During a December matchup, the fans inside Matthew Knight Arena finally had something to celebrate.
Center Phillipina Kyei had just snagged her twenty-first rebound of the night against the Southern Jaguars. Even better, the Ducks had a 28-point lead with two minutes left.
Moments like those have been rare throughout the lackluster start to the Oregon women’s basketball season. The Ducks finished 9-4 in their non-conference schedule. Fans have witnessed a 39-point home loss, poor shooting performances and devastating injuries.
But Kyei’s performance on both sides of the floor that night against the Jaguars gave the crowd something to cheer for. It was also evidence of who Oregon can go to if it wants any chance of contending in a highly competitive Pac-12 conference.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Kyei is the tallest player in program history. She also is tied for the tallest in the Pac-12 conference this season. Kyei’s size gives the Ducks a mismatch in the paint and a force to reckon with on the glass.
When Kyei is at her best, so are the Ducks. In their nine non-conference wins, she averaged a double-double. Her 21-rebound performance was part of a four-game win streak, Oregon’s longest of the season. During that stretch, Kyei scored 16+ points and 17+ rebounds in three of those games.
Oregon head coach Kelly Graves said they’re “a different team” when Kyei plays like she did throughout that streak. He added that she’s “selfish” grabbing boards.
Kyei usually has a quiet demeanor. When asked about her rebounding dominance and Graves’ comments, though, she couldn’t help but grin.
“I know I’m selfish when it comes to the rebounds,” Kyei said after the Southern game. “Just got to do what you got to do.”
Kyei played 27+ minutes in all four games of the non-conference win streak. Those are hefty minutes for a player her size. Part of her statistical rise and her ability to be on the floor longer is due in part to a change in mentality.
“I think she sometimes puts limits on herself and those are starting to go away,” Graves said at a practice.
The longer Kyei is on the floor, the more opposing teams have to deal with her physicality. It doesn’t hurt that her confidence has grown mightily since she first began playing with the Ducks.
“I think she’s figuring out that she can really do some damage inside,” forward Grace VanSlooten also said at practice. “I think that confidence is the most important thing right now.”
This season, Kyei has eight double-doubles, the second most in the Pac-12. She is also second in the conference in rebounding and eighth in blocked shots. Her averages have gone up in almost every category every season.
Some of her growth has to do with the fact that she’s seen the floor more between her freshman and junior seasons. As a freshman, she only averaged 8.6 minutes a contest and never started. After losing starting forwards Sedona Prince and Nyara Sabally to the transfer portal and the WNBA draft, her average jumped to 24.5 minutes last season.
Since the start of her sophomore year, she played in 50 games and started in all of those. Still, the time she’s spent on the floor this season – especially during that four-game streak – is greater as a senior.
“She had played 35 minutes [against Southern]. She couldn’t have done that last year,” Graves said after that game. “Physically she couldn’t have done it, but I don’t think mentally she could have done it.”
Kyei came out of the Jaguars game after her 21st board, which was also a Pac-12 season-high. She was met with an ovation from the crowd.
“I think they appreciate just two short years ago what she looked like out there. I mean, to see what she’s doing now,” Graves said.
Unfortunately, while Kyei’s play has steadily improved since her first year, the team has not. Last season, Oregon failed to make the NCAA Tournament and was bounced in the quarterfinals of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. This season’s outcome looks even bleaker, with the Ducks struggling even against teams like Santa Clara and the University of Portland.
The Pac-12 season has gotten off to a rocky start for Oregon with consecutive losses. If it’s going to start racking up wins, it will need Kyei to be at her best.
