Hot-shooting Ducks roll to rout of California
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) There was no letdown for Oregon. Far from it.
Two days after winning a top 10 showdown with Stanford, Satou Sabally scored 31 points and the other four Oregon starters also scored in double figures as the No. 6 Ducks rolled to a 105-52 rout of struggling California on Sunday.
''Our coaches did a really good job of getting us ready to go,'' Oregon's Erin Boley said. ''They made sure that we knew that this can't be an up and down (scenario), where every game we play differently depending on who the opponent is.
''We have to be ready to play to our potential and not who the opponent is.''
Oregon coach Kelly Graves said he had concerns during a Saturday practice that his team was still in a celebratory mood about the win over Stanford rather than preparing for a Cal team now on a six-game losing streak
''We were a little less than focused at a Pac-12 level. We got them together and had some words,'' Graves said. ''They were ready this morning, you could tell. They were pretty dialed in.''
Oregon (15-2, 5-1 Pac-12) was simply dominant in nearly every statistical category. The Ducks shot 60% to Cal's 39%. Oregon had a 36-27 advantage in rebounds, and the Ducks matched their season high with 14 steals as Cal committed 22 turnovers in stark contrast to Oregon's 8, leading to a 34-8 advantage in points off turnovers.
The Oregon starters shot 73% with Sabally finishing 10-for-13 from the field. Boley made six of eight 3-pointers for 22 points while Ruthy Hebard added 16 points on 8-for-10 shooting, Sabrina Ionescu had 14 points to go with 10 assists and Minyon Moore chipped 11 points and six assists.
With that balance, Graves said ''we're very hard to beat. That's always been our M.O. in the last few years, we have a lot of different weapons and on any given night somebody different can have a big game.''
Jazlen Green led the Bears (8-9, 0-6) with 16 points and Sara Anastasieska added 15.
Cal was in immediate trouble against the Ducks, with six turnovers in the opening five minutes leading to an 18-7 Oregon lead. The advantage was 31-14 after one quarter behind Sabally's 13 points as the Ducks shot 68%, with nine assists on their 13 field goals.
''I think we did a really good job early on of getting the shots that we wanted and that helped us get in a good rhythm to start the game,'' Boley said.
Sabally had 22 points by halftime as the Ducks led 57-27 while shooting 65% overall, with Sabally and Hebard a combined 14-for-18 from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
''I guess from the start I had to change my attitude knowing I'm an important player and K.G. has made an effort in making clear I have to play hard and be aggressive,'' Sabally said. ''I'm just trying to do that.''
The Oregon lead reached 83-41 after three quarters, with Boley in particular showing she was back on target after going 2-for-12 on 3-pointers in the past three games.
''She needed a game like this,'' Graves said. ''We're a better basketball team when Erin is out there and stroking it.''
BIG PICTURE
California: The Bears have lost their last four games to teams ranked in the top eight but now play five consecutive games against teams with a losing record in Pac-12 games.
Oregon: Four of Oregon's five conference wins have been by at least 32 points, and the Ducks are 10-0 at home, with the closest of those outcomes also 32 points.
IN THE RACE
Oregon is tied with Stanford and UCLA for first place in the Pac-12, all at 5-1. The Ducks only play the Bruins once this season and have a game left with Stanford.
UP NEXT
California: Plays at home against Utah on Friday afternoon.
Oregon: Is home for a Friday night encounter with rival Oregon State.