Oregon Women’s Basketball Escapes Collapse, Prepares for Top-10 Showdown with Ohio State
You could feel the relief in the building after Oregon women’s basketball narrowly avoided what would’ve been a brutal collapse. The Ducks had every reason to exhale after their Feb. 4 win at Matthew Knight Arena - but don’t mistake that for satisfaction.
Oregon had built a commanding 21-point halftime lead over Illinois, looking every bit like a team ready to cruise to a statement Big Ten win. But then came a third quarter that unraveled in jaw-dropping fashion.
In just 10 minutes, the Fighting Illini erased that lead, flipping a game that looked over into a full-blown dogfight. Suddenly, the Ducks were trailing by eight in the final minutes.
And yet, somehow, they clawed their way back.
The Ducks rallied late, feeding off the home crowd and finding just enough composure to snatch victory from the jaws of a collapse. The final result?
A win that keeps them steady in the Big Ten standings at 18-7 overall and 6-6 in conference play. But don’t expect head coach Kelly Graves to gloss over what happened in that third quarter.
“It was kind of outrageous,” said sophomore guard Katie Fiso, not mincing words. “We’re learning and growing and figuring each other out. But coming into these halves we have to come in with a mindset to kill, kill, kill until the last buzzer sounds if we want to be this great team.”
That mindset will be put to the test immediately - because next up is a heavyweight matchup.
Ohio State Comes to Town
There’s no time to dwell on the near-disaster against Illinois, not with No. 9 Ohio State rolling into Eugene.
The Buckeyes are 21-3 overall and 10-2 in Big Ten play, and they’ll be the third top-15 team to visit Matthew Knight Arena this season. The first two - No.
7 Michigan and No. 13 Michigan State - both handed the Ducks close losses.
So this one carries weight.
Oregon will need to bring four full quarters of basketball if they want to pull off the upset.
Projected Starters
Here’s how the lineups are expected to shake out:
Oregon:
- Katie Fiso (15.0 PPG) - The sophomore guard has become a go-to scorer and emotional tone-setter.
- Sofia Bell (7.5 PPG) - A steady presence on the perimeter.
- Ari Long (6.6 PPG) - Brings energy and defensive versatility.
- Mia Jacobs (14.1 PPG) - A dynamic forward who can stretch the floor and finish inside.
- Ehis Etute (10.9 PPG) - A powerful forward who does the dirty work and scores in the paint.
Ohio State:
- Chance Gray (13.9 PPG) - The former Duck returns to Eugene with something to prove.
- Kennedy Cambridge (8.6 PPG) - A savvy guard who brings toughness on both ends.
- Ava Watson (7.1 PPG) - A capable shooter with a quick release.
- Jaloni Cambridge (22.7 PPG) - One of the most explosive scorers in the country.
- Elsa Lemmila (8.8 PPG) - A steady post presence who anchors the Buckeyes inside.
Chance Gray Returns to Eugene
Sunday’s matchup adds an emotional twist with the return of Chance Gray, who played two seasons for the Ducks before transferring to Ohio State. Gray was a five-star recruit who averaged 12 points per game in Eugene, and while her scoring average has remained steady in Columbus, her efficiency has taken a leap - she’s now shooting over 50% in effective field goal percentage.
Expect a warm welcome - and a competitive fire - when she steps back onto the Matthew Knight Arena floor.
Injury Watch
Both teams come into this one relatively healthy. Oregon’s pregame injury report is clean.
For Ohio State, forward Kylee Kitts is listed as questionable. The Florida transfer, averaging just under 10 points and over seven boards per game, missed the Buckeyes’ last outing against Washington.
She was seen warming up pregame with a shoulder brace, so her status will be something to monitor.
Game Info
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
- Time: Noon PT
- Location: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene
- Streaming: B1G+
- Radio: KUGN (590 AM, 98.1 FM), KMTT (910 AM, Portland), KYKN (1430 AM, Salem)
What’s Next for the Ducks
Oregon’s next five games will shape their postseason hopes:
- Feb. 8 - vs. Ohio State
- Feb. 15 - at Washington
- Feb. 19 - vs.
Nebraska
- Feb. 22 - at Indiana
- Feb. 25 - at Purdue
With a brutal stretch ahead, this weekend’s matchup could be a tone-setter - or a turning point. If the Ducks are serious about making a run, they’ll need more than just resilience.
They’ll need consistency. Because against a team like Ohio State, one bad quarter can be the difference between a signature win and another missed opportunity.