It was a sluggish shooting night as both the Oregon Ducks(40%) and Arizona Wildcats(29%) struggled from the floor.
Oregon opened the game with possession and a three-pointer from Lexi Bando. Arizona followed with an 8-0 run. The Ducks went cold for a three-minute span. JaLea Bennett started the game with five points hitting 2 for 3 from the floor. Arizona played tough in the first quarter opening hitting 50 percent from the floor holding the Ducks to 25 percent and 1 for 6 from three-point range.
The Ducks would battle. Sabrina Ionescu hit two shots and a key drive to the basket to give Oregon the lead before the end of the first quarter. Oregon had three early steals to fuel a 9-0 run and a 19-14 lead after the first quarter
Arizona went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 19. The Wildcats followed hot shooting with a 6-0 drought. Oregon was running into a similar issue. The Ducks were 9 of 23 from the field. The Wildcats 8 of 23. Entering the final five minutes of the first half two Oregon players, Ruthy Hebard, and Satou Sabally, had two fouls.
Both teams went cold in the final five minutes of the first half. Oregon went 0 for 5 from the floor as Arizona closed out the 2nd Quarter with a basket to pull within one, 27-26.
"Sometimes you get a little mental and miss a few shots….I don’t think we prepared any differently, we prepare the same for every team.Head Coach Kelly Graves on a rough shooting night by Oregon"
Oregon started the third quarter with a close to 5-minute scoring drought before Sabrina Ionescu extended the Ducks lead to 35-26. The Ducks clamped down on Defense in the third quarter with Aina Ayuso hitting back to back three-pointers for the Ducks pushing their lead to 45-31 entering the final ten minutes.
The Ducks forced 15 turnovers in the game and Sabrina Ionescu had a team-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Both teams shot the ball under 40 percent. Oregon put up 18 points in the third quarter and 17 in the fourth to pull away for the 62-44 win.
Next: NFL Playoffs: All Eyes On Marcus Mariota vs New England Patriots
Up next for Oregon, a Top 20 Matchup with Arizona State on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 5 pm Pacific Time on Pac-12 Network.