In a game where the Ducks found advantages in depth from their bench and height on the court, Oregon defeated the Vanguard Lions 95-55 in a midseason exhibition game Sunday afternoon at Matthew Knight Arena.
The matchup with the Lions gave the Ducks an opportunity to work on multiple aspects of their game. Throughout the game, the Ducks utilized their post depth by consistently substituting. With seven new freshmen on the roster, the game provided more opportunities for Oregon’s players to gain in-game experience that could potentially benefit them as the team gets closer to Pac-12 play. The Ducks scored 51 points off the bench and converted 37 points off 23 turnovers.
Junior guard Lexi Bando led all scorers with 14 points, shooting 4-of-5 from three-point range. Freshman forward, Mallory McGwire had a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and a team-leading four blocked shots for the Ducks. Sophomore guard Maite Cazorla led the team in assists with nine and added seven points and four steals. She was the only Oregon player to play over 20 minutes in the game.
“I think we’re going to be able to use depth the whole season,” Oregon head coach Kelly Graves said. “They all bring something a little different.”
The game was played as an exhibition game, which means that the Ducks won’t get credit for the victory on their win-loss record, and none of the stats will count toward their season totals. The game was added, in addition to their next game against the Portland Pilots, in part to help fill a gap in the schedule between the Hawaii trip and the trip to Clemson.
“Honestly, I didn’t know it was an exhibition game,” McGwire said. “But I think we did need that game before we went on the road.”
Without a Sunday exhibition, there would have been a two-week stretch for the Ducks between the Nov. 27 game against San Jose State and the upcoming Dec. 12 matchup against Clemson, with just one game on the schedule. Long layoffs can sometimes have negative effects on a team’s performance. This was the first game since returning from the Hawaii trip.
“It showed in the fact that we need to work hard,” freshman guard Morgan Yaeger said. “With that time off, we didn’t come out ready to play.”
With five games remaining until Pac-12 play begins on Dec. 30, the Ducks’ schedule will pick up in difficulty. The Ducks will take on the University of Portland on Dec. 9 at Matthew Knight Arena before a three-game road trip within six days that includes games at Clemson, Ole Miss and against Portland State at the Moda Center in Portland.
Follow Zak Laster on Twitter: @zlast3445