How to Watch Oregon Ducks Women’s Basketball vs. Iowa: Preview, Prediction

How to watch the Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team as it takes on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Preview and Prediction for when the Ducks host Iowa in Mathew Knight Arena.

Oregon players mob coach Kelly Graves, center, during his TV interview after upsetting Baylor at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EUGENE – The Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team continues a three-game homestand on Sunday against the Iowa Hawkeyes. This will be just the second meeting ever between the two programs and the first as members of the Big Ten Conference. 

Oregon’s Nani Falatea, right, shoots a 3-point shot infant of the Duck bench during the second half gainst Wisconsin at Matthew Knight Arena. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon has been nearly unbeatable at home this season, posting an 11-1 record at Matthew Knight Arena, including winning its last four home games. The Ducks have also won six of their last eight games overall, and four of the last five, after a 69-53 win over Purdue on Wednesday. 

The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, have struggled to find consistency and are looking to snap a four-game losing streak Sunday in Eugene. 

How to Watch: 

Oregon guard Deja Kelly presses toward the basket as the Oregon Ducks host the Purdue Boilermakers Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks (13-5, 4-3) will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (12-6, 2-5) at home in Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday, Jan. 19. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on B1G+. 

Preview 

The Ducks enter Sunday’s matchup fresh off a 69-53 win over the Purdue Boilermakers. The Ducks dominated on both ends of the court, registering 14 steals and forcing Purdue into 23 turnovers, including 17 in the first half. Eight different players finished with at least one steal, with six recording multiple steals. 

The Oregon bench celebrates after Oregon guard Katie Fiso is fouled as the Oregon Ducks host the UC Irvine Anteaters Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024 at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UNC transfer and Oregon guard Deja Kelly continued to showcase her scoring prowess, leading the Ducks with 15 points. Peyton Scott and Phillipina Kyei added 12 points each, while Kyei also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, just one rebound short of a double-double. 

The Hawkeyes enter Sunday’s matchup looking to put an end to a four-game losing streak, including an 87-84 home overtime loss to Nebraska on Thursday. Iowa started the season 8-0 and spent seven weeks in the AP Top-25 Poll; however, the last few weeks have looked drastically different as the Hawkeyes have struggled to find consistency. 

MORE: No. 1 QB Recruit Jared Curtis Compares Ohio State's Ryan Day, Oregon's Dan Lanning

MORE: Oregon Ducks Transfer Portal Commits Fire Back At USC Trojans Fans Criticism: Revenge

MORE: Oregon Ducks' Dillon Gabriel Slighted By 2025 NFL Draft Projection?

The Hawkeyes enter Sunday’s matchup against the Ducks aiming to turn their season around and snap their losing streak ahead of wrapping up the program’s West Coast trip at Washington on Wednesday. However, beating the Ducks is certainly not an easy task for Iowa. 

Oregon utilizes a full-court press which has been extremely effective. The Ducks defense has registered double-digit steals in eight of its last 11 games, and in 10 of its last 15 games overall. The Ducks have also forced opponents into 20 or more turnovers nine times this season, including in six of their last nine games—most recently forcing 23 against Purdue. 

Oregon’s aggressive defense could present a big challenge for the Hawkeyes, as Iowa has had some trouble with pressing teams. The Hawkeyes struggled in earlier matchups against Tennessee and Michigan State, whose pressure resulted in heavy turnovers. Iowa has attempted to implement it’s own press, which benefited the team during Thursday’s loss to Nebraska. The question remains, will it be enough to slow down Oregon’s quick offense? 

Oregon guard Peyton Scott presses toward the basket as the Oregon Ducks host the Purdue Boilermakers Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Oregon is going to be pretty intense with ball pressure. That’s not what we do, but we’re slowly doing a little bit more of a press,” Iowa assistant coach Sean Sullivan said. “First we did a press break of some type of 2-2-1. Now we’re like, ‘OK, let’s change it up a bit. What do our players feel comfortable with?’ (Thursday) night, we had a lot of success. We’re starting to see what they’re good at.” 

Oregon features two of the top ten active scorers in the NCAA: Peyton Scott (9th) and Deja Kelly (10th). They rank first and second among active players in career points in the Big Ten. Both Kelly and Scott have surpassed the 2,000-point mark this season. The pair is the only set of teammates in the top 10 in scoring among active players. Slowing down Kelly and Scott will certainly be a priority for Iowa heading into the matchup. However, even if the Hawkeyes manage to contain Kelly and Scott, the Ducks have other players who have proven they can step up and score in crucial moments. 

Redshirt junior guard Nani Falatea has been a standout offensively over the past eight games, delivering six of her eight double-digit scoring performances of the season during this stretch. She leads the team in scoring over the span, averaging 10.8 points per game while shooting an impressive 48.4 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from beyond the arc. Falatea has hit a 3-pointer in 10 consecutive games—the longest streak by any Duck this season—and tops the team with 25 made triples on the year. 

Oregon also boasts one of the deepest benches in the country and the best in the Big Ten. Oregon’s reserves are averaging 28.2 points per game, leading the Big Ten and ranking 15th in the nation. 

Oregon center Phillipina Kyei goes up for a shot under cover from Purdue forward Lana McCarthy as the Oregon Ducks host the Purdue Boilermakers Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Prediction:  

Oregon will secure another victory over the Hawkeyes on Sunday. Oregon’s full-court press and aggressive defense will likely disrupt Iowa’s rhythm. Combined with their deep bench and the offensive firepower of players like Deja Kelly and Peyton Scott, the Ducks have a significant edge, especially playing at Matthew Knight Arena, where they have been dominant all season. 

MORE: Buffalo Bills Prep for Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson By Signing Dual Threat QB

MORE: Dillon Gabriel Reacts To Future of Oregon Ducks Quarterback Position, Dante Moore

MORE: Most Valuable College Athletic Programs: Oregon Ducks' $780 Million, SEC Dominates

MORE: Miami Hurricanes' Carson Beck To Make More NIL Money Than Denver Broncos Bo Nix