Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks' Sabrina Ionescu and Team USA Take Humbling Loss to WNBA All-Stars

Sabrina Ionescu of the Oregon Ducks and Team USA took an early spill on their chase for gold in the Paris Olympics. Iowa's Caitlin Clark tried to make a statement as she should have been representing America this summer.
Arden Cravalho|
Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; USA Women's National Team guard Sabrina Ionescu (6) controls the ball as Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) defends during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; USA Women's National Team guard Sabrina Ionescu (6) controls the ball as Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) defends during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Iowa's Caitlin Clark of the WNBA All-Stars played angry against Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu and Team USA. The fact she was left of the Olympic roster is still baffling.

Team USA and the WNBA All-Stars faced off at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona, during all-star weekend. The Americans took a surprising upset to the rest of the best in the WNBA, 117-109. Ionescu was wearing the red and blue off the bench and struggled to make a statement in a game full of the best women on the planet.

She finished with just five points on 2-for-6 shooting from the field, 1-for-5 on three-pointers. That was in 21 minutes of play. Ionescu did snag three rebounds and collected three assists. On a team full of talent, it can be hard to stand out as that was the case for the former Oregon Duck star.

Caitlin Clark (22) shoots for the basket during the first half against USA Women's National Team guard Sabrina Ionescu (6)
Jul 20, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team WNBA guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots for the basket during the first half against USA Women's National Team guard Sabrina Ionescu (6) at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Clark wasn't at her best when it came to scoring to say the least. The icon of women's basketball only had four points on a rough 0-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. When you know your shot isn't going your way, you try to find other ways to make an impact on the floor. Clark dished out 10 assists and locked in defensively with two steals.

This was an eye-opening experience for Oregon's Ionescu and Team USA as they head to London for an exhibition match against Germany on July 23. After that, they open up Olympic pool play in Paris against Japan on July 29. The quest for gold is officially on.

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Arden Cravalho
ARDEN CRAVALHO

Arden Cravalho is a reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI. He has been writing extensively about college athletics beginning in 2018, specifically as the lead writer and editor for SB Nation's 'The Slipper Still Fits.' Arden is a graduate of Gonzaga University and brings a deep understanding of college sports to his writing. Residing in San Francisco, California, Arden is also a part of the California Golden Bears' athletic department as a Ticket Sales and Service Account Executive. His overall experience and dedication to college athletics are evident in his insightfulness and analysis throughout all of his work.

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