After a rocky stretch in mid-January, Oregon women’s basketball has flipped the script in a big way. Winners of three straight, the Ducks are now inching back toward .500 in Big Ten play and making a strong case for an NCAA Tournament bid. At one point sitting at 2-6 in the conference, they’ve clawed their way to 5-6, and with momentum on their side heading into February, a nine-win Big Ten finish is officially in play.
The turning point? That would be Saturday’s road win over No.
16 Maryland - a statement victory that didn’t just boost their record to 17-7 overall, but also gave them another crucial Quad 1 win. The Ducks jumped two spots in the NET rankings to No. 21 nationally, and with bracketologists already slotting them as a 9-seed, the arrow is pointing up.
So, what’s sparked this turnaround? Sure, the level of competition played a role - Penn State and Rutgers have struggled mightily in Big Ten play - but there’s more going on here than just favorable matchups. Let’s break down the four key reasons Oregon is surging at just the right time.
1. Ehis Etute has taken over the offense
There’s been a noticeable shift in how Oregon is distributing its shots - and Ehis Etute is at the heart of it. During the Ducks’ East Coast swing, Etute led the team in shot attempts, putting up 26 combined in the wins over Rutgers and Maryland. She converted 18 of those - an eye-popping 69 percent - and capped the trip with a career-high 26 points on Saturday, setting new personal bests in both scoring and field goal attempts.
Earlier in the season, the offensive load leaned more heavily on Katie Fiso and Mia Jacobs. Both are still capable scorers - Jacobs dropped 30 in the loss at Wisconsin, and Fiso added 26 - but during the current win streak, their scoring has dipped (Jacobs with 26 points total in three games, Fiso with 35), while Etute has emerged as the go-to option. She’s posted 52 points on 68.8 percent shooting over the three-game stretch.
This wasn’t an overnight development. Since moving into the starting lineup nine games ago, Etute has been trending toward this role.
The issue? Foul trouble.
She was averaging 3.4 fouls per game over an eight-game span, which limited her minutes in key moments. But over the last three games, she’s committed just five total fouls - a big reason she’s been able to stay on the court and dominate.
If she keeps this up, Oregon becomes a much tougher out.
2. The wings are locked in from deep
For the first time in a while, Oregon is a legitimate threat from beyond the arc. The Ducks are shooting 35.3 percent from three as a team - their best mark since the 2022-23 season and currently seventh in the Big Ten. That’s not just a stat; it’s a weapon.
Three players have led the charge: Mia Jacobs (38.8 percent), Sofia Bell (39.3 percent), and Avary Cain (34.3 percent). Bell and Cain, in particular, have been heating up during the win streak.
Cain has hit seven threes on 58.3 percent shooting, while Bell has knocked down six on 50 percent. And Bell’s triples haven’t just been timely - they’ve been game-changing.
Against Maryland, she buried three straight in the fourth quarter to flip the game and give Oregon a lead they’d never relinquish.
The Ducks aren’t immune to cold spells - they went 6-of-14 against Penn State, then followed with 9-of-24 and 7-of-21 in the next two games - but this isn’t the same Oregon team that struggled to crack 30 percent from deep in recent years. The difference now? The shots are falling when they matter most.
3. The defense is stepping up in crunch time
Don’t let the lopsided scores against Penn State and Rutgers fool you - Oregon’s defense has come up big when it’s mattered most in each of these three wins.
Against Penn State, it was a third-quarter blitz: a 34-11 frame that turned a competitive game into a rout. The Nittany Lions shot just 4-of-14 and coughed up five turnovers in that stretch. At Rutgers, the Ducks slammed the door in the second quarter, holding the Scarlet Knights to nine points on 4-of-13 shooting with six giveaways.
Then came Saturday, when Oregon saved its best for last. Trailing by six entering the fourth, the Ducks locked in and held Maryland to just 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting in the final period. That’s how you close on the road.
What made Saturday’s defensive effort especially impressive was the versatility. Oregon isn’t known for shot-blocking - they’re undersized and not a dominant rim-protecting team - but they swatted a season-high seven shots against the Terps, many of them in key moments.
And the halftime adjustment to slow down Maryland star Oluchi Okananwa? Textbook.
After torching Oregon for 23 first-half points, she was held to just four after the break.
This isn’t last year’s defense-first group, but when the Ducks have needed stops, they’ve found a way to deliver.
4. They’re finally winning the rebounding battle
Rebounding has been a sore spot for Oregon at times this season. They rank in the bottom half of the Big Ten in rebound margin and have been outmuscled on the glass in several close losses - most notably when Michigan had a plus-26 edge in a double-overtime game.
But during this three-game win streak? The Ducks have flipped that script, winning the rebounding battle in all three games.
That includes Saturday’s win over a Maryland team that entered the game ranked sixth nationally in rebound margin and second in the Big Ten. Oregon didn’t just hold their own - they won the glass by four.
Ehis Etute has been the anchor here too, averaging 10.3 boards per game during the win streak to pair with her 17.3 points. She leads the Big Ten in rebounding percentage and total offensive rebounds.
But it hasn’t been a solo act. Ari Long posted her first career double-double against Rutgers with 12 boards, and Katie Fiso grabbed a career-best nine rebounds against Maryland.
With Etute cleaning up inside and the guards crashing the glass with purpose, Oregon is starting to control possessions in a way they couldn’t earlier in the season. That’s a big reason why they’re closing games now instead of letting them slip away.
The Big Picture
Oregon’s three-game win streak isn’t just a midseason blip - it’s a sign of a team figuring out who it is. With Etute emerging as a star, the wings knocking down threes, the defense tightening up in key moments, and a renewed focus on rebounding, the Ducks are rounding into form at just the right time.
They’ve got work to do, but if this version of Oregon shows up in February, they’re not just a tournament team - they’re a team no one will want to see in March.