Wildcats rally in fourth quarter, but Ducks pull away late to snap 7-game losing streak

EUGENE, Ore. — Te-Hina Paopao scored 21 points, Endyia Rogers added 18 and Oregon finished the game with a 16-3 run to upset No. 14 Arizona 73-59 on Thursday night and end a seven-game losing streak.

The Ducks led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter before Arizona answered with a 11-2 run to pull to 57-56 with 7:58 remaining in the game. But Rogers scored the next four points, Paopao added 10, including consecutive 3-pointers, and the Ducks pulled away.

“We came out with zero energy and zero intensity and didn’t play hard,” UA coach Adia Barnes said. “We had no sense of urgency, no energy. They can’t walk into a gym and win a game. No, no.”

The news wasn’t all bad for the Wildcats. UCLA lost to Washington State earlier Thursday. That means Arizona (21-7, 11-6 Pac-12) is guaranteed no worse than the No. 4 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament. Even if Arizona, UCLA and USC were to finish with 11-7 records, the Wildcats would own the head-to-head tiebreaker. The top four seeds in the March 1-5 Pac-12 Tournament earn byes.

Also Thursday, Arizona received the No. 15 overall seed in the latest NCAA Tournament bracket reveal. A top-16 placement earns home court for the first two rounds of the tournament.

The loss to Oregon might not be that harmful as the Ducks (15-13, 6-11) entered Thursday with a NET rating of 25.

Paopao and Rogers were a combined 13 of 22 shooting from the field. Chance Gray added 12 points for Oregon . Phillipina Kyei had nine points to go with 14 rebounds. Paopao made five 3s, and Gray had four from distance.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Cate Reese scored 19 points for Arizona (21-7, 11-6), which had won three in a row and five of its past six. Madison Conner added 10 points, and freshman Paris Clark had nine points and 10 rebounds.

Rogers scored six points and Taya Hanson added five as Oregon outscored Arizona 22-11 in the second quarter to take a 40-30 lead into halftime.

Arizona won the first matchup, 79-71 on Jan. 8, when both squads were ranked.

Arizona plays at Oregon State in the regular-season finale on Saturday.