Though it appeared that the Oregon women’s basketball team was still recovering from a long road trip last week, it eventually found its rhythm thanks to a trio of seniors and defeated Purdue at Matthew Knight Arena Wednesday, 69-53.
The Ducks (13-5, 4-3 Big Ten) opened the game shooting just 2 for 11 in the first quarter but found their footing thanks to guard Peyton Scott. The senior scored eight points in the first quarter and finished with 12 points, finding her shot in the midrange to give Oregon a 15-11 lead after an early hole against the Boilermakers (7-10, 0-6 Big Ten).
“Peyton, especially in the midrange, is about as good as it gets,” Oregon coach Kelly Graves said. “She has a pure shot, she’s usually right on the money … We can always count on her. That’s the great thing about Peyton is we can always count on her. She’s like that every day in practice.”
Scott got the Ducks started, and fellow seniors Deja Kelly and Phillipina Kyei helped them finish the game in the second half, with Kelly scoring a team-high 15 points and Kyei adding 12 points and nine rebounds.
After a 1-for-7 start, Kelly finished the game hitting six of her next eight shots, also thriving in the midrange in the second half.
On defense, the Ducks held the Boilermakers to 42% shooting from the field and just 25% from 3-point range while forcing 23 turnovers, including 17 in the first half alone. Oregon scored 25 points off those turnovers and 11 points on the fastbreak.
Kelly Graves gives injury update on guard Nani Falatea
The senior guard swiped away a steal in the second quarter but went down in a heap while trying to bring up the ball with a defender in her grill. Falatea went to the floor with minimal contact but favored her right leg on the court for an extended period before hopping off on her own toward the locker room. Falatea eventually emerged from the locker room in the third quarter without any braces and still dressed in her uniform but did not play.
Graves said after the game that he expects Falatea to be OK and to not miss significant time.
She scored eight points in eight minutes until she left the game and is shooting over 40% from 3-point range on a team that is shooting under 30% as a group.
What’s next for Oregon women’s basketball?
The Ducks continue their homestand against Iowa, who is receiving votes in The Associated Press poll, at 2 p.m. Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena. The Hawkeyes (12-5, 2-4 Big Ten) play Nebraska at home on Thursday before making the trip to Eugene.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: How Peyton Scott helped Oregon women’s basketball down Purdue
