Oregon Women’s Basketball: Ducks Handle Utah State On The Road

Kelly Graves and the Oregon Ducks were the better team in a road win over Utah State.

The Oregon Ducks Women’s Basketball team headed to Utah State and the deciding factor of who was the better team was never in doubt. Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard had a big game for the third-ranked Oregon Ducks. Kelly Graves watched his team maintain the lead for nearly the entire game on the road.

Four of Oregon’s Starters had double digits led by Hebard who finished the game with 20 points. She was also a perfect 10 for 10 from the free throw line and pulled down 8 rebounds. Satou Sabally was 4 for 10 from the floor but made the most for her teammates dishing out four assists despite two turnovers and three personal fouls against the Aggies.

Sabrina Ionecu was in midseason form with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists in yet another double-double performance for the season. It was her second straight game with a double-double after netting one against Alaska Fairbanks last week. Ionescu had eight of her ten rebounds on the defensive end of the floor, which is probably one of the more underlooked statistics of the game.

The Oregon Ducks had 28 Defensive Rebounds and shot 55 percent from the floor. Kelly Graves is testing his team early with road games against important opposition. Whether it is the level of talent, or by simply giving a different look, he is working towards the ultimate goal with this team, as he did last year – the NCAA Tournament. Oregon is now 3-0 on the season and so far it appears not only Ionesco, but the rest of the team is quickly pushing toward mid-season form.

Oregon returns home to face Buffalo on Sunday before heading to California for the Saint Mary’s Tournament over Thanksgiving Weekend. Oregon and Buffalo tipoff at 2 pm Pacific Time Sunday from Matthew Knight Arena.