WNIT: Lexi Bando Leads Oregon Ducks Past Utah Into Elite 8

The Oregon Ducks gave the Utah Utes their best shot and Lexi Bando took control in a 73-63 win that sent Oregon to the WNIT Elite 8.

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Oregon and Utah knew each other well having faced off twice already in 2015 during the regular season. The Oregon Ducks won both games, but we all know that post season play can be a different thing all together. Teams play better and that was the case for both the Utes and the Ducks entering their matchup on Monday night.

The Oregon Ducks have won two straight games without their Star player Jillian Alleyne. As a team they have hit 25 three pointers in two games. Utah has played two games scoring over 90 points per contest in the WNIT. It was a WNIT Sweet 16 Matchup and it was all Utah early.

The Utah Utes looked more crisp and led Oregon with 5 rebounds a steal in the first five minutes leading 11-2. They started the game hitting 71 percent from the field. Oregon would fight back to pull within 2 with just over 4 minutes left in the 1^st Quarter. Lexi Petersen would land a three pointer and Maite Cazorla was fouled to complete a three point play with a free throw.

Oregon would take their first lead of the game with just over 7 minutes left in the first half 22-21 off a Lexi Bando two pointer. It would be a battle for the rest of the half with Oregon entering the break with a 32-29 lead and hitting 42 percent from the floor. Maite Cazorla had 8 points, Lexi Bando led with 18 and 3 of 6 from beyond the arc.

The third quarter went back and forth until Lexi Petersen hit a three pointer with just over 3 minutes to go getting the crowd into the game. Lexi Bando was fouled on a two pointer and hit the foul shot pushing the Ducks to their largest lead at 7 points. Oregon would find foul trouble. Liz Brenner picked up her 4^th foul with just over a minute left in the 3^rd quarter.

Lexi Bando would land another three pointer in the final seconds of the third quarter to push the Oregon Ducks lead to 5 at 56-51 with one quarter left to play.

The fourth quarter saw Utah try, but shots would begin to miss, Oregon never fell behind, but there was a key play half way through the quarter. Liz Brenner would be a hero and rebound the ball off a miss, outside the paint to Lexi Bando who turned and hit a three point shot giving Oregon a 65-56 lead with just over 5 minutes left in the game.

Lexii Bando and Maite Cazorla would push the Oregon lead to 15 points with two minutes left. Oregon held on to advance to the Elite 8 of the Women’s NIT with a _ win. Lexi Bando finished the night with 34 points, hitting 6 of 7 from the free throw line and 11 of 22 from the field.

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The Oregon Ducks will face the winner of UTEP and TCU. That game will be played on Thursday night.