Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu (#20) drives past two defenders during Friday’s game at MGM Arena. The number one seeded Oregon Ducks defeated the 8th seeded Arizona Wildcats 77-63 today in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. Two ducks logged double doubles with Ruthy Hebard leading the Ducks in scoring with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Sabrina Ionescu ended the game with 18 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds to help the 6th ranked Ducks move on to tomorrows semifinal match against UCLA at MGM Arena. Photo by Jeff Dean
EUGENE, Ore. – The end of the game clock in Oregon’s Final Four showdown with evenutal national champion Baylor also meant time was now ticking away for Duck star Sabrina Ionescu.
“I got a text that my decision actually had to be done 9 p.m. Eastern time, not 12 p.m.,” Ionescu said. “So therefore I had 45 minutes to decide what I was going to do.”
So in that time frame, she ate her dinner.
“Decided I would make this decision on a full stomach,” she said.
She grabbed her family.
Rain Making a Return Sunday
“Went on a walk with my brother and my mom,” she said.
And then she made the biggest decision of her life:
Turn pro with the WNBA – or return to Oregon for her senior season?
“I kind of put myself in that scenario of talking to my coaches and my team and telling them that I was going to leave,” Ionescu recalled. “There was a hole in my stomach, and it just didn’t feel right, and so at that moment I knew I wasn’t going to be able to talk myself into leaving, and that’s when ultimately I made my decision.”
Ionescu will be back next year.
And now with the choice behind her, Number 20 already has her sights set on being No. 1
“Now I know I got to do a good job. I can’t let up at all, so it’s on me as well here,” head coach Kelly Graves aid. “I mean she’s challenged everybody. I love it. You know, she’s the best assistant coach I’ve ever had, you know what i mean? She’s the coach on the floor, and she could’ve gone pro, you guys, and she opted for staying at the University of Oregon. I think we’re going to do something special.”
