In a thrilling first round of the NCAA Tournament held at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., the Oregon Ducks, seeded 10th, managed to edge out 7th seed Vanderbilt Commodores 77-73 in overtime. This victory was not without its hurdles, as Oregon had to regain their momentum after squandering a significant 19-point advantage in the second half.
Oregon’s charge was led by Deja Kelly, who scored 20 points and supplemented her performance with eight rebounds, three steals, and three assists. Having a familiar setting may have played a role since Kelly has had experience playing in Duke’s arena during her tenure with North Carolina. Oregon’s success was further reinforced by Nani Falatea, who contributed 17 points and Peyton Scott who added 13 points to the score sheet. This marked Oregon’s first March Madness victory since 2021.
Reflecting on the win, Oregon coach Kelly Graves praised his team’s determination and resilience, traits that he believes have been a hallmark of their season. “That was a hell of a game,” he remarked. “I’m just really proud of our team. Before the game, I talked about our grit and our toughness. I think that’s the one defining characteristic we’ve had all year, and we showed that late in the game with the defensive stops.”
On the Vanderbilt side, Mikayla Blakes, recognized as the SEC freshman of the year, showcased a strong performance by notching up 26 points. Teammate Khamil Pierre contributed 17 points, and Jordyn Oliver added 10 points to the team’s efforts. Initially lagging by 11 points at halftime, Vanderbilt managed a formidable comeback. With a robust start to the third quarter, Oregon extended their lead to a 48-29 score. Yet, Vanderbilt fought back fiercely with Oliver scoring eight points in the fourth, and a critical layup by Leilani Kapinus tied the game at 67 seconds remaining.
“It’s March, so I think that’s what these games are about. There’s lots of ups and downs,” stated Kelly, acknowledging the high-stakes drama that comes with tournament play. The final minutes of overtime saw Blakes and Pierre fouling out, enabling Oregon to capitalize on their absence. Free throws from Kelly, Scott, and Amina Muhammad secured the Ducks’ victory.
Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph, reflecting on the game, noted, “For whatever reason, this team likes to fight out of a hole, and we dug ourselves a pretty big one. Then we showed up like the team that I truly believe we are for most of the second half. Unfortunately, we ran out of time.”
Key takeaways from the game included Oregon’s coach Graves thriving as an underdog, now boasting 10 wins in the NCAA Tournament when seeded as a double-digit. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt has yet to clinch a March Madness win since 2013, struggling notably in this game by only making two 3-pointers against Oregon’s tough defense. Notably, Oregon holds a remarkable record this season with a 7-1 standing in games decided by a margin of four points or less, a testament to their ability to perform under pressure.
Up next for Oregon, they face the winner of the matchup between No. 15 seed Lehigh and No. 2 seed Duke on Sunday, as they continue their pursuit in the tournament.