Oregon
How To Watch Oregon Ducks vs. Purdue Women’s Basketball: Preview, Prediction, TV Channel
EUGENE- The Oregon Ducks return home to Matthew Knight Arena after two road games to begin a three-game homestand starting on Wednesday as the Ducks face the Purdue Boilermakers. Wednesday’s matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between the programs, as Purdue is one of three teams in the Big Ten Conference that Oregon will face for the first time this season. The other two programs Oregon has yet to face are Michigan and Penn State.
Oregon has been dominant at home this season, winning its last three home games while boasting a 10-1 record at Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks will look to extend their home winning streak while also earning the team’s 13th win of the season over Purdue on Wednesday night.
How to Watch
Uo Wbb V Ucla 08 / Dana Sparks/The Register-Guard via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Oregon Ducks (12-5) return to Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon, to host the Purdue Boilermakers (7-9). Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. PT. The game will be streamed on B1G+.
Preview
The Ducks enter Wednesday’s matchup against the Boilermakers after a two-game road trip where Oregon defeated Penn State but fell to Ohio State. Oregon’s chance at an upset over the No. 9 Buckeyes last Sunday fell just short, losing the game 69-60.
Despite the loss, multiple Ducks had successful outings. Guard Nani Falatea and Amina Muhammad led all players with 11 points each. Guard Deja Kelly added another 10, while center Phillipina Kyei contributed eight points and eight rebounds. Ohio native Peyton Scott scored seven points while grabbing a season-high eight rebounds.
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Now, the Ducks look to redeem themselves from Sunday’s loss with a statement win over Purdue. The Boilermakers are trying to snap a five-game losing streak against Big Ten teams. Purdue has also trailed by 10 or more points after the first quarter in four straight games.
Purdue has struggled to find consistency, compiling a 7-9 record. After the team’s loss to Michigan State on Jan. 1, the team held a meeting in an attempt to get back on track and find ways to win. However, in the team’s most recent outing, the Boilermakers fell at home 87-60 to the Michigan Wolverines.
“We need to regroup. But we can’t afford to have another team meeting to do that. It just needs to be everyone buying in and going back to the team that we know we can be,” said Purdue fifth-year guard Ella Collier. “Whenever we are all at our best, and we’re all cheering for each other, and we’re not in our own heads, we can do some pretty good things together.”
The Boilermakers will look to regroup Wednesday in Matthew Knight Arena as they face the Ducks in Eugene. However, this will undoubtedly be a daunting task for Purdue.
The Ducks are an extremely deep and versatile squad that has proven they can excel on both ends of the court. Defensively, Oregon has forced more turnovers than their opponents in 12 straight games and 14 times this season. The Ducks have also recorded 10 or more steals in seven of the last 10 games.
Olympic gold medalist Elisa Mevius is Oregon’s leader in steals, averaging 1.6 per game, while Kyei leads in blocks with 0.9 per contest. Kyei also leads the team in rebounding, grabbing 6.0 rebounds per game while also scoring 6.5 points per contest.
Offensively, Oregon boasts one of the deepest benches in the country and the best in the Big Ten. Oregon’s reserves are averaging 29.2 points to lead the Big Ten and rank 14th in the nation.
Not to mention, Oregon also features two of the top ten active scorers in the NCAA: Peyton Scott (9th) and Deja Kelly (10th). They rank first and second among active players in career points in the Big Ten. Both Kelly and Scott have surpassed the 2,000-point mark this season. The pair is the only set of teammates in the top 10 in scoring among active players.
Prediction
Facing the Ducks will undoubtedly be a tough challenge for the Boilermakers. Oregon’s deep bench means Purdue will have to defend multiple scoring threats, making it difficult to key in on just one or two players. Additionally, the Boilermakers will need to find a way to contain Kyei in the paint, where her size and skill can dominate both sides of the floor. Additionally, Oregon’s aggressive defense, which consistently forces turnovers, will likely disrupt Purdue’s rhythm. With the added advantage of playing at Matthew Knight Arena, where the Ducks have been nearly unbeatable this season, Oregon will likely come out on top.
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