Oregon Women’s Basketball Drops Fourth Straight in Another Missed Opportunity
EUGENE, Ore. - Another close one. Another missed chance. And now, the Oregon women’s basketball team finds itself in a tough stretch that’s becoming harder to shake off.
Wednesday night’s 65-60 loss to Minnesota marked the Ducks’ fourth straight defeat - and this one stings a little more. It wasn’t just another loss.
It was a home loss, to an unranked team, in a game that was well within reach. That’s now three painfully close conference games at Matthew Knight Arena that have slipped through their fingers.
“We’ve got to start getting some of these,” head coach Kelly Graves said postgame. “It’s another opportunity lost. I get it - our two best players are sophomores who didn’t play much last year... but we can’t keep letting these go.”
The Ducks are now 2-6 in Big Ten play, and while early losses came at the hands of ranked opponents, the last two - including Sunday’s defeat at Wisconsin - have come against teams outside the top 25. That’s a trend that can derail postseason hopes quickly if it continues.
Close, But Not Close Enough
Junior Sofia Bell, who chipped in nine points, didn’t mince words when asked about the team’s mindset.
“It’s definitely been frustrating, especially given how close they’ve been,” Bell said. “Most have been single-possession games. We’re competing, but we’re just coming up short.”
That frustration is understandable. The Ducks had their chances - even late - but couldn’t capitalize.
A cold shooting night was the primary culprit. Oregon shot well under 30% from the field for most of the game before a late surge brought them back within striking distance.
But the damage had already been done.
The real backbreaker? Points in the paint.
Minnesota dominated the interior, outscoring Oregon 46-16 down low. That’s a 30-point gap in the paint - a massive margin in a five-point game.
“If you get outscored by 30 in the paint, you’re going to have a hard time beating anybody, let alone a good Big Ten team,” Graves said. “We’ve got to have an inside presence.”
Ehis Etute gave everything she had - 11 points, 12 rebounds, endless hustle - but she was undersized against Minnesota’s frontcourt. Graves acknowledged as much, noting that someone else is going to have to step up to help carry that load.
“We don’t finish well around the rim,” he added. “I don’t know how many points we left on the board. A lot of players had looks at the rim - including the last one - and we’ve just got to finish better.”
Late Lineup Decisions Raise Eyebrows
Oregon’s final push came without leading scorer Katie Fiso on the floor. The sophomore guard was subbed out with just over four minutes to go in regulation and saw limited time the rest of the way. It wasn’t injury-related - it was tactical.
Fiso, who shot 4-of-13 with just two assists, struggled to find rhythm offensively. Graves explained the decision to sit her as a combination of strategy and a coaching message.
“We needed someone who was looking out at the perimeter,” he said. “Katie’s a great competitor, but she’s one of those that wants to take it all on her shoulders.
We’re better when we move the ball and space the floor. Part of it was coaching, trying to make a point.”
Mia Jacobs, the team’s second-leading scorer, also spent much of the fourth quarter on the bench. She finished with 11 points on 2-of-8 shooting, including a clutch three that trimmed the deficit to three late. Jacobs, Etute and freshman Ari Long all tied for the team lead in scoring with 11 apiece - but it took a combined 34 shots to get there.
A Game of Runs - And Droughts
The Ducks were in it through three quarters, trading leads with Minnesota in a back-and-forth third frame. But after taking a brief lead with four minutes left in the third, Oregon went ice cold. They didn’t score for the next eight minutes, and the Gophers rattled off a 14-0 run to build a 13-point cushion.
To their credit, the Ducks didn’t fold. They mounted an 18-8 run in the final stretch to claw back into it, but the hole was too deep.
Oregon was also without backup point guard Astera Tuhina, who missed the game due to illness. That forced Long into extended minutes at the point, and the adjustment showed. She logged a team-high 31 minutes but finished with a team-worst plus-minus of -17.
Still in the Hunt - But Time is Ticking
Despite the recent skid, Oregon still holds onto hope for an NCAA Tournament berth. They came into the night ranked No. 24 in the NET, and Minnesota - ranked 16th - won’t hurt them on that front. But the margin for error is shrinking fast.
The Ducks now sit at 2-6 in conference play with 10 games left. A .500 finish in the Big Ten would likely keep them in the mix, but that path is getting narrower with each missed opportunity.
The next two games are crucial. First up: a Saturday afternoon matchup against Penn State at Matthew Knight Arena. The Nittany Lions are 0-9 in Big Ten play and 7-13 overall - the kind of game Oregon simply has to win if they want to stay in the conversation.
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. local time. The Ducks need a bounce-back. And fast.