Oregon has gone big and it’s not going home.
The Ducks’ big duo of Sedona Prince and Nyara Sabally combined for 14 of 17 Oregon points in the fourth quarter, and No. 6 seed Oregon defeated No. 3 seed Georgia 57-50 Wednesday in the second round of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
“Nyara and I talked before the fourth quarter and we were like, ‘We’re going to go to the Sweet 16 on our first year,’” Prince said. “We came out and she dominated and our teammates allowed us to get good post-ups and made amazing entry passes. It was a collective effort of, ‘We’re going to get this. We’re going to win and we’re going to go to the Sweet 16.’”
Prince tied a career high with 22 points and added five rebounds and four blocks, while Sabally finished with 15 points.
Jenna Staiti had 10 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter and had nine rebounds for Georgia (21-7), including the game-tying basket with 2:34 to go.
Prince scored Oregon’s first eight points of the fourth quarter and had four rebounds and three blocks in the frame. Sabally scored six straight after the Bulldogs tied the game at 48-48, and Oregon held on while Georgia missed its last five attempts from the field.
“I thought the synergy between (Prince) and Nyara was really good tonight in that high-low game,” Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. “Our team has executed defensively. We’re playing with so much energy and it’s not to be discounted. We’re long, when you got 6-7 and 6-5 inside and sub with other players that are really long, I think we’ve used that to our advantage in this tournament so far and we need to continue to do so because obviously the competition gets tougher and tougher.”
The Ducks (15-8), who entered the NCAA Tournament having lost five of their past six games, advance to their fourth straight Sweet 16. They will face the winner of No. 2 seed Louisville (24-3) and No. 7 seed Northwestern (16-8) at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Alamo Region of the bracket (TV on ESPN).
“I think everyone was doubting us when we first came in,” Prince said. “We didn’t end Pac-12 play like we wanted to, but we wanted to show today that we are not the team to be messed with and how we play. We’re a very difficult team to guard. We wanted to come out and show that we’re going to play harder than you and we’re going to want it more than you.”
Prince and Taylor Mikesell, who finished with 11 points, scored all 10 of Oregon’s points in the first quarter as both teams shot under 40% from the field and UO committed six turnovers. Georgia failed to fully capitalize on the takeaways, though.
Erin Boley scored six of her nine points during the second quarter, with each team shooting 6 of 13 from the floor. Oregon made four three-pointers in the second to tie the game at 27-27 at the break.
Oregon gained control during a 13-6 third quarter, which has been its most challenging frame this season. Georgia shot just 2 of 9 and committed five of its 14 turnovers during the third. It was the second straight game Oregon recorded 10-plus steals.
Making her third career start at point guard, freshman Maddie Scherr had six assists, three steals, two rebounds and a block in over 38 minutes and was a major factor in Georgia going 1 for 13 from behind the arc.
Prince and Sabally carried the Ducks to the win in the fourth.
Que Morrison made two free throws with 32.6 seconds to go to get Georgia within 54-50. Mikesell added her first of three from the line in the final minute to make it a two-score game again, and then Georgia’s Gabby Connally was well short on a three to effectively end any chance of a Bulldogs comeback.
Playing all five starters 30-plus minutes and relying on its shortest bench of the season, Oregon relied on its greatest strengths — size, outside shooting and defense — to earn its first win over a ranked opponent and get back to the Sweet 16.
“The expectations, it weighed heavily on them,” Graves said. “Then when you start losing a few games and people start to question your program, and then your own players sometimes maybe question themselves. It’s great redemption.
“I think the whole time they did believe in themselves, they believed in each other. I’m really happy for them. I’m so proud of them. It’s not been an easy ride and listen, we’re still playing, so we feel so good about that.”
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