7 percent to 33.3, but the Wolverines had 18 shots compared to 12 for the Ducks, due to forced turnovers and offensive rebounds. Fiso and Etute scored all 11 points for the Ducks in the period, but they trailed 33-24 entering halftime.
A Fiso layup and a three-pointer by Sofia Bell got Oregon within four coming out of halftime. But Michigan answered with a 16-3 run to go up 49-32. Another Bell three-pointer ended that run, and the Ducks fought back to trail 56-43 entering the fourth quarter.
Fiso kept battling to the end. She scored seven points in the final period, scoring twice to cut the lead to 13, at 67-54 and 69-56. But the Ducks would get no closer and saw their tournament run come to an end.
Up Next: The NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced on Selection Sunday, March 15 (5 p.m., ESPN).
The UO women saw their Big Ten Tournament run end in the quarterfinal round, with an 80-58 loss to No. 8 Michigan at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Ducks (22-12) now await word of their NCAA Tournament seed March 15, after bolstering their résumé with wins Wednesday and Thursday.
"We knew it was going to be a mental battle more, and a physical battle coming into this game," UO point guard Katie Fiso said. "You know, we played two games already, this being our third; we did our best, doing recovery, treatment, stuff like that, to prepare for this game. Like coach said, you know, just got to play through that fatigue."
The Ducks were playing their third game in three days Friday, against a Michigan team that earned a double bye into the tournament thanks to its top-four seed. The Wolverines used the extra fuel in their tanks to hound Oregon defensively and post a 44-31 rebounding advantage.
Oregon had pushed the Wolverines to double overtime before losing 92-87 back on Dec. 29, a game in which Michigan had a 60-34 advantage on the boards. That included 28 offensive rebounds that led to a 20-0 edge in second-chance points, and a similar formula unfolded in Friday's rematch — the Wolverines had 19 offensive boards and 20 second-chance points.
"I think we played with them for a while, played okay in the first half," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "Certainly our first-shot defense was pretty good, but we gave them too many second-chance points. And then that second half, I think we just ran out of gas. You know, we were three games in three days — not making that an excuse, but that's real, though, and we just didn't have as much left in the tank."
Sensational sophomores Fiso and Ehis Etute wrapped up standout weeks in the conference tournament. Etute recorded her third double-double in three games, with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Fiso scored 22 to average 18.7 across the three games. She was 10-of-16 from the field with seven assists Friday.
"We are a pretty young team, but at the end of the day, what matters is winning," Etute said. "Our age doesn't really matter. What we took away from this is that we have a lot of areas to grow in. We kind of saw where we lacked and what we were lacking, and we know what we're supposed to work on in the offseason and also before the tournament. And we'll see if that translates."
How It Happened: Ari Long hit a three-pointer for Oregon's first points, tying the game, and back-to-back buckets by Fiso knotted the score again, 7-7. But Michigan scored the next five points, and sustained that lead at the edge of the first quarter, 18-13.
Michigan's defensive pressure got to the Ducks in the second half, to the tune of six UO turnovers. Oregon shot the ball more efficiently, 41.7 percent to 33.3, but the Wolverines had 18 shots compared to 12 for the Ducks, due to forced turnovers and offensive rebounds. Fiso and Etute scored all 11 points for the Ducks in the period, but they trailed 33-24 entering halftime.
A Fiso layup and a three-pointer by Sofia Bell got Oregon within four coming out of halftime. But Michigan answered with a 16-3 run to go up 49-32. Another Bell three-pointer ended that run, and the Ducks fought back to trail 56-43 entering the fourth quarter.
Fiso kept battling to the end. She scored seven points in the final period, scoring twice to cut the lead to 13, at 67-54 and 69-56. But the Ducks would get no closer and saw their tournament run come to an end.
Up Next: The NCAA Tournament bracket will be announced on Selection Sunday, March 15 (5 p.m., ESPN).
Team Stats
Oregon
Mich
FG%
.407
.437
3FG%
.158
.211
FT%
.500
.737
RB
31
44
TO
17
9
STL
5
11
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballEhis Etute & Katie Fiso | Postgame vs. Washington
Monday, March 02
Kelly Graves | Postgame vs. Washington
Monday, March 02
Astera Tuhina & Katie Fiso: "Coming out hungry."
Friday, February 27
Kelly Graves: "I like where we're at."
Friday, February 27
