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Three Observations From Illinois Women's Basketball's 76-73 Defeat to Oregon

The Illini fought hard i Eugene, but a slow start and poor outside shooting ultimately doomed them in a missed opportunity
Pranav Hegde|
Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) makes a move against Oregon forward Ehis Etute (35) in the Illini's 76-73 loss to the Ducks on Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon.
Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) makes a move against Oregon forward Ehis Etute (35) in the Illini's 76-73 loss to the Ducks on Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon. | University of Illinois

Illinois came painfully close to stealing a road win in Eugene but ultimately left Matthew Knight Arena with a narrow 76-73 loss to Oregon on Wednesday night.

The Illini battled back after a massive early hole, traded punches down the stretch and had their chances late, but a few lingering issues proved costly in a game that was there for the taking. Despite solid individual performances and a strong second-half push, Illinois couldn’t quite overcome a slow start, cold shooting from deep and some timely Oregon execution in crunch time.

Here are three takeaways from the Illini’s tough road loss:

1. A slow start put Illinois in catch-up mode early

Illinois dug itself a hole almost immediately, and that deficit loomed over the rest of the night. The Illini were outscored 23-14 in the first quarter and 22-10 in the second, heading into halftime down 45-24. Oregon came out with energy, attacking early and often, while Illinois struggled to find any consistent offensive rhythm.

That sluggish start forced Illinois to spend the entire second half chasing the game rather than dictating it. To their credit, the Illini responded with much better energy after the break, scoring 27 points in the third quarter and 22 more in the fourth. The fight was absolutely there. But playing from behind on the road against a capable Oregon team was a dangerous game, and Illinois left itself very little margin for error late.

Even with the strong finish, the first-half struggles were too much to completely erase.

2. Poor three-point shooting hurt Illinois' offensive flow

Illinois simply couldn’t get anything going from beyond the arc, finishing the night just 4-for-19 from three-point range (21.1 percent). That inefficiency allowed Oregon’s defense to pack the paint, clog driving lanes and make life difficult for Illinois' guards and post players alike.

Several key players struggled from deep. Maddie Webber went 0-for-4 from three, Cearah Parchment missed all three of her attempts and Destiny Jackson couldn’t connect on her lone try. Even when Illinois was generating decent looks, shots just weren’t falling – and that stalled momentum during critical stretches.

The Illini did shoot a strong 88.2 percent from the free-throw line, which helped keep them afloat, but relying heavily on twos and free throws made it harder to string together meaningful runs. In a three-point game, even one or two additional makes from deep could have completely flipped the outcome.

3. Strong individual efforts kept the Illini alive

Despite the loss, Illinois had several players step up in big ways. Berry Wallace led the Illini with 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting, providing steady scoring throughout the night. Destiny Jackson added 13 points and seven assists, doing a little bit of everything to keep the offense functioning, while Parchment chipped in 11 points and six rebounds.

Off the bench, Lety Vasconcelos gave Illinois a big lift with eight points, six rebounds and three blocks, helping stabilize the interior. The Illini also won the turnover battle in stretches and showed real toughness on the glass, finishing with 31 rebounds and eight offensive boards.

Illinois didn’t fold after the rough start, and that resilience nearly paid off. Still, slow beginnings and missed perimeter shots proved just enough for Oregon to hang on.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.