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Kelly Graves and the Oregon Women’s Basketball team did not have the season they were hoping for.
After a season in which Oregon was supposed to win the championship with Sabrina Ionescu, Ruthy Hebard, and Satou Sabally. The Ducks in 2021 finished fourth in the Pac-12. Going 15-9 overall and 10-7 in conference play. They finished ranked 23rd all together this year. So why did this team struggle this year?
They’re young. How did they measure up class wise? 2 Seniors, 3 Juniors, 3 Sophomores (redshirts and true), 5 Freshman. Those five freshmen were High School All-Americans.
The Ducks will lose those two seniors as well as Junior Guard Taylor Chavez and Sophomore Guard Jaz Shelley So where does the leave the team?
Currently still on the roster you have: Freshman PG Tehina Pao-Pao, Freshman Guards Sydney Parrish and Maddie Scherr, Freshman Forwards Kylee Watson and Angela Dugalic, Redshirt Sophomore Forwards Nyara Sabally and Sedona Prince, Junior Taylor Mikesell, and Junior Forward Arielle Wilson. (All of the freshman will be Sophomores in 2021-2022) This year the Ducks are adding incoming freshman guard Taylor Bigby. If you count it up; this last year there were 13 rostered players and there are currently 10. So will Graves add some transfers or freshman? I’d expect a mix for the three spots left open.
But lets take a look at how the lineup will play out with those on the roster now:
Starters
PG – Te-Hina PaoPao – 5-9 Sophomore
G – Taylor Mikesell – 5-11 Senior
G – Sydney Parrish – 6-2 Sophomore
F – Sedona Prince – 6-7 Redshirt Junior
F – Nyara Sabally – 6-5 Redshirt Junior
Bench
G – Maddie Scherr – 5-11 Sophomore
F – Angela Dugalic – 6-4 Sophomore
F – Kylee Watson – 6-4 Sophomore
G – Taylor Bigby – 6-1 Freshman
F – Arielle Wilson – 6-6 Senior
C – Phillipina Kyei – 6-8 Freshman
Again, this projected lineup is only with eleven players listed to be on the 2021-2022 roster. The coaches may bring in some transfers or even more freshman.
Now, comes the fun part predicting what this team can do. Now obviously the schedules aren’t out yet, so there will be another prediction for this team when it does come out. Though, just looking at the ten players listed above, this team has the chance to make some noise in the Pac-12 next season. They might not be as good as the 2019 team that was led by Ionescu, but that’s only a year or two away.
PaoPao is looking like she could be a star in the making for the Ducks. She was the fourth leading scorer as a freshman. But, Parrish who averaged 6 points as the number six scorer this last year will be the one making a jump and making herself better.
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Northwest Sports Desk 