Three Biggest Takeaways From Oregon Women's Basketball Schedule Release

The Oregon Ducks released their full women's basketball schedule on Sept. 16, with some critical Big Ten matchups standing out.

Aug 12, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Kelly Graves attends the game between the Minnesota Lynx and Portland Fire at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Oregon Ducks women’s basketball program revealed its full schedule, with game dates and locations on Sept. 16 for the 2026-27 season.

As coach Kelly Graves looks to take his team back to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, the Ducks will be tested throughout the regular season. A challenging Big Ten schedule will travel Oregon across the country, with multiple Midwest road trips, while the non-conference slate will take the Ducks out of the country.

Oregon Ducks head coach Kelly Graves calls to to his team Thursday, March 5, 2026, during a Big Ten women's basketball tournament game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Here are three key takeaways from Oregon’s schedule release.

Oregon's Tough Non-Conference Test Comes in Cancun Challenge

Even though fans previously learned of the Ducks’ anticipated participation in the Cancun Challenge, the Big Ten schedule announcement puts their non-conference slate into perspective.

Graves and the program head to Mexico for Thanksgiving weekend to play the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks, Colorado Buffaloes and Georgia Bulldogs. The Ducks will already have played their first three games on the road at Grand Canyon, Vermont and Maine.

But in Cancun, Oregon will play three days in a row, with its last two games coming against teams that made the NCAA Tournament in 2026. This will show how the Ducks fare in a tournament-like atmosphere against tough opponents, with an early opportunity to boost their top-25 ranking (or elevate them into the top-25).

Oregon’s first two Big Ten games come in December, with the defending National Champions, the UCLA Bruins, kicking off conference action at home. The Cancun Challenge will likely be the Ducks’ big opportunity heading into conference play to gain some momentum before UCLA.

January Home Stand Critical for Momentum

Oregon guard Katie Fiso puts up a shot during warmups as the Oregon Ducks face the Washington Huskies on Feb. 15, 2026, at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Washington. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Ducks’ major homestand, once Big Ten action begins, comes at the end of January, with games against the Maryland Terrapins (Jan. 17), Purdue Boilermakers (Jan. 20) and Iowa Hawkeyes (Jan. 24).

Outside of a two-game homestand hosting Washington and Indiana, the rest of Oregon’s Big Ten games at Matthew Knight Arena are one and done before hitting the road again. With tough swings to play at Ohio State and Penn State, at Michigan and Michigan State, at Minnesota and Nebraska, and at Illinois and Northwestern, this is an opportunity that the Ducks must capitalize on midway through conference play.

Maryland and Iowa both made the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Picking up a trio of wins here can not only increase the Ducks’ chances of making the 2027 NCAA Tournament, but also provide them with confidence entering the final stretch of the regular season.

Big Opportunities to Make Against a Statement vs. UCLA, USC

Mar 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) during an NCAA Tournament second round game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Big Ten play starts and ends for Oregon against a Los Angeles powerhouse. UCLA will not be the team that won the title in 2026, with five players getting drafted into the WNBA in the offseason. Still, coach Cori Close has proven her ability to recruit and build consistent tournament-caliber teams.

Both of these games come at home in Eugene for the Ducks. If Oregon can pull off a win against the Bruins, that sends a strong message to the rest of the country early in the season that the Ducks are a legitimate contender in the Big Ten this season and capable of a top-15 ranking.

Conversely, a matchup against the Trojans offers the chance to finish the regular season with a strong statement. USC is among the anticipated top contenders for the 2027 National Championship. The Trojans return Jazzy Davidson after a star freshman season, bring back former Naismith Player of the Year JuJu Watkins from injury, plus add the top recruiting class in the nation.

If Oregon defeats USC in their Big Ten finale, that’d likely help propel their ranking and fuel the Ducks entering the Big Ten Tournament. The potential recency bias of a massive Oregon victory would also more than likely elevate its NCAA Tournament seeding.

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