Rolling Ducks trounce San Diego, advance to WNIT final eight

Mar 25, 2023 - 8:12 AM

Whether it’s been health, chemistry, focus, or a combination of all three, something has clicked for Oregon Women’s Basketball since entering the WNIT.

After demolishing North Dakota State and Rice to advance to the final sixteen, Oregon once again turned in a 20+ point win with an 81-61 rout of San Diego.

The Ducks hit fourteen 3-pointers and had four players in double figures as they delighted the final crowd at Matthew Knight Arena to watch them play this season. San Diego captured a brief lead of 12-9 early in the game, but a swift 10-0 Duck run gave Oregon a lead it would never relinquish, and it was 22-14 Ducks after one quarter.

Oregon began the second quarter with a 9-0 run that solidified their lead and ended in a 43-30 halftime advantage. By the end of the third quarter, The Ducks had pushed their lead to 21, and they maintained that cushion throughout the fourth quarter.

Ahlise Hurst caught fire off the bench for Oregon, nailing six 3-pointers and tallying 23 points. Te-Hina PaoPao had yet another solid WNIT performance with 15 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds. Chance Gray and Endyia Rogers added 10 points apiece.

Coming up on Sunday afternoon Oregon will face bitter rival Washington up in Seattle. This will be an unprecedented fourth meeting between the two teams this season, with Oregon claiming victory in two of the three meetings, most recently in the Pac-12 Tournament at the beginning of March.