EUGENE, Ore. — The Pacific women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a cold-shooting night, falling in the first round of the WNIT to Oregon 90-63 Thursday at Matthew Knight Arena.
Kendall Kenyon led the Tigers with 14 points, while KiKi Moore added 13 and nine rebounds to go with seven steals in the final game of her illustrious career.
Sam Pettinger, who became the Tigers’ all-time leader in games played with the start, added eight points, four rebounds and a pair of steals and assists.
Fellow Shanice Butler added three points from the free throw line and a blocked shot. Erin Butler hit three three-pointers for nine points, while Hailie Eackles added eight points and Marjorie Heard six
Pacific shot 27 percent for the game (21-of-76) and were out-rebounded 65-38 by the Ducks (16-15). The Tigers made eight of a program-record 38 three-point attempts.
Jillian Alleyne grabbed 18 rebounds with 14 points, while Ariel Thomas and Katelyn Loper each scored 20 for Oregon. Chrishae Rowe added 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The Tigers opened with a 6-3 lead as both teams struggled to get going offensively. Oregon embarked on a 20-0 run as the Tigers missed eight straight attempts. Oregon led 25-6 as the Tigers went 9:58 without a field goal. Shanice Butler hit three from the free throw line and Eackles took the lid off the basket with a three-pointer. Moore’s steal and lay-up pulled Pacific within 13 at 27-14 with 5:38 to go in the first.
Erin Butler added a three as the Tigers cut the margin to 10, but Oregon answered with a lay-up by Rowe. Eackles knocked down a three-pointer, but Loper’s jumper and a Rowe three gave the Ducks a 38-20 advantage. Marjorie Heard finished inside as the Tigers cut the gap to 16 at halftime.
Pacific shot just 23 percent (8-of-35) from the field in the first half, and 3-of-18 from three-point range. The Tigers held Oregon to 37 percent shooting (15-of-40), but Oregon held a 37-17 lead in rebounding.
Kenyon posted back-to-back inside buckets, but the Ducks answered with a pair of lay-ups from Alleyne. Lexi Peterson hit a three for Oregon to restore a 19-point lead, but Moore answered back with a three.
Moore drained a three-pointer and Heard scored inside to bring Pacific back within a dozen before Loper and Erin Butler traded threes.
But the Tigers’ comeback was thwarted by back-to-back threes by Loper put the Ducks up 22. On a fast break, Oregon finished and was awarded a one-and-one for the unique four-point play which stretched the lead to 25 with 9:46 to play.
Oregon pulled away, leading by as many as 35. Pettinger knocked down a three, and Moore continued to press in the backcourt forcing turnovers.
Moore, who was the leading active steals leader in the NCAA this season, finished with 381 thefts in her career to go with 2021 career points. Pettinger finishes her career ranked 25th in Pacific history in both assists and steals. In her four years, she was a part of 72 wins, more than any other player in Pacific history.
In the Tigers’ third-straight trip to the WNIT, Pacific’s season came to an end at the hand of a Pac-12 team. Utah knocked off Pacific in overtime in the Sweet 16 last season. The Tigers fall to 3-2 against Pac-12 teams in post-season play.
Oregon tops ice-cold Pacific