Following its 70-54 win over Grand Canyon University (2-2, 0-0 WAC) on Monday night, the Oregon women’s basketball team moved to 5-0 (0-0 Big Ten) for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Sixth-year senior guard Peyton Scott led the team with 17 points and three 3-pointers, but it was the difference in bench play that truly separated the two teams.

“We’ve got a good mix of veterans and underclassmen on this team that are willing to step up,” Scott said of her teammates. “Each game, we’re just trying to get better.”

Oregon totaled 28 points off the bench, led by nine from redshirt junior Nani Falatea. Junior Elisa Mevius and sophomore Sarah Rambus each tallied eight points, two drawn fouls and two made free throws. Mevius and Falatea’s point differentials of 17 and 15 points respectively were the two highest totals achieved by either team.

“Nani’s really been a huge lift,” head coach Kelly Graves said. “When you have that kind of production off the bench, you’re gonna be in good shape.”

Conversely, all but two of GCU’s 54 points came from their starting five players. Senior Antelopes guard Trinity San Antonio led both teams with 18 points, five assists and four steals — making her the only GCU scorer to record a positive point differential on the night.

“Trinity is one heck of a player,” Graves said. “When she was on the floor, they were tough to stop.” 

As tough as San Antonio was, Oregon was able to prevent GCU from building any consistent momentum. The Ducks went on a 20-0 scoring run in the first quarter that lasted five minutes, and held the Antelopes scoreless for extended periods late in the second and third quarters as well.

“We’ve got a lot of different weapons, and we went on a nice run there,” said Graves of the 20-point swing. “I’ll have to figure out who was on the floor at that time and see why we did it. Maybe we can duplicate it.” 

That’ll be easier said than done on Wednesday, when the Ducks host the 3-0 Auburn Tigers. The Tigers currently have seven players averaging more than eight points a game, whilst GCU has only three.