There’s a game-winning shot in every game. Obviously.
But, what was unusual about Wednesday night’s contest at Matthew Knight Arena is that the game-winning shot came in the third quarter.
With 2:39 remaining in the third frame, Amina Muhammad hit a free throw to put Oregon ahead 59-38. It was an insignificant point, aside from putting the Ducks (2-0) at a number Nevada (0-1) wouldn’t reach in their 76-58 win.
Deja Kelly had a big night, propelling Oregon to another decisive victory in the young season.
The first quarter featured two teams looking to get a feel for one another. With Nevada taking the hardwood for the first time in the 2024 regular season, it took a bit (1:40) to get on the board and find some rhythm. The Ducks also had a sloppy start to the contest, collecting five personal fouls in both the first and second quarters.
“The first quarter, I thought they just beat us on back cuts and things like that,” Oregon head coach Kelly Graves said. “We just weren’t on our toes.”
Five different members of Nevada’s squad scored in the icebreaking frame while the Ducks tallied six turnovers and, consequently, Oregon found itself trailing 14-12 after 10 minutes of play.
Deja Kelly and the Ducks took over in the second quarter. The Ducks limited their offensive turnovers and fouls and locked up Nevada’s shooters to ignite a 14-0 run and hold the Wolfpack scoreless for almost five full minutes.
Kelly displayed her mid-range ability, hitting a quartet of floaters in the second frame to lead the team with eight points in the quarter. She finished her big night with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists.
“Deja, she comes in with all those accolades,” Graves said. “But, I’m telling you, she does a lot of the dirty work. She’s just really coachable. She’s a pleasure to have on our team and to coach and I can see why she’s so highly-regarded by everyone in the country.”
Across her four seasons at North Carolina and her first game with the Ducks on Monday, Kelly entered Wednesday’s contest averaging 15.4 points per game, a number that’ll raise after her dominant performance against Nevada.
Peyton Scott had six points in the second quarter, three coming from a 3-point shot and three via a hard, and-1 foul that sent her to the floor. Scott’s physicality and hardnose gameplay will be a key factor in 2024 that the Ducks missed last season with Scott tearing her ACL in the year’s first game.
Scott led the team in the first half with 12 points on 4-7 shooting, and finished with a trio of assists.
“Man, I love just being on the floor, being under the lights and playing with my teammates,” Scott said. “I feel like I’m a pretty passionate player, so you’re all gonna see that through the rest of the year.”
The Ducks went into the locker room at halftime with a 40-23 lead after outscoring the Wolfpack 28-9 in the second quarter. Unfortunately for Graves’ squad, three different players (Sarah Rambus, Kelly and Katie Fiso) recorded multiple personal fouls in the first half, something they looked to address in the game’s final 20 minutes.
The third frame was noticeably cleaner for the Ducks as they only had one foul and one turnover, however Nevada’s offense found a bit more rhythm. Kelly again led the quarter’s scoring with 10 as Oregon outscored Nevada 24-17 despite six Wolfpack members recording points.
“We’re still a work in progress,” Graves said. “We’ve gotta clean up the fouls. We’ve gotta be a lot more physical. We’ve gotta be a lot more engaged.”
As reserve players got some playing time in the fourth quarter, the Ducks’ fouls and turnovers increased, but Oregon was so far ahead that it didn’t matter. Nevada outscored Oregon 18-12 in the final frame, but still fell well short of its first win of the season.
In all, 12 Oregon players found playing time with 10 of them recording at least one point.
Nevada’s best player was, by and large, Kennedy Lee. Her solid performance, overshadowed by the Ducks’ suffocating win, consisted of nine points, four rebounds and three steals.
As a team, Oregon shot 50.8% from the field, 30.0% from behind the arc and 58.8% from the line. Had Wednesday’s game been a part of the Ducks’ rough 11-21 2023 campaign, Oregon’s 3-point shooting and field-goal percentage would have been above its season averages.
Oregon star Phillipina Kyei only tallied 6:42 minutes (one point, one rebound , two blocks, two steals) on Wednesday as she continues to nurse her ankle injury and ease her way into the season.
“She’s just gotta keep working at it,” Graves said. “It’ll take her some time to work herself back to full shape but she’s hungry and she’s ready to get back out.
Kelly, Alex Whitfield, Muhammad and Scott all tallied double-digit performances in the win as Oregon picked up its second resounding victory of the young season. The Ducks are back in action on Sunday as their first big test comes to town in the form of No. 12 Baylor. Tipoff is slated for 7:00 pm.
