8 Oregon beats Arizona 74
TUCSON, Ariz. Kelly Graves unfolded the white championship T shirt handed to him and sat down to collect his thoughts.
One player broke away from the celebration inside Arizona’s McKale Center to hug the Ducks coach. canada goose Then another. Within seconds, the entire team surrounded him in one group hug.
No. 8 Canada Goose Jackets Oregon completed its rise from Pac 12 bottom dweller to conference champion on Sunday, knocking off Arizona 74 61 to win its first conference championship in 18 years.
“It’s pretty overwhelming,” said Graves, his voice still shaky. “As coaches, one of our jobs is to help them realize their potential and their dreams. We had kids who wanted to be champions and worked their butts off.
“Today, they were rewarded with that. I’m happy for them and love each and every one of canadian goose jacket them and told each and every one of them. It’s a good day, as you can tell.”
Oregon won four games in 2012 13 and has made a steady buy canada goose jacket climb since Kelly was hired, reaching the WNIT Final Four in 2016 and the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight a cheap Canada Goose year ago.
The Ducks (27 4, 16 2 Pac 12) were the class of the Pac 12 this season, clinching a share of the conference title by ending a 15 Canada Goose Online game road losing streak at Arizona State on Thursday.
All that was left was to knock off canada goose clearance sale an Arizona team struggling in its second season under coach Adia Barnes.
Arizona (6 23, 2 14) put up a fight canada goose replica early and made a late comeback, but senior Lexi Bando hit a pair of 3 pointers to stem the Wildcats’ push, sending the Ducks Canada Goose online off the floor as Pac 12 champions for the first time since 1999 2000.
Ruthy Hebard scored 24 points and Bando Canada Goose Parka finished with Canada Goose sale 15 for the Ducks, who closed the regular season with six straight wins and 10 in 11 Canada Goose Outlet games. Sabrina Ionescu, the NCAA record holder for canada goose coats triple doubles (9), filled up the https://www.canadagooseoutlet4online.com stat sheet again, finishing with 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
Next up is the Pac 12 tournament, where Oregon will open with a bye, and what the Ducks hope will be a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
“This was our goal from the beginning and, obviously, to make a run in March,” Bando said. “This is just another stepping stone to where we want to be.”
Oregon routed Arizona canada goose black friday sale in the first meeting, Jan. 12 in Eugene, holding the Wildcats women canada goose outlet to 29 percent shooting in the 62 44 victory.
Arizona put up a bit of a fight in the first quarter, shooting a respectable 6 of 13 to stay within six of the Ducks.
But Oregon, just as it did in the third quarter against Arizona State, clamped down defensively in the second quarter, holding the Wildcats to 4 of 15 shooting. The Ducks canada goose store led 33 23 behind Hebard’s 13 points.
Oregon continued to stretch the lead in the third quarter, pushing it to 52 33 with a late 6 0 run.
Arizona finally found a way to slow the Ducks midway through the fourth quarter, holding them canada goose coats on sale scoreless for three buy canada goose jacket cheap minutes to trim the lead to 64 59.
Bando ended Arizona’s comeback bid with consecutive 3 pointers with just under three minutes left.
“You get within five, you have to find a way to bear down canada goose deals and get a stop,” Barnes said. “Those are the things we don’t know how to do yet. You can’t allow that. Oregon knows how to do that. That was a dagger for sure.”
BIG PICTURE
Oregon closed the season strong to earn the top seed in the Pac 12 tournament and is canada goose clearance in position for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
“I love her being Canada Goose Coats On Sale aggressive, I love her looking for her shot,” Barnes said. “Tonight she came alive. I really think she took it personal that she didn’t play well last game.”.