The Oregon women’s basketball team, participating in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the first time since 2007, was eliminated from postseason play in its third-round matchup against California, 71-57, at McArthur Court on Thursday.
The Golden Bears (21-13 overall) improved to 3-0 against the Ducks (18-16) on the season by applying defensive pressure to Taylor Lilley and Micaela Cocks. The duo combined for 17 points on 29 field goal attempts in their final game, along with forward Lindsey Saffold, who played a scoreless minute, as Oregon Ducks.
Lilley, after scoring eight points and making two of her 12 three-point attempts, finished the season with 124 made three-pointers, the third most in a single season in NCAA history. Her 270 career three-pointers are the most of any Duck and third-best in Pacific-10 Conference history. Cocks’ appearance against Cal was her 125th as a Duck — an Oregon record for games played — and she leaves as the most accurate free-throw shooter in Oregon history.
“It was emotional,” Cocks said in a media release. “It’s always a sad feeling playing your last game.”
At the 10-minute mark of the first half, Oregon led 22-21 before going on a 13-2 run over the next seven minutes. Cal kept it close with five points from guard Alexis Gray-Lawson and a layup from Layshia Clarendon with five seconds remaining in the half, cutting the Ducks’ lead to five at intermission.
The Golden Bears used their size and strength to eat away at the lead, taking it over for good with an 11-0 run after obtaining a 56-55 lead. A layup by Amanda Johnson with 1:12 remaining would be the Ducks’ only basket in the waning minutes of the game.
Oregon was outrebounded 50-36 and shot 32.4 percent from the field for the game (25.0 percent from the three-point line) despite committing just six turnovers. Cal shot 39.4 percent from the field and recorded assists on 14 of its 26 baskets.
Golden Bears forward DeNesha Stallworth had a game-high 28 points and nine rebounds, and Gray-Lawson had 23 points and four assists.
Johnson led the Ducks with 17 points. Nia Jackson scored 12 points, and Jasmin Holliday collected 10 rebounds off the bench.
Second round: Oregon 93, New Mexico 67

Taylor Lilley scored a career-high 38 points on 12-25 shooting, and the Ducks won their 18th game for the first time since the 2004-05 season in a thrashing of New Mexico, 93-67, at McArthur Court.
Oregon fell behind by as many as nine points in the first half but struck back quickly against the Lobos. Two free throws by Victoria Kenyon with 1:52 left in the first half gave Oregon the lead for good, and the Ducks outscored New Mexico 52-31 in the second half to ice the game.
Kenyon had a career-high 18 points for the Ducks, and Amanda Johnson had 22 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Nia Jackson tied a career high with eight assists and set one with eight rebounds in a supporting role.
Lobos forward Amanda Best led New Mexico with 18 points, and Sara Halasz and Nikki Nelson had 11 points apiece.
First round: Oregon 95, Eastern Washington 66

Oregon faced Eastern Washington in head coach Paul Westhead’s first official game as a Duck and blew out the Eagles. In the first round of the WNIT, Oregon put on a repeat performance in a 95-66 victory at McArthur Court. The win snapped the Ducks’ seven-game losing streak over the end of the regular season.
The Ducks shot 52.2 percent from the field and held Eastern Washington to just 30.3 percent. The Eagles had an eight-minute scoreless streak in the first half that stifled any chances of a first-round advance.
Forward Amanda Johnson had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Oregon, while Jasmin Holliday had 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Nicole Canepa followed her off the bench with 13 points and two blocks.
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