University of San Diego women’s hoops (19-14), fell to Oregon (20-14), 81-61, in the WNIT’s Super 16, ending the team’s post-season run.
Early in the first quarter at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene on Thursday, the Toreros and Ducks traded lead changes, and Kiera Oakry led the way with six of the team’s first 12 points as USD took a 12-9 lead.
The Ducks offense, though, began to come alive, ending the quarter on a 13-2 run for a 22-14 lead.
The Oregon lead ballooned as high as 17 in the second quarter. Later though, Torero Amanda Olinger hit a three to cut the lead to 12 and after going into the break down 13, the Toreros cut the lead to just nine early in the third quarter.
Kasey Neubert added six points and five rebounds in the period to secure another double-double on her way to 14 points and 13 rebounds for the game.
The Ducks held off late runs, however, to cruise to victory. La Jolla Country Day alum Te-Hina Paopao had 15 points for Oregon, nine of them on three-pointers in the closing quarter. She also had 10 assists and six rebounds.
Her team will play the winner of Friday’s Kansas State vs. Washington game.
With the loss, a couple of Toreros college careers have come to an end.
Myah Pace concludes her run in third all-time for USD in steals (247), sixth all-time in assists (375), eighth all-time in made free throws (299), ninth all-time in offensive rebounds (233) and 14th on the all-time scoring list (1,144).
Neubert’s 255 rebounds this season finish as the tenth-best single season in program history. Her 174 defensive rebounds place her in eighth on the single-season charts.
With five free throws, Oakry (253) finished in 10th place on the Toreros’ all-time list, passing Morgan Henderson (248). Her 125 free throws this season are also the fifth most in a single season in program history.