It’s no secret that this year, the Ducks have a new team. Only four players from the previous season made their return for the 2023-24 season. Those four have recognized early on that they will be leaders for the rest of the team and have already successfully stepped into those roles.
In the first half, it was Chance Gray. In the second, Grace VanSlooten. The two sophomore returners led the Oregon women’s basketball team (1-0) to their season-opening victory over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (0-1) 81-48 in Matthew Knight Arena on Monday night.
Despite a slow start with no points recorded in the entire first half, VanSlooten took the court for the second half with a clearer mindset and aggressive mentality. She led the team in scoring with 19 total points after a scoring drought for the first 20 minutes.
“I just couldn’t get anything to go in the basket in the first half,” VanSlooten said. “Sometimes that happens but it’s about how you respond to it.”
Gray totaled 17 points, with nine of those points coming from behind the 3-point line. She’s aware of the responsibility she holds as a leader of her team and knows the capabilities they have as a group.
“We are definitely going to have to step up, embrace our roles and take it game by game,” Gray said.
The Lumberjacks put up a good fight defensively to start off the game. They played in a 1-3-1 defense, which the Ducks had a hard time adjusting to at the beginning of the game. From the start, Northern Arizona showed up with more aggression than the Ducks and forced them into turnovers early on. Oregon totaled 19 turnovers.
Another adjustment Oregon had to make on the fly was the loss of starter Peyton Scott within the first five minutes of the game with a knee injury. She is awaiting an MRI and her return is unknown at this time. Head Coach Kelly Graves was expecting her to play upwards of 35 minutes and her early exit caused the rest of the team to make up for that loss right away.
“She worked hard to be here and she’s going to be a big part of what we do,” Graves said. “So we are just praying for the best and hopefully she will be back soon.”
Other players were expected to step up and fill new roles after Scott’s exit. Graves expects his team to be ready and able to handle those unexpected changes. He wants his players to step up and play with confidence when needed.
In Monday’s game, all 12 Oregon players saw playing time on the court. A few players stood out in their first game either in college or as a Duck. Freshman Sofia Bell was one of four players in double-digits with 11 total points. While she went 1-8 from the field, but collected nine points from free throws. Graves said she was one of their best shooters during the fall and expects to see her dialed in the coming games.
“When you are struggling to shoot the ball, you find a way to contribute and she did that by getting to the line,” Graves said. “That’s what good players do.”
Despite a strong opening game, against the former Big Sky Conference Champions, there were plenty of lessons to be learned in a game which Oregon will take to its next matchup.
The Ducks will take a one day break and return Wednesday night to Matthew Knight Arena to face the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions. The game will tip-off at 6 p.m.
