Kelly Graves Gets Real About Oregon Ducks' NCAA Tournament Selection

Oregon women's basketball coach Kelly Graves spoke very enthusiastically about the Ducks' second consecutive selection to the NCAA Tournament.

Oregon head coach Kelly Graves calls to his team as the Oregon Ducks host the Indiana Hoosiers Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Let the madness begin. For the second consecutive season, the Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team has earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament following a regular season that featured the Ducks finishing with a 22-12 overall record and 8-10 in Big Ten play.

Oregon is set to face the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas. Barring a stunning 16-over-one upset, the winner of the matchup between the Ducks and Hokies will face the top-seeded Texas Longhorns in the second round, who beat another No. 1 seed, the South Carolina Gamecocks, in the SEC Tournament Championship.

Oregon guard Katie Fiso moves the ball up the court as the Oregon Ducks face the Washington Huskies on Feb. 15, 2026, at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Washington. | Alec Dietz/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the 68-team field officially set, Oregon coach Kelly Graves spoke about the Ducks' selection and the team’s outlook heading into the NCAA Tournament.

What Kelly Graves Said

Oregon women's coach Kelly Graves look for a call from the officials during the second half against Michigan at Matthew Knight Arena Dec. 29, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Oregon’s Selection to NCAA Tournament:  

“It never gets old hearing your name, and I talked to the team about, don’t take it for granted, because you never know,” said Graves. “The cool thing is were I think the only team in the state, men or women, that is in the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully we’ll get all the good vibes from all Oregonians, and they’ll root for this Ducks team. We’re excited to be in the field, it’s great hearing our name.”

Players Making First NCAA Tournament Appearance:

Oregon forward Mia Jacobs takes the court as the Oregon Ducks host the Penn State Nittany Lions on Jan. 24, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Every day we’ve accentuated the importance of the tournament and the thrill of being in it. As somebody like Mia (Jacobs), she doesn’t have really any experience to draw upon, but most of our other players have been in the field before and been in the tournament. It’s definitely a step up, but I think if you’ve never experienced it, it’s pretty special,” said Graves.

On Virginia Tech:

Mar 6, 2026; Duluth, GA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies players react on the court during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Gas South Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

“I know Kenny Brooks was there and did a great job; he really built up that program before he left to go to Kentucky. Kenny’s a friend of mine and one of the best coaches in the country, and I know they haven’t really taken a step back; they’ve continued the success,” said Graves. 

Oregon’s Chances In NCAA Tournament:

“You have to have good guards. I think we have one of the best, leading the team. I think we’ve shown good depth. We have a bunch of different players that have had good games on different nights, which I think is really important, so we don’t rely on one or two to just produce all the time. It’s going to take in a tournament, everybody, your stars have to perform, but I’ve been in enough of these to know that it’s that X factor, you never know where you might get it wrong,” said Graves.

“I like our chances; we defend well. Our offense comes and goes. We’re the kind of team that if we get on a roll and we shoot the ball well, then we’ll be in good shape,” Graves continued.

How Big Ten Helped Prepare Ducks For NCAA Tournament: 

Oregon Ducks guard Ari Long (14) smiles while running to the bench Thursday, March 5, 2026, during a Big Ten women's basketball tournament game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Oregon Ducks defeated the Maryland Terrapins, 73-68. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“We’ve proven that we can play with anybody. If you look at our scores and some of the games that we’ve won. I’ve told the team every single day since we’ve been back to practice that, since the tournament ended last week, we've only had three practices, and that the Big Ten will have us prepared for this tournament. We’ve played great teams. We’ve played a whole bunch of different kinds of styles, great coaches, obviously some tremendous talent, and so we’ll be prepared for what the NCAA gives us,” said Graves. 

Oregon and Virginia Tech will face off on Friday, with the tip-off scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT and the game broadcast on ESPN2.

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