Wednesday, January 21
Eugene, OR
6 p.m.
University of Oregon
14-7,2-6Big Ten
60
vs
65
Minnesota
13-6,4-4Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
Minnesota
11
16
17
21
65
Oregon
14
10
18
18
60
Photo by: GoDucks.com
Comeback Bid Comes Up Just Short For Ducks
01/21/26 | Women's Basketball
The Oregon women trailed by 13 in the fourth quarter, then rallied to make it a one-possession game before falling Wednesday to Minnesota.
EUGENE, Ore. — That three of Oregon's opponents during what is now a four-game losing streak are currently in the top 16 of the women's college basketball NET rankings is little solace to the Ducks.
The UO women (14-7, 2-6 Big Ten) dropped their fourth straight game Wednesday, a 65-60 defeat to Minnesota at Matthew Knight Arena. Based on NET rankings updated Tuesday, three of those four losses by the Ducks have been to No. 9 Michigan State, No. 13 Iowa and No. 16 Minnesota — and the fourth was a double-overtime game at Wisconsin — but the sting is still acute.
On Wednesday, Oregon allowed an 11-0 run to open the fourth quarter to fall behind 55-42, then fought back to make it a one-possession game before coming up short.
"I was proud of our effort, our energy, there late to get back in it," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "But unfortunately, we dug ourselves too big a hole. We've done this before, and we've just got to find a way to win these. We're about four possessions away from being, instead of 2-6 in conference, could be 6-2. And it just hasn't gone our way when we really need buckets."
Three of the four most recent defeats have been by two possessions or less, and the Wisconsin loss was Oregon's second this season to come in double overtime. The Ducks themselves were No. 24 in Tuesday's NET rankings, so the résumé is still strong. But they know it could be stronger.
"It's definitely been frustrating, especially just given how close they've been — most of them single-possession games where we aren't able to catch up, or let go of a lead," UO junior Sofia Bell said. "We're definitely frustrated. We keep competing but just come up short."
Ari Long, Mia Jacobs and Ehis Etute each had 11 points to lead the Ducks on Wednesday, Katie Fiso scored 10 and Bell added nine. But the Ducks shot just 32.2 percent as a team and struggled to contend with Minnesota's size, as the Gophers had a 46-16 advantage in the paint.
How It Happened: Jacobs hit a three-pointer early in the first quarter that sparked an 8-2 run to put the Ducks up, 10-7. Minnesota scored on the next possession, but the Gophers had just one more bucket over the final 5:16 of the opening period and Oregon took a 14-11 lead into the second.
Minnesota scored the first six points of the second quarter, and later had a four-point possession to lead 21-18. Avary Cain and Bell hit three-pointers to bookend a bucket by the Gophers, putting Oregon up 24-23. But the Ducks didn't score again in the period, missing their final six shots as Minnesota took a 27-24 lead into halftime.
"I thought, first half, we got really, really good looks," Graves said. "I think one of our biggest problems is, we don't finish well around the rim. I mean, I don't know how many points we left on the court."
The Gophers scored on their first five possessions of the second half to lead 36-29. Etute converted a three-point play that sparked a 10-2 run for Oregon, capped by a Sarah Rambus jumper that gave the Ducks the lead, 39-28. But Minnesota finished out another quarter well, using its size advantage to take a 44-42 lead into the fourth.
"They had a lot of size, especially at the guard positions," Bell said. "They played good defense, and then they had a good inside presence. We were just trying to move the ball to create opportunities."
The 11-0 run by the Gophers to open the fourth put the Ducks in a hole that proved just a little too deep. It was 62-51 when Long had a steal and layup to begin Oregon's comeback. But after a flagrant foul on a Minnesota player, the Ducks made just one of two free throws before turning it over on the ensuing possession. Threes by Long and Jacobs made it 63-60 in the last minute, but the Ducks couldn't convert a turnover on the next possession into points.
The Gophers then turned it over again, but Etute turned it right back over while absorbing contact on the play and Minnesota converted an open layup to ice the game. Graves said he was looking to call a timeout but couldn't get play stopped before the UO turnover.
"That one's too bad, because then that ended up being two points right after the scramble," he said. "And that probably was what did it there at the end."
Up Next: The Ducks host Penn State on Saturday (2 p.m., B1G+).
The UO women (14-7, 2-6 Big Ten) dropped their fourth straight game Wednesday, a 65-60 defeat to Minnesota at Matthew Knight Arena. Based on NET rankings updated Tuesday, three of those four losses by the Ducks have been to No. 9 Michigan State, No. 13 Iowa and No. 16 Minnesota — and the fourth was a double-overtime game at Wisconsin — but the sting is still acute.
On Wednesday, Oregon allowed an 11-0 run to open the fourth quarter to fall behind 55-42, then fought back to make it a one-possession game before coming up short.
"I was proud of our effort, our energy, there late to get back in it," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "But unfortunately, we dug ourselves too big a hole. We've done this before, and we've just got to find a way to win these. We're about four possessions away from being, instead of 2-6 in conference, could be 6-2. And it just hasn't gone our way when we really need buckets."
Three of the four most recent defeats have been by two possessions or less, and the Wisconsin loss was Oregon's second this season to come in double overtime. The Ducks themselves were No. 24 in Tuesday's NET rankings, so the résumé is still strong. But they know it could be stronger.
"It's definitely been frustrating, especially just given how close they've been — most of them single-possession games where we aren't able to catch up, or let go of a lead," UO junior Sofia Bell said. "We're definitely frustrated. We keep competing but just come up short."
Ari Long, Mia Jacobs and Ehis Etute each had 11 points to lead the Ducks on Wednesday, Katie Fiso scored 10 and Bell added nine. But the Ducks shot just 32.2 percent as a team and struggled to contend with Minnesota's size, as the Gophers had a 46-16 advantage in the paint.
How It Happened: Jacobs hit a three-pointer early in the first quarter that sparked an 8-2 run to put the Ducks up, 10-7. Minnesota scored on the next possession, but the Gophers had just one more bucket over the final 5:16 of the opening period and Oregon took a 14-11 lead into the second.
Minnesota scored the first six points of the second quarter, and later had a four-point possession to lead 21-18. Avary Cain and Bell hit three-pointers to bookend a bucket by the Gophers, putting Oregon up 24-23. But the Ducks didn't score again in the period, missing their final six shots as Minnesota took a 27-24 lead into halftime.
"I thought, first half, we got really, really good looks," Graves said. "I think one of our biggest problems is, we don't finish well around the rim. I mean, I don't know how many points we left on the court."
The Gophers scored on their first five possessions of the second half to lead 36-29. Etute converted a three-point play that sparked a 10-2 run for Oregon, capped by a Sarah Rambus jumper that gave the Ducks the lead, 39-28. But Minnesota finished out another quarter well, using its size advantage to take a 44-42 lead into the fourth.
"They had a lot of size, especially at the guard positions," Bell said. "They played good defense, and then they had a good inside presence. We were just trying to move the ball to create opportunities."
The 11-0 run by the Gophers to open the fourth put the Ducks in a hole that proved just a little too deep. It was 62-51 when Long had a steal and layup to begin Oregon's comeback. But after a flagrant foul on a Minnesota player, the Ducks made just one of two free throws before turning it over on the ensuing possession. Threes by Long and Jacobs made it 63-60 in the last minute, but the Ducks couldn't convert a turnover on the next possession into points.
The Gophers then turned it over again, but Etute turned it right back over while absorbing contact on the play and Minnesota converted an open layup to ice the game. Graves said he was looking to call a timeout but couldn't get play stopped before the UO turnover.
"That one's too bad, because then that ended up being two points right after the scramble," he said. "And that probably was what did it there at the end."
Up Next: The Ducks host Penn State on Saturday (2 p.m., B1G+).
Team Stats
MINN
Oregon
FG%
.438
.322
3FG%
.158
.348
FT%
.667
.778
RB
42
36
TO
14
13
STL
6
10
Game Leaders
Pts
11
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballSofia Bell & Ari Long | Postgame vs. Minnesota
Thursday, January 22
Kelly Graves | Postgame vs. Minnesota
Thursday, January 22
Kelly Graves: "Continuing to trend up."
Tuesday, January 13
Kelly Graves | Postgame vs. Michigan State
Monday, January 12
