The Oregon Ducks came into Sunday’s matchup with No. 9 Ohio State hoping to build on the momentum of their recent win over No.
22 Maryland. But despite a determined effort in front of the home crowd at Matthew Knight Arena, the Ducks couldn’t overcome a turnover-heavy performance and a dominant showing in the paint by the Buckeyes, falling 80-64.
Turnovers Tell the Story
It’s hard to win when you can’t take care of the basketball, and Oregon found that out the hard way. The Ducks tied their season high with 23 turnovers, including a staggering 18 in the first half alone. By the end of the third quarter, they had already turned it over 22 times, digging themselves into a 12-point hole heading into the final frame.
To their credit, Oregon cleaned things up in the fourth quarter, but by then, the damage was done. The Buckeyes didn’t just capitalize on the Ducks’ mistakes-they thrived on them.
That’s not a surprise for a team that leads the Big Ten in steals per game (12.7), forced turnovers (22.8), and turnover margin (+9.6). This is what they do.
They pressure, they pounce, and they make you pay.
Paint Problems
Turnovers weren’t Oregon’s only issue. The Buckeyes owned the interior, outscoring the Ducks 34-18 in the paint.
And the main force behind that dominance? Ohio State’s 6-foot-6 center Elsa Lemmila, who had a career night.
She poured in 23 points on an ultra-efficient 10-of-12 shooting and pulled down nine rebounds. Oregon simply didn’t have an answer for her size and touch around the rim.
The Cambridge sisters added to the Ducks’ defensive woes. Kennedy Cambridge dropped 20 points, while Jaloni Cambridge chipped in 19, giving Oregon’s backcourt all it could handle.
Shooting Struggles
Even when Oregon did get shots up, they struggled to convert. The Ducks shot just 36.7% from the field, compared to Ohio State’s 51.9%. And while Oregon did force 20 turnovers of their own, they couldn’t turn those into enough points to keep pace.
Where Things Stand
The loss drops Oregon to 18-8 overall and 6-7 in Big Ten play. More importantly, it continues a troubling trend against ranked opponents.
The Ducks are now 1-5 against teams currently in the Top 25, with losses to No. 2 UCLA, No.
8 Michigan, No. 10 Iowa, No.
12 Michigan State, and now No. 9 Ohio State.
Their lone ranked win came last weekend against Maryland.
With five regular-season games remaining, Oregon likely needs to win at least two to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. That’s a manageable task, but the margin for error is shrinking.
Bright Spots
There were still some positives to take away. Ari Long led the team with 16 points, continuing to be a steady offensive presence. Sarah Rambus and Mia Long each added 13, giving the Ducks a balanced scoring effort despite the tough night overall.
Next Up
The road doesn’t get any easier. Oregon heads to Seattle next week to take on No.
24 Washington (17-6, 7-5) on Feb. 15.
The Huskies are another ranked opponent, and another opportunity for the Ducks to prove they can hang with the nation’s best.
If Oregon wants to punch its ticket to March, that game-and the ones that follow-are going to matter a whole lot.