Oregon WBB recap: Ducks ground the Pilots with pressure defense
Portland’s game plan was to press and pressure the Oregon women’s basketball team for turnovers and easy hoops on the other end.
The Pilots didn’t figure the Ducks (6-1) would turn the tables.
Oregon forced 21 turnovers and scored 32 points off of those turnovers to cruise to an easy 90-51 win over Portland of the West Coast Conference.
Freshman Chance Gray led Oregon with a career-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including knocking down 4-of-8 from long distance. Phillipina Kyei added 12 points and 13 rebounds.
Te-Hina Paopao scored 10 pounds and dished out eight assists while Taylor Hosendove came off the bench and just missed out on a double-double with nine points and 10 boards.
It was a close game at halftime as the Ducks led 40-29, but then put it all together in the second half and routed the Pilots, who fell to 5-4 on the season.
Final Score: Oregon 90, Portland 51
Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Keys to the game
Portland’s defensive pressure confused Oregon for the first few minutes of the game, but once the Ducks figured it out, the Pilots’ press was not effective.
Oregon lived in the passing lanes all day long and forced 21 turnovers which included 14 steals.
The game was relatively close at halftime (40-29), but then the Ducks came out on fire and outscored Portland 33-12 in the third quarter. That began the half on a 14-2 run and never looked back.
Oregon shot very well from the field and from the three-point line. The Ducks shot 38-of-76 (50 percent) from the field, including 9-of-20 from beyond the arc.
Chance Gray, one of a few true freshmen who play a pivotal role on this team, led the way with 20 points. Grace VanSlooten didn’t have best shooting night going 4-11 from the field, but she led Oregon with five steals.
Coach Kelly Graves won’t be happy when he sees the free throw stats, however. Oregon was just 5-11 from the charity stripe.
It's on the stat sheet
Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Chance Gray: 20 points, 8-12 FG, 4-8 3-pt FG
Phillipina Kyei: 12 points, 13 rebounds
Te-Hina Paopao: 10 points, 8 assists
Taylor Hosendove: 9 points, 10 rebounds
Endyia Rogers: 12 points, 4 rebounds
What's next?
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
The Ducks open up Pac-12 play in eight days (Dec. 11) as Oregon State comes to Eugene. It’s just a warm-up for conference play, but counts just the same. The Beavers are 6-2 and are coming off a 62-52 win over Jackson State.
