Oregon Ducks Women Earn NCAA Tournament Bid: Vanderbilt Upset Looms?

The Oregon Ducks women's basketball team is set to compete in the NCAA Tournament, facing the No. 7 Vanderbilt Commodores in the first round of March Madness. With a No. 10 seed in the Birmingham Regional, the Ducks will look to advance past Vanderbilt.

Oregon’s Elisa Mevius, left, Deja Kelly and Katie Fiso celebrate with teammates after defeating Washington at Matthew Knight Arena Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EUGENE – March Madness is here, and Oregon Ducks women's basketball team will be heading to Durham, North Carolina, as a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament, face the No. 7 Vanderbilt Commodores the first round.

Oregon head coach Kelly Graves celebrates with his players 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

"People are locked in this time of the month and want to get better and want to be at their best," senior guard Deja Kelly said. 

The Ducks, who missed the Big Dance the last two years, will now look to make a run in this year's NCAA Tournament. This is Oregon coach Kelly Graves' 14th tournament appearance in his career and sixth at Oregon. 

Before Kelly Graves became Oregon's coach in 2014, the Ducks had not reached the NCAA Tournament in nine years. In his third season, Graves led them to the tournament, sparking a historic run. Oregon made back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in 2017 and 2018 and reached its first Final Four in 2019. 

Now, the Ducks will look to add to Graves' history of success, and it all starts on Friday, March 21. 

Oregon coach Kelly Graves and player Deja Kelly try to rally the team during the first half against Iowa at Matthew Knight Arena Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Preview 

The Ducks will compete in the Birmingham Regional, where they will face off against the 7-seed Vanderbilt Commodores in the first round. The winner of this matchup will advance to take on the two-seed Duke Blue Devils or the 15-seed Lehigh Mountain Hawks in the next round. 

The Commodores are 22-10 on the season, placing them ninth in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). 

Mar 7, 2025; Greenville, SC, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Leilani Kapinus (5) looks to pass against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second half at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Birmingham Region features a number of other highly ranked teams, including the 1-seed Kansas Jayhawks, the 3-seed Arizona Wildcats, and the 4-seed Baylor Bears, a team Oregon defeated earlier this season. 

The Oregon Ducks head into the tournament fresh off a loss to Indiana. The Ducks fell to the Hoosiers 78-62 in the first round of the Big Ten Conference Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

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Despite the loss in the conference tournament, the Ducks' postseason aspirations are far from over. 

The Oregon Ducks have all the pieces needed to make noise in the Big Dance. The Ducks finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 19-11 overall record while posting a 10-8 record in conference play. 

Oregon guard Peyton Scott riles up the crowd after the Ducks’ win 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

The Ducks achieved their winning record while facing some of the toughest teams in the nation. Oregon has one of the strongest strengths of schedule in the country, ranking No. 22 in the NET metrics. During the season, Oregon defeated No. 15 Baylor, No. 24 Iowa, and No. 21 Michigan State. 

"We've had a nice year," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "We've had some really quality wins, we play in a great conference, we were the eight seed in that conference tournament. I'd like to think our résumé can stand up." 

Oregon’s Elisa Mevius, center, celebrates a layup and foul against Washington with teammates during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the Ducks head into March Madness, the team must rely on its depth, experience, and ability to perform under pressure. While Oregon has shown resilience in close games this season, advancing will come down to staying consistent and adjusting to each opponent accordingly. Oregon's NCAA Tournament run begins this Friday. 

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