by Steve Mims
EUGENE, OREGON
The Oregon women’s basketball will have to nervously wait for 10 days to see if it makes the NCAA Tournament.
The Ducks beat Washington 52-50 in the first game of the Pac-12 Tournament on Wednesday in Las Vegas before losing to sixth-ranked Stanford, 76-65, in the quarterfinals.
Oregon is 17-14, including a 7-11 record in Pac-12 play, as they wait to see if they are included in the NCAA field.
“If we make it, we make it,” UO coach Kelly Graves said following the loss to Stanford. “I think we’re good enough. This is by far the toughest conference in the country. Tonight we just didn’t have enough.”
Te-Hina Paopao scored 28 points, including seven 3-pointers, in the loss to Stanford while Endyia Rogers added 15.
One night earlier, Rogers scored 28 points to lead the Ducks past Washington while Paopao added 13.
The Ducks wrapped up the regular season by sweeping Arizona and Arizona State at home last week.
Paopao busted out of a slump with 21 points as UO defeated No. 14 Arizona 73-59. Rogers, who was named to the all-conference team, added 18 points against the Wildcats while Chance Gray added 12.
Gray and Grace VanSlooten both made the all-freshman team in the Pac-12.
Paopao led the way again with 23 points in a 77-48 win over ASU. Rogers pitched in 17 points.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Oregon snapped a thee-game losing streak with a 69-67 win at Oregon State on Saturday.
N’Faly Dante led the Ducks with 16 points and 18 rebounds while Jermaine Couisnard added 12 points. Keeshawn Barthelemy had 11 points while Quincy Guerrier added 10 points and six rebounds.
Rivaldo Soares scored all five of his points in the final minutes, including a game-winning basket in the final second.
Oregon is 16-13 overall, including a 10-8 Pac-12 record, as it wraps up the regular season at home against California on Thursday and Stanford on Saturday.
WOMEN’S GOLF
Oregon placed ninth at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate in South Carolina on Wednesday.
The Ducks shot their best round of the tournament, a 1-over par 284, in the third and final round to finish at 25-over par. Ashleigh Park shot an even-par 213 to place fourth individually while Hsin-Yu Lu was tied for 16th at 217.
Steve Mims has spent 25 years as a sportswriter, including 21 years at The Register-Guard. He covered University of Oregon athletics from 2013-2020. He works in Eugene as a registered representative and insurance agent at PBC Insurance. He can be reached at smims@pbcins.com.