Oregon women’s basketball commits 20 turnovers in loss at Arizona

Even while you out-shoot a staff and play to a draw on the boards on the highway, committing 20 turnovers is a recipe for defeat.

The No. 15 Arizona Wildcats defeated the No. 18 Oregon Geese 79-71 Sunday night time in entrance of seven,968 at McKale Middle, surviving a back-and-forth recreation that featured 21 lead modifications and 9 ties, the final coming with 3:03 remaining.

Grace VanSlooten scored 18 factors and Endyia Rogers and Te-Hina Paopao every added 17 for the Geese, however it wasn’t sufficient on an evening Oregon dedicated 20 turnovers that led 16 Arizona factors.

“That recreation might have gone both means down the stretch and it appeared like they made the necessary performs, received the necessary cease, received the 50-50 balls,” Oregon coach Kelly Graves stated. “There have been only a few issues that we simply have been slightly late on, slightly disorganized perhaps on the offensive finish as a result of we tried to run some units — they blow all the pieces up. We don’t have the type of gamers that may beat folks off the dribble. We wished to set a center display screen and allow them to create late and we didn’t do an excellent job of it. I give them the credit score.”

In a fourth quarter that included 4 ties, Arizona (14-2, 4-1 Pac-12) turned to veterans Cate Reese (10 factors) and Jade Loville (13 factors) to make a pair of important baskets to regain the lead.

Probability Grey (10 factors) received Oregon again inside 71-69 with 47.0 seconds left and VanSlooten drove for a layup to make it 73-71 with 29.6 seconds remaining. However she left the ground limping with an obvious proper foot damage and didn’t return.

The Wildcats made their ultimate eight free throws to safe a fourth win in 5 conferences in opposition to the Geese, together with three at McKale Middle.

“I’m unsure we’ve performed with an depth that we have to late within the recreation,” Graves stated. “Like, ‘We received to get a cease.’ And it’s been a few execution issues, too. However we performed ok to win us a recreation.”

The Geese took some low share photographs down the stretch, however nonetheless shot 52.7% from the sphere. The Wildcats shot 40.3% and made 10 of 20 three-pointers, marking their third recreation capturing a minimum of 50% from behind the arc this season. Arizona entered the night time capturing 36.7% from three-point vary this season and Shaina Pellington (14 factors, six rebounds, six assists) was simply 1 of seven on the season. However she made each of her makes an attempt Sunday.

“Typically you play the percentages and the percentages bit us tonight,” Graves stated. “We should always have adjusted slightly bit faster after which (Pellington) made a few mid-range. However that’s not their recreation; 10 of 20 is just not their recreation.”

With sizzling long-range capturing and a protection that pressured 20 turnovers — together with 5 by Phillipina Kyei, 4 by Paopao and three by Grey — Arizona was to not be denied.

“I feel our decision-making and their aggressiveness on protection shook us slightly, particularly my turnovers,” stated Paopao, who had 4 assists and made 7 of 12 area objectives in one among her higher capturing video games of the season. “We received to do higher with the ball and do higher decision-making with the ball.”

Paopao scored 14 factors within the first half for the Geese (12-4, 3-2), who made 11 of 15 photographs from the sphere within the first quarter and took a 35-34 lead into halftime.

The third-year sophomore stated she must be extra aggressive on offense early in video games.

“I feel the final couple of video games I haven’t been aggressive, which type of damage my staff slightly as a result of if I keep aggressive I can discover the open gamers on the perimeter and the posts,” Paopao stated. “I would like to remain aggressive and keep in my shot and maintain capturing the ball.”

Madison Conner scored 11 of her 16 factors within the third for the Wildcats, who remained undefeated after they shoot a minimum of 40% from the sphere this season.

Within the fourth quarter, Oregon dedicated three turnovers, together with one through which Grey stepped out of bounds earlier than a would-be open three-pointer for the second time in 4 video games. Arizona didn’t commit any, shot 8 of 15 from the sphere and eight of 8 on the free throw line, to safe its finest NET win of the season.

“We had an opportunity,” Graves stated. “We simply received to discover a method to shut these out.”

– James Crepea reported from Tucson, Ariz.