Oregon Takes on No. 1 UCLA Sunday

EUGENE, Ore. — The Oregon women's basketball team faces its toughest test of the season on Sunday, as the No. 1 UCLA Bruins visit Matthew Knight Arena for a 1 p.m. tipoff.

Oregon has dropped consecutive games for the first time since November, and first time in Big Ten play, following its 79-61 loss to No. 16 Maryland on Thursday. The Ducks had won their previous four games and have won seven of their last 10 overall.

The Ducks and UCLA will meet for the 80th time in the series' history. The Bruins have won the last four in the series, as UO seeks to defeat the nation's No. 1 team for the first time in program history.

GAME #24
Oregon (16-7, 7-5) vs. No. 1 UCLA (22-0, 10-0)
Sunday, Feb. 9 | 1 p.m. | Matthew Knight Arena (Eugene, Ore.)
TV/Stream: B1G+
Play-by-play: Ann Schatz | Analyst: Austin Ota | Sideline: Lily Crane
Radio: Oregon Sports Network (KUGN 98.1 FM/590 AM)
Play-by-play: Chris Clayton | Analyst: Bev Smith
Listen Online | Live Stats | Tickets

LAST TIME OUT
Oregon began its three-game homestand with a 79-61 loss to 16th-ranked Maryland on Thursday.

The Ducks' bench accounted for 49 of their 61 points, as the starting lineup scored a combined 12 points on 2-of-20 shooting. UO's reserves shot 44 percent (17-for-39) in its second-highest point total of the season.

Ehis Etute (14) and Ari Long (11) each produced season highs off the bench while each tallying all their points in the second half. Sofia Bell and Long each paced UO with three 3-pointers apiece.

The Ducks started the game slow, shooting 19 percent in the first quarter and finished the first half 7-for-27 (26 percent). The Terrapins got 26 points from Sarah Te-Biasu and 21 from Kaylene Smikle.

SCOUTING UCLA
UCLA (22-0, 10-0) comes to Eugene as the nation's only unbeaten team, having spent the last 11 weeks at No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. The Bruins defeated eighth-ranked Ohio State 65-52 at home on Wednesday and have won every game this season by double digits.

Lauren Betts leads UCLA, and ranks second in the Big Ten, with 20.2 points per game while also leading her team at 9.9 rebounds a game. Betts' 12 double-doubles this season ranked eighth nationally and second in the conference. Betts is also the league leader in blocks per game (2.9) and offensive rebounds per game (4.4).

To go with Betts, Kiki Rice is second on the team at 13.1 points a game with Gabriela Jaquez rounding out three in double figures at 10.5 points per night. Rice paces the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.52.

As a team, UCLA leads the conference, and ranks in the nation's top five, in assists per game (21.3), field goal percentage (49.4), field goal defense (33.5), rebounding (45.1) and rebounding margin (plus-15-8).

INSIDE THE SERIES
The all-time series between Oregon and UCLA dates back to 1980, with the Bruins holding a 43-36 edge in the series after having won the last four meetings. The Bruins have been ranked in the top 20 in each of the last four meetings, and in the top 10 in three of those contests. Oregon is 20-17 at home in the series while going 4-8 at Matthew Knight Arena.

Head coach Kelly Graves is 11-10 in his UO tenure against UCLA, with a 4-5 home mark. The Ducks are 9-6 over the last 15 matchups, dating back to 2017. Sunday's tilt will be the first between the sides with UCLA ranked No. 1 in the nation.

OREGON VS. RANKED TEAMS
Sunday's game will mark Oregon's sixth against a ranked opponent this season, with all six being ranked 16th or better. On Jan. 30, the Ducks defeated then-16th-ranked Michigan State on the road 63-59 and are 2-3 this season against top-25 foes. The win was UO's first road win over a ranked team since defeating No. 15 Oregon State on Dec. 13, 2020, and it was the first road win over a ranked team by an unranked Oregon team since defeating No. 9 Duke in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, 74-65.

Against ranked teams this year, Deja Kelly is averaging a team-high 11.6 points per game - up from her season average of 9.7 per game - while also turning in 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Oregon has held ranked teams to just 69.4 points per game over five contests. UO is 1-2 at home against ranked teams this season, defeating then-No. 12 Baylor 76-74 before falling to sixth-ranked USC 66-53 and 16th-ranked Maryland on Thursday 79-61. With a win, the three ranked wins would be the most by the Ducks in a single season since winning 12 in 2019-20.

CLUTCH DUCKS
The Ducks have become accustomed to close games of late. Oregon's 50-49 comeback win over Iowa on Jan. 19 marked UO's fourth victory by two points or less this season, as the Ducks are unbeaten in those games. Oregon trailed by 10 points at half and by as many as 15 points in the first half, marking the first halftime deficit overcome for a win this season. UO followed that up with a 10-point comeback win against Indiana on Jan. 24, putting together a 10-0 run with under five minutes to play to pull off the victory.

» The four two-point victories are Oregon's most since at least 2009-10 and equals the most two-point games since 2014-15.
» Additionally, the Ducks are 5-0 in games decided by four points or less, with three of those wins coming in January.
» Oregon has won its last six games decided by two points or less dating back to the 2022-23 season, and seven of the last eight such games going back to 2021-22.
» Despite only scoring 50 points against the Hawkeyes, UO picked up its first victory when scoring 50 points or less since defeating Utah 50-44 on Nov. 25, 2006 - snapping a streak of 49 straight losses when scoring 50 or less.
» UO has played eight "clutch games" (games within five points with 5:00 or less to play) and won six of those, including four straight.