The U.S. Women’s National Basketball Team went to Eugene, Oregon on Saturday night to face Sabrina Ionescu, the near-lock to be the top pick in next year’s WNBA Draft, and the Ducks.
The U.S. women had not lost to a college team since 1999, which was also their only loss in such exhibition action, and after dominating the World Cup in 2018 and the AmeriCup in 2019, few expected the national squad to drop a game in Eugene. Ionescu and Satou Sabally had other ideas, however, as they combined for 55 points in a stunning 93-86 win, which will only further cement their status as the favorites to win the national championship this season.
Ionescu had 30 points, including 20 in the third quarter to send the game to the final period with the Ducks up one after this nifty drive and finish to end the quarter.
Game-high 25 points for @sabrina_i20 going into the fourth quarter 👊#GoDucks | @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/OzrVpdMIPa
— Oregon Women’s Basketball (@OregonWBB) November 10, 2019
In the fourth quarter, it was Sabally that led the way with 16 of her 25 points in the closing period, but the highlight of the final quarter belonged to Ionescu as she drilled a deep three to beat the shot clock buzzer and keep Oregon in front.
SABRINA FROM DEEP
(via @Pac12Network)pic.twitter.com/9olusZaeGo
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) November 10, 2019
If the hype surrounding Ionescu entering her senior season wasn’t already sky high, this performance against a U.S. team featuring Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Nnemkadi Ogwumike, and other top stars will certainly make her one of the sport’s biggest names. She’s expected to end up in Brooklyn with the Liberty, who own the top draft pick, but first she’ll look to power the Ducks to another Final Four and, they hope, a championship this go around.
