For the first time in the history of the program, the Oregon Ducks Women’s Basketball team will start the season ranked number one in both polls.
After reaching all the way to the Final Four last season, Oregon returns top talent including now seniors Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard. The Ducks recruiting class is all 5-star talent and Kelly Graves even found a few transfers to fill some holes including Minyon Moore who is expected to play a big role this season.
Both Minyon Moore and Ionescu were on full display with inside shots during a scrimmage earlier this week at Matthew Knight Arena. Both the Oregon Men’s and Women’s teams were on display in a free event open to the public before the start of the regular season for both teams next week.
On Thursday, Ionescu was also named a Preseason All-American by the Associated Press and along with Lauren Cox of Baylor headlining what would potentially be the best-fielded team in the country to open the season.
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The Ducks start the 2019=20 season without a player they were expecting to contribute in Nyara Sabally, who reinjured her leg and was working back from a torn ACL from last season. Head Coach Kelly Graves will look to fill the gap and someone will need to step in. We will likely know in the first month who that player will be.
Oregon may be without two players to start the season. Sedona Prince is awaiting a hardship waiver from the NCAA to play for the Ducks this season after transferring from Texas. Satou Sabally will miss the first three games of the regular season. She will be playing with the German Women’s National Team in the FIBA Women’s Eurobasket 2021 Qualifying games.
The top-ranked Ducks will scrimmage with the US Women’s National Team on Saturday afternoon at Matthew Knight Arena before opening the season next week. Tipoff is set for 4 pm.