EUGENE, OREGON

DUCKS 99 - TIGERS 63

The #1 Oregon Ducks (3-0, 0-0) made short work of the Texas Southern Tigers (1-1, 0-0) in their 99 to 63 victory at Matt Knight Arena.

Sabrina Ionescu earned her 19th career triple-double and Ruthy Hebard had her third consecutive double-double in three games to increase her career total to 42. The super duo recorded about 25 minutes apiece but put up big numbers in the nearly-triple-digit victory.

The Ducks started the game with a 10-0 run. Hebard scored 11 of the Ducks’ 24 first quarter points. By halftime, Oregon had built a 31-point lead and Hebard had as many points as the opposing team. Ionescu scored her historic 19th career triple-double in the third quarter with a pair of free throws .

Taylor Chavez continued to make a case for more playing time by having another impressive game; after scoring 25 points against Utah State Chavez finished a perfect 4 of 4 including three triples. Even with the return of Satou Sabally from international play expect Chavez to play a crucial role in this rotation.

And then we have the best surprise of the season thus far, and that is the emergence of Lydia Giomi as a threat on the boards. After seasons plagued by injury (a wrist injury as a freshman and a foot injury as a redshirt freshman) Giomi has benefited from some offseason competition to become a new point of attack; her breakaway speed could really help Oregon score in transition and her recent presence on the boards has only made this offense more lethal.

Chavez hit back to back triples to open the fourth quarter and give the Ducks their biggest lead of the night at 91 to 41, and the crowd of 9,159 couldn’t be prouder. Ionescu and Hebard were wisely benched entering the fourth quarter, and since the former is averaging a triple-double and the latter a double-double, the offensive intensity was dialed down. After Chavez’ triples, the Tigers outscored the Ducks 22 to 8, so we now know what Coach Graves will be showing the team in the film room.

OREGON DUCKS

*Ruthy Hebard (25 min): 31 PTS - 13 REB - 1 BLK - 1 STL - 3 TO - 14/18 FG - 3/4 FT

*Taylor Chavez (21 min): 11 PTS - 2 AST - 1 STL - 1 TO - 4/4 FG - 3/3 3PT

*Sabrina Ionescu (26 min): 10 PTS - 13 REB - 14 AST - 3 STL - 2 TO - 3/6 FG - 2/4 3PT - 2/2 FT

*Erin Boley (21 min): 9 PTS - 2 REB - 1 AST - 1 TO - 3/10 FG - 1/7 3PT - 2/4 FT

*Minyon Moore (26 min): 2 PTS - 2 REB - 7 AST - 1 STL - 1/7 FG - 0/2 3PT

Lydia Giomi (17 min): 10 PTS - 7 REB - 1 TO - 4/9 FG - 2/2 FT

Holly Winterburn (15 min): 9 PTS - 1 REB - 1 AST - 1 STL - 1 TO - 3/7 FG - 2/5 3PT - 1/2 FG

Morgan Yaeger (16 min): 6 PTS - 1 REB - 1 AST - 1 BLK - 1 TO - 3/5 FG - 0/2 3PT

Lucy Cochrane (10 min): 6 PTS - 5 REB - 1 BLK - 2 TO - 3/3 FG

Jaz Shelley (23 min): 5 PTS - 2 REB - 3 AST - 3 STL - 2 TO - 2/6 FG - 1/3 3PT

TEXAS SOUTHERN STARTERS

*Ciani Cryor: 22 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 1 BLK - 5 STL - 4 TO - 8/20 FG - 2/5 3PT - 4/4 FT

*Niya Mitchell: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 1 STL - 4 TO - 5/9 FG - 0/1 3PT - 2/6 FT

*Ataiya Bridges: 10 PTS - 3 REB - 2 AST - 2 STL - 2 TO - 4/12 FG - 2/4 3PT

*Jekalen Jones: 0/3 FG - 0/1 3PT

*Ryann Lewis: 5 REB - 0/1 FG

Of course things aren’t all sunshine and triples in Eugene, Texas Southern had their uniforms stolen from the team’s hotel, forcing the Tigers to play in practice uniforms, some equipped with tape for makeshift numbers. This is a pretty bad look for Eugene, so maybe Uncle Phil can chip in and buy our guests some rad new unis?

The Ducks play their first game away from Matt Knight on Sunday the 24th when they travel to take on the #20 Syracuse Orange.

NEXT UP: #20 Syracuse

11/24, Sunday, 1 PM, Watch ESPN, Syracuse