Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest
Three-Point Shooting Woes Cripple Ducks in 63-53 Loss
After getting a stop on the first play of the game Endyia Rogers dropped in a floater with contact, prompting her to lick her fingers in celebration.
Rogers led the Ducks in the first quarter scoring seven points on three-of-three shooting, and only attempting runners. She finished the first half with nine points, converting four of her five shots.
Following Rogers’ basket the Ducks gave up a 6-0 run in which center Aaronette Vonleh, who led all first half scorers with 12 points on five-of-seven shooting with three rebounds.
Turnovers were a major problem for the Ducks who were lost possession six times in the first quarter and four more times in the second, resulting in a 10-4 deficit in points off turnovers in the first half.
In addition to not taking care of the ball the Ducks shot poorly.
In a team high 17 minutes played in the first Point Guard Te-Hina Paopao shot zero-for-six while backcourt counterpart freshman Chance Gray struggled as well, missing all four of her field goal attempts. The two shot a combined 2-of-18 on the night.
The lone bright spot for Kelly Graves’ Ducks was Taylor Hosendove, whose energy produced four rebounds and six points on two-of-three shooting in the half.
Without much scoring help for Rogers, the Ducks shot zero-of-seven collectively from the arc and Colorado led 32-25 at the intermission.
To start the second half Gray attempted an out of control lay-up, prompting Taya Hanson to head to the table for her. Gray returned to the game with 36 seconds to play in the quarter.
With nothing going offensively the Ducks locked in on the defensive end, forcing a 1-of-14 shooting start for the Buffaloes, who went five minutes without a field goal. Shooting an abysmal 4-of-14 the Ducks five-minute defensive clinic only resulted in a 6-0 run as the Ducks cut the lead to three at 34-31 before Jaylyn Sherrod got a turnaround jumper to fall, ending the Buffs' shooting woes.
Oregon missed all six of their third quarter shot attempts. Despite holding Colorado to seven third quarter points the Ducks trailed 37-39 through three.
To start the fourth quarter Colorado's leading scorer Quay Miller fought through a Hosendove foul and canned the free throw, reigniting life for the Buffs on offense.
On their next trip up the floor Frida Foremann made a reverse lay-up before Tayanna Jones was abandoned on Colorado’s next trip down the floor, converting a wide open layup, capping a 7-0 run and forcing an Oregon time out.
With full-court pressure applied Hosendove failed to inbound the ball out of the timeout, taking a five-second violation, a turnover the Buffs capitalized on with Foreman knocking down a three on the ensuing possession, pushing the Colorado lead to 11.
The Ducks then made four-of-five field goals with reigning Pac-12 freshman of the week Grace Vanslooten getting involved, scoring eight points in the quarter. The offensive burst wasn’t enough however, as the Ducks missed another 3 threes, part of an unheard of 0-of 16 night from beyond the arc as the Ducks fell 63-53 at home.
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