By: Xaiver Aguiar

“I think we are good shooters and, we are going to keep shooting the ball,” said an emphatic Kelly Graves when asked about the team’s troubles from beyond the arc after the game.

This contest marked the third straight game the Ducks shot under 30% as a team from downtown. Oregon came into the season touted as one of the premier shooting teams in college basketball. Even with the departures, the program faced, there was still a plethora of shooting talent that lined the roster. Taylor Chavez led the conference last year in 3 point percentage, and fellow guards Jaz Shelly and Taylor Mikesell are known for their shooting prowess. 

The quality of the three-point attempts coach Graves mentioned was not the issue. There were great kick-out passes to wide-open women, but they were not able to find the mark. Taylor Mikesell was visibly rushing her shots, as she was not getting her feet set and hurrying her form. Jaz Shelly passed up multiple open looks and lacked the confidence from beyond the line that she possessed earlier in the season. Although their shots were mostly unguarded, the offense felt out of sync.

With all the question marks surrounding their shooting performance, the Ducks still dominated their 69-52 win against the Huskies to improve to 11-3. Sedona Prince was the star in her return for Oregon with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots. She had the best plus-minus on the team with a mark of +26. Her presence gave a boost to her fellow teammates, as Angela Ducalic said: “Having Sedona back makes life a lot easier”. 

The Ducks now travel to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Utes (4-9) Friday at 2 P.M Pacific.

Post Game Audio

Angela Dugalic

Kelly Graves

Lydia Giomi