EUGENE, Ore. — In an exhilarating matchup on Wednesday night, Phillipina Kyei contributed significantly to Oregon’s success with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Elisa Mevius made a critical three-point play in the dying moments, allowing Oregon to fend off Auburn and clinch a 70-68 victory.

The game began sluggishly for Oregon, who managed to put up only nine points in the initial quarter. However, they regained momentum, maintaining a double-digit advantage for most of the third quarter until Auburn mounted a spirited comeback.

Auburn’s Taliah Scott, after finishing off the third quarter with a three-pointer, opened the fourth with another, narrowing the gap to 50-47. Despite this, Oregon’s Sofia Bell struck two three-pointers, helping the Ducks establish an 11-point lead once again.

With just 2 minutes and 12 seconds left on the clock, Oregon led 66-58, but Auburn responded sharply, scoring five consecutive points through a jumper from Deyona Gaston and three free throws by Scott. Nevertheless, Mevius was fouled while executing a layup, converting the subsequent free throw to give Oregon a six-point cushion with only 27 seconds remaining.

Despite a layup by Gaston and a free throw from Oregon’s Nani Falatea cutting the lead down, Scott sank a three-pointer just four seconds from the end, bringing Auburn within two points. However, Oregon skillfully managed to run down the remaining clock to secure the win.

Auburn had a slight edge after the first quarter, leading 12-9, but the Ducks regrouped in the second quarter. Oregon shot impressively, making 11 out of 12 two-point attempts, resulting in 24 points and a 33-27 lead at halftime. Peyton Scott led the scoring for Oregon in that period, hitting 5 of 7 shots to finish the game with 13 points.

Amina Muhammad also contributed with 10 points, while Mevius added nine. Meanwhile, Bell’s two three-pointers were notable since they were the only successful attempts from beyond the arc for Oregon out of eight tries.

For Auburn, Taliah Scott was the standout performer, finishing with an impressive 28 points, while Gaston added 14 to their tally.

With this win, the Ducks concluded their season-opening homestand with an unblemished 6-0 record and are set to face Georgia Tech on Monday during the Hawaii North Shore Showcase. Auburn, now at 3-1, will remain on the West Coast, preparing for a matchup against California on Friday.