Ducks Ring in New Year vs. Wildcats

EUGENE, Ore. — The Oregon girls’s basketball group kicks off 2026 towards Northwestern, because the Ducks host the Wildcats on New Year’s Day at Matthew Knight Arena at 2 p.m..
 
The Ducks and Wildcats squared off on New Year’s Eve in Evanston final 12 months, with UO coming away with an 85-65 win. The victory was the third straight within the sequence whereas Oregon leads the all-time sequence 3-1. NU’s final go to to Matthew Knight Arena was the 2022-23 season opener wherein the Ducks gained 100-57.

GAME #16

Oregon (12-3, 0-2) vs. Northwestern (6-7, 0-2)

Thursday, Jan. 1 | 2 p.m. | Matthew Knight Arena (Eugene, Ore.)

TV/Stream: B1G+

Play-by-play: Lily Crane | Analyst: CJ Flores

Radio: Oregon Sports Network (KUJZ 95.3 FM | ESPN Portland 910 AM)

Play-by-play: Chris Clayton | Analyst: Bev Smith

Listen Online | Live Stats | Tickets

 

 

A WIN WOULD…

» Give Oregon a 1-2 Big Ten report and 9-1 house report.

» Be the Ducks’ twenty third straight house win towards an unranked group.

» Snap a season-long two-game shedding streak.

» Be UO’s fourth consecutive win towards Northwestern and prolong its lead within the all-time sequence to 4-1.

» Give the Ducks a 2-1 house report towards the Wildcats and a 2-0 mark at Matthew Knight Arena.

» Be Oregon’s third straight victory on New Year’s Day and first since Jan. 1, 2023 over USC.

» Improve UO’s report on New Year’s Day to 4-1 total.

LAST TIME OUT

After trailing by 18 factors within the first half to the sixth-ranked group within the nation, it seemed all however over for the Oregon girls’s basketball group.

 

But the Ducks amped up the strain and depth within the second half and pushed Michigan to double extra time at Matthew Knight Arena, the place Oregon’s upset and comeback bids fell simply quick in a 92-87 loss in its Big Ten house opener Monday night time.

 

“I’m proud of our effort,” stated UO head coach Kelly Graves. “Proud of how hard we played and gave ourselves a chance after that horrendous start to the game. … What we did learn, though, is we’re a pretty good team. We can play with anybody.”

 

Sophomore level guard Katie Fiso scored 22 of her game-high 24 factors after halftime, together with 11 within the third quarter after the Ducks trailed by 16 on the break. Ehis Etute added 12 factors and 7 rebounds off the bench, whereas Mia Jacobs completed with 16 factors and Ari Long added 14.

SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN

After starting the season by profitable six straight video games, Northwestern (6-7, 0-2 Big Ten) involves Eugene on a seven-game shedding streak after its 94-73 loss at Washington on Monday.

 

The Wildcats are 1-3 in true street video games and 2-4 in all video games away from house, dropping every of their final 4 such video games. During its seven-game skid, NU has scored simply 70 or extra factors thrice and has but to eclipse the 80-point mark, with its 68.2 factors per recreation rating second to final within the Big Ten.

 

Grace Sullivan leads the Wildcats’ offense with 23.0 factors per recreation (second within the Big Ten) whereas averaging 7.8 rebounds. Taylor Thomas is second on the group in scoring at 11.4 factors an evening to go together with a team-leading 8.9 boards. Caroline Lau leads the nation at 9.2 assists per recreation.

 

As a group, Northwestern ranks fourth within the Big Ten in blocks per recreation (4.8), however ranks final within the convention with 5.9 steals and 12.7 turnovers compelled per recreation.

 

INSIDE THE SERIES

Oregon and Northwestern will meet for the fifth time on Thursday, with the Ducks profitable the final three matchups. The Wildcats will go to Matthew Knight Arena for the primary time because the 2022-23 season opener wherein UO earned a 100-57 victory to even the all-time sequence in Eugene at 1-1. A season in the past, Oregon picked up an 85-65 win in Evanston on New Year’s Eve. In the win, guard Deja Kelly joined the two,000-point membership and led 5 Ducks in double figures, together with Ehis Etute with 10 factors off the bench.

 

OFF AND RUNNING

Oregon started the 2025-26 season 10-0 for simply the third time in program historical past earlier than struggling its first lack of the season on Dec. 7 at No. 4 UCLA. It marked the primary 10-0 begin since starting the 2015-16 season 11-0, and the second 10-0 begin or higher underneath Twelfth-year head coach Kelly Graves. The Ducks’ 12-1 begin was its greatest 13-game begin because the 2019-20 season, and the third 12-1 begin or higher underneath Graves. UO’s offense has scored 80 or extra in 9 of 15 video games, together with 5 straight to being the season – its longest streak to start a season since seven straight such video games to open the 2019-20 season. UO’s scoring offense of 78.1 factors per recreation ranks forty third nationally and tenth within the Big Ten.

 

Seven completely different Ducks have led or tied for the group lead in scoring, with 11 completely different gamers producing a double-digit scoring efficiency. Four instances this season 5 completely different gamers completed in double figures, most lately in a Thursday’s win over Portland: Mia Jacobs (21), Amina Muhamad (12), Avary Cain (11), Sarah Rambus (11) and Katie Fiso (10). Five of the 11 gamers with a double-figure scoring recreation got here off the bench (Avary Cain, Ehis Etute, Muhammad, Astera Tuhina and Janiyah Williams).

 

» Oregon’s offensive ranking of 103.4 (factors per 100 possessions) ranks Twelfth within the Big Ten whereas averaging 74.4 possessions per 40 minutes (fourth in Big Ten). UO had an offensive ranking of 96.0 with a median of 70.2 possessions per 40 minutes final 12 months.

» UO’s area purpose proportion of 46.8 is No. 31 within the nation, with its 53.1 p.c on two-point photographs rating forty fourth within the nation and tenth within the convention.

» Oregon ranks forty fifth within the nation and tenth within the league with an efficient area purpose proportion of 52.1 p.c.

» The Ducks’ bench put up 56 factors towards Old Dominion on Nov. 27, outscoring the Monarchs’ complete group in an 84-46 win on the ultimate day of the Hoopfest Women’s Challenge.

» It was the second recreation with 40-plus factors for UO’s reserves, as they accounted for 47 of 90 factors towards Montana on Nov. 8 and fourth outing of not less than 30 factors (27.1 bench factors per recreation ranks fiftieth within the nation).

» UO’s 17.9 assists per recreation are good for twenty seventh nationally, posting an assisted shot charge of 61.6 p.c (sixth within the Big Ten).

» The Ducks are fourth within the Big Ten and No. 31 within the nation in free throw capturing (76.9 p.c), whereas their 1.16 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks forty fifth nationally.

 

STORM AND SWARM

Oregon’s suffocating protection, a chief motive for Oregon’s success a season in the past, is again once more this 12 months. The Ducks have compelled not less than 20 turnovers 11 instances and recorded double-digit steals in 12 of 15 contests to begin the season. The 12 video games with 10 or extra steals are tied for the second-most within the nation, and behind solely nationwide chief Maryland, whereas the 11 20-turnover video games are tied for fourth-most nationally and two video games behind the nation’s leaders. In 11 video games this season, UO’s protection has recorded double-digit steals whereas forcing 20 or extra turnovers – tied for the third-most such video games within the nation and one behind the nation’s leaders (LSU, Texas).

 

Oregon compelled a season-high 32 turnovers towards West Georgia behind 24 steals within the season opener, its most steals in a recreation since 2013. Oregon’s protection recorded 12 or extra steals and compelled not less than 23 turnovers in 4 consecutive video games to start the season. UO turned in 10 or extra steals in 5 consecutive video games from Nov. 23 to Dec. 3, matching the longest streak from a season in the past. The 4 consecutive video games with 20-plus turnovers to begin the season marked its longest since eight straight such video games in the course of the 2010-11 season.

 

» Oregon created not less than 22 turnovers in three straight outings, forcing 29 vs. Utah State, 26 towards Saint Mary’s and 22 towards Old Dominion. UO has two completely different stretches of not less than three consecutive video games with 22 or extra compelled turnovers.

» The Ducks are certainly one of 4 groups with 11 video games forcing a minimal of twenty-two turnovers, and the one group within the Big Ten.

» UO recorded 18 steals and compelled 29 Utah State turnovers in its 70-34 win on Nov. 23, each the second-highest totals of the season.

» Over the final 4 video games, groups have mixed to shoot simply 16-of-78 (20.5 p.c) from behind the 3-point line.

» The Ducks’ 9 video games with 12 or extra steals are three off the nationwide lead.

» Oregon is recording a steal on 14.7 p.c of opponent possessions, which is the third-highest charge within the Big Ten and Twenty fourth-highest within the nation.

» Opposing groups are turning the ball over on 25.3 p.c of its possessions, the sixth-best charge within the convention.

» UO’s scoring protection ranks tenth within the Big Ten and eighty fifth within the nation, permitting simply 58.9 factors an evening with simply 5 groups eclipsing the 60-point mark.

 

GO, FISO, GO

Sophomore level guard Katie Fiso has stepped into the Ducks’ lead guard spot this season, as she takes over after the departures of graduate guards Deja Kelly and Peyton Scott. Fiso, who was the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Washington her senior season, obtained her first profession begin within the season opener towards West Georgia on Nov. 3 and turned in her first profession double-double with 10 factors and 10 assists – with no turnover. She produced her first 20-point scoring effort whereas handing out 10 assists towards Grand Canyon on Nov. 11 and has since recorded points-assists double-doubles towards Army (12 factors, 10 assists), Saint Mary’s (15 factors, 10 assists), Oregon State (23 factors, 14 assists) and Portland (10 factors, 11 assists). She matched her career-high scoring effort with 24 factors towards No. 6 Michigan and now owns a team-best 5 20-point video games this season.

 

Against Oregon State on Dec. 3, Fiso turned in probably the greatest video games of her profession with 23 factors on 9-of-11 capturing to go together with a career-high 14 assists. Her 14 assists equaled the second-highest help whole in a recreation in program historical past, and have been three shy of Sabrina Ionescu’s report of 17 set in 2018. The 14 assists are tied for probably the most in a recreation by any participant within the Big Ten and tied for the fourth-most in any recreation this season.

 

» Fiso leads the Ducks with 15.2 factors per recreation after averaging simply 3.1 a recreation final season. Her improve of 12.1 factors per recreation is the second-highest enchancment from a season in the past amongst Big Ten gamers (Twenty second-highest nationally).

» Fiso’s 5 20-point video games are tied for fifth-most within the league amongst Big Ten guards.

» Against the Wolverines, she scored 22 of her career-high-tying 24 factors within the second half and each extra time intervals.

» Her six points-assists double-doubles this season lead the nation with the subsequent closest gamers having 4, whereas solely 11 gamers within the nation have a number of such double-doubles.

» There have been 10 points-assists double-doubles within the Big Ten this season, with Fiso accounting for six of them and the one participant with a couple of.

» Six whole double-doubles are tied for the Big Ten lead and tied for ninth-most within the nation.

» Turned within the first 20-point, 10-assist double-double by a Duck since Sabrina Ionescu had 20 factors and 12 assists towards Stanford on March 8, 2020.

» First Duck with a number of points-assists double-doubles in a season since Ionescu in the course of the 2019-20 marketing campaign (17).

» Led (or tied) UO in assists in all 14 outings this season and ranks second within the Big Ten at 7.5 assists an evening (seventh nationally).

 

MAMA MIA

Senior ahead Mia Jacobs, a Fresno State switch, has made an instantaneous influence for the Ducks on the younger season. She ranks second on the group in scoring at 14.4 factors per recreation whereas capturing 46.4 p.c from the ground. Jacobs completed because the group’s main scorer in three of the primary 4 video games to start the season, together with a season-high 26 factors in UO’s 84-66 win over Grand Canyon on Nov. 11. It marked the very best scoring efficiency by a Duck since Te-Hina Paopao scored 28 factors towards Stanford on March 2, 2023. Additionally, she has linked on 56-of-66 free throw makes an attempt to rank eighth within the Big Ten at 84.8 p.c.

 

» Jacobs produced a double-double in three consecutive video games from Dec. 14-21 – the primary double-doubles of the season after recording 19 a season in the past whereas at Fresno State.

» Jacobs turned in her first double-double towards Montana State on Dec. 14 with 13 factors and 10 rebounds earlier than scoring 21 factors with 10 boards towards Portland on Dec. 18.

» On Dec. 21 towards Stanford at Chase Center, Jacobs grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds whereas scoring 11 factors.

» Over her final 4 video games, Jacobs is averaging 15.3 factors and 9.0 rebounds.

» On Dec. 7 at UCLA, Jacobs eclipsed 1,500 factors for her profession and her 1,552 factors rank twenty eighth amongst lively gamers and fifth amongst lively gamers within the Big Ten.

» She is second on the group with 4 20-point outings after scoring 21 factors towards Portland, her Twenty fourth profession 20-point effort.

» Jacobs drilled a season-high 5 3-pointers towards Washington State on Nov. 19 on her solution to her second 20-point outing of the season, going 4-for-5 from vary within the second half of UO’s 86-59 victory.

» Jacobs’ 30 made 3-pointers lead the group and second-most amongst Big Ten forwards (tied for No. 11 nationally amongst forwards).

» She went 12-of-13 from the free throw line towards GCU, marking probably the most made free throws by a Duck since Sabrina Ionescu made 17 towards Mississippi State on Dec. 18, 2018.

» Her free throw proportion of 84.8 is fifth-best within the nation amongst forwards with not less than 50 made free throws and second within the Big Ten.

 

RING THE BELL

Junior guard Sofia Bell is a phenom on the courtroom and within the classroom. Bell earned her bachelor’s diploma from the University of Oregon after solely two years and is already enrolled in an MBA program at UO. On the basketball courtroom, she is a disruptor to opposing offenses and has developed right into a knock-down 3-point shooter. The 6-foot Bell leads he group with 13 blocks and ranks second in made 3-pointers (25) and third in steals (26), recording not less than one steal in 13 of 15 video games this season with a number of steals in 9 contests. On Dec. 7 at UCLA, she noticed her career-best 13 stretch of consecutive video games with a steal come to an finish, relationship again to final season. Bell has registered not less than one theft in 46 of her 64 profession video games (71.9 p.c), whereas ending with a number of steals 25 instances. Thirteen of her 30 profession blocks have come this season after having simply three over 28 video games final 12 months.

 

On the offensive finish, she is capturing 37.9 p.c from behind the 3-point line (25-of-66) and has drained a number of 3-pointers eight instances. Her 15 factors towards Montana State on Dec. 14 tied her profession excessive and marked the primary time in her profession she led the Ducks in scoring, changing into the seventh completely different participant to guide UO in factors this season. Bell is certainly one of simply eight gamers within the nation, and the one participant within the Big Ten, to have not less than 13 blocks whereas making not less than 25 3-pointers.

 

EHIS THE BEAST

Sophomore F Ehis Etute has begun to faucet into her uncooked potential in her second season in Eugene. The Luxembourg product has scored in double figures in 5 of her final seven video games, together with setting a brand new profession excessive in scoring in back-to-back video games. Etute first turned in 15 factors to go together with eight rebounds towards Old Dominion on Thanksgiving Day earlier than a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double off the bench at Auburn on Nov. 30. It marked Etute’s first double-double of her profession whereas grabbing a profession excessive in rebounds, going 7-of-10 from the ground. She scored 9 factors and hauled in 11 boards within the second half to assist UO overcome a 14-point second-half deficit towards the Tigers.

 

» Over a four-game stretch from Nov. 27 to Dec. 14 , Etute averaged 13.3 factors and 11.0 rebounds whereas capturing 55.9 p.c from the sector. She averaged 22.4 minutes off the bench in that stretch, the third-most minutes of anybody on the group.

» Etute has led UO in rebounding in 9 of 14 video games wherein she has performed this season and has completed because the group chief 13 instances in her profession.

» Against Washington State on Nov. 19, she hauled in 13 rebounds for her first 10-rebound effort, with eight approaching the offensive finish – the second-best whole by any participant within the Big Ten this season.

» Etute boasts a complete rebounding charge of twenty-two.4 p.c, the very best charge within the Big Ten and Fifteenth-highest charge within the nation amongst gamers averaging not less than 15.0 minutes per recreation, along with her offensive rebounding charge of 19.5 p.c is ninth nationally amongst these gamers (second in Big Ten).

 

THE LONG GAME

Junior guard Ari Long has cracked the beginning lineup for the primary time in her profession this season, beginning every of the final 13 video games rather than the injured Elisa Mevius who will miss the season as a result of a knee harm. Long, standing at 6-foot, ranks second on the group with 11 blocks and 28 steals. Her 11 blocks are tied for the fourth-most amongst Big Ten guards, whereas she is the one Big Ten guard with not less than 11 blocks and 28 steals, as she is a part of a bunch of simply 12 guards nationally with these numbers.

 

Long recorded 4 steals towards Portland on Dec. 18, her second four-steal recreation of the season, after she registered a career-high three blocks towards Montana State within the earlier recreation. Long has led or tied for the group lead in steals six instances this season whereas pacing the group in blocks 5 instances.

 

NOTES & TRENDS

Oregon shot at a better area purpose proportion than its opponent in 13 of 15 video games this season, going 12-1 in these contests. The Ducks are 10-0 when main on the half whereas profitable two of 5 video games when trailing at halftime. When holding an opponent under 70 factors, UO is 11-1 this season whereas going 11-1 when scoring 60 factors or extra.

 

The Ducks have completed with extra or the identical variety of assists 13 instances, profitable all however a type of contests, whereas going 12-1 when having extra or the identical variety of steals. UO is unbeaten this season (10-0) when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent and 11-1 when scoring extra fastbreak factors.

 

PROTECTING THE NEST

Since its opening in 2011, the Ducks have been dominant in defending Matthew Knight Arena, posting an all-time report of 181-72 (.715). Since 2017-18, UO is 113-25 (.823) at house, with a 47-21 (.691) convention report, whereas outscoring opponents by a median of 20.2 factors a recreation in that span. Opponents are averaging simply 58.8 factors per recreation at Matthew Knight Arena, wile capturing at a 38.4 p.c clip total and 26.2 p.c from the 3-point line.

 

» Oregon has gained 21 straight house video games towards nonconference groups.

» This season, the Ducks are 8-1 at house whereas averaging 84.6 factors per recreation and profitable by a median margin of 25.8 factors.

» UO boasts a report of 86-4 (.956) towards nonconference groups at house underneath head coach Kelly Graves (since 2014-15), and has gained 81 of its final 83 nonconference house tilts.

» Since Graves’ arrival in 2014-15, the Ducks common 77.7 factors per recreation at house, which ranks because the Twenty fifth-highest common within the nation in that span.

» The Ducks have posted a .500 report of higher at house in 12 straight seasons, relationship again to 2013-14.