No. 11 Ducks Win Big in Season Opener vs. CSUN

Friday, November 10

Eugene, Ore.

5:00 PM

University of Oregon

1-0

CSUN

0-1

CSUN

Oregon

Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com

11/10/17 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score - CSUN Postgame Quotes - CSUN

Five different Ducks scored in double-figures and Oregon defeated CSUN, 91-43

By: Nathan Bryant

EUGENE, Ore. – The Oregon women's basketball team put together a tremendous all-around performance to open the 2017-18 season defeating CSUN 91-43 in front of 2,646 fans. The Ducks held the Matadors to 27 percent shooting while five Ducks finished the game in double figures.

"I thought we played a really good basketball game," said head coach Kelly Graves. "I thought defensively we were on point tonight and created a lot of our offense off our defense early. Everybody got to play, everybody contributed tonight."

How It Happened: The Ducks could not have asked for a better start to the 2017-18 season dominating both ends of the court against CSUN.

UO opened the game jumping out to a 9-2 lead before the Matador's Serafina Maulupe netted CSUN's first bucket of the game, and only of the quarter, at the 6:06 mark. From there it was all Oregon, as the Ducks held CSUN to an anemic nine-percent from the floor off 1-of-11 shooting.

Sophomore Sabrina Ionescu picked up right where she left off from last season going 3-for-3 from three-point range to lead the team with 11 points in the first quarter.

CSUN attempted to cut into the Ducks' 23-6 lead in the second quarter, but could not get through the brick wall that was UO's defense, committing four turnovers over a two-minute span. Oregon took advantage of the Matador's turnovers in the opening minutes going on an 8-0 run to make it 36-12 and force a CSUN timeout at the 5:16 mark.

CSUN committed 18 turnovers throughout the first half leading to 21 points for the Ducks, who recorded 13 steals. A layup from freshman Satou Sabally sent the Ducks into the locker room leading 53-20 at the half.

It was a similar story in the second half as senior Lexi Bando sank a layup at the 8:38 mark to spark a three-and-a-half minute, 12-0 run for the Ducks. Bando capped off the run with her only three-pointer of the night to make it 67-22 with five minutes still to play in the period.

UO pushed its lead to as high as 53 points, their largest lead of the game, following a layup from Sabally to make it 79-26 with 1:49 left in the third. Sabally finished her first career game as a Duck with 11 points and three assists.

The Ducks suffocated the Matador offense once again in the third quarter holding CSUN to 2-for-12 shooting from the floor to close out the period leading 79-28.
CSUN was able to take advantage of a slow fourth quarter for UO outscoring the Ducks 15-12 in the final period, but the lead was too much to overcome as UO held on to win 91-43.

Who Stood Out: Ionescu showed why she was a preseason all-American selection nearly recording a triple-double with 15 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Sophomore Ruthy Hebard nearly had a double-double of her own finishing the game with 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Junior Maite Cazorla recorded 10 points and seven assists in the game. Sophomore Mallory McGwire was the fifth Duck to end the game in double-figures with 10 points in her eight minutes of action.

Notable: CSUN finished the game with 29 turnovers resulting in 36 points for UO … The Ducks recorded 21 steals in the game compared to three for the Matadors … The Ducks never trailed in the game, holding CSUN to less than 10 points in the first and third quarters.

Up Next: The Ducks continue the preseason WNIT tournament Sunday against Drake at 2 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arena. Drake defeated Milwaukee in the first round of the WNIT on Friday night.