EUGENE, Ore. — Ahlise Hurst hit six of Oregon's 14 three-pointers and led four Ducks who scored in double figures as the UO women's basketball team advanced to the WNIT quarterfinals with a third-round victory Thursday over San Diego, 81-61, before 3,009 fans in Matthew Knight Arena.

Hurst scored a season-high 23 points, contributing to 36 points off the bench for the Ducks. Te-Hina Paopao added 15 points with 10 assists and six rebounds, Chance Gray and Endyia Rogers each scored 10 and Taya Hanson had nine points. Hurst's six threes were as many as she made during an 18-game shooting slump from Dec. 20 to March 2, which she's broken out of with 11 threes in three WNIT games.

"It's what we needed at the end of the season, to keep going, keep playing and get the championship at the end," Hurst said.

The victory gave the Ducks their 20th win of the season. The UO women have won six of seven entering a WNIT quarterfinal game to be played Sunday or Monday, against either Kansas State or Washington at a location to be determined.

The Oregon Ducks take on the San Diego Toreros in round 3 of the 2023 NIT Tournament at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on March 23, 2023 (Eric Evans Photography)

"We get to play another day, and that's fun," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "I mean, obviously this isn't the tournament that we were shooting for, but we're in it. This is the bed we made and we're making the most of it. That's all you can do in life, you know? Whatever you have earned, make the most of it. And we are. So I'm really proud of them."

How It Happened: The Ducks were slow out of the gates, but that didn't last long. With San Diego up 12-9 in the first, Oregon went on a 10-0 run that included threes by Hanson and Gray and two-point baskets by Hurst and Gray. Hanson hit another three just before the quarter ended, making it 22-14 after one period.

The Ducks were on a 13-2 run at that point, and they scored another nine in a row to open the second — on consecutive threes from Hanson, Hurst and then Hurst again. A 7-0 run by San Diego ended on yet another three-pointer by Hurst and Oregon was up 43-30 at halftime, at that point needing just seven points from the tandem of Paopao and Rogers.

The Oregon Ducks take on the San Diego Toreros in round 3 of the 2023 NIT Tournament at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on March 23, 2023 (Eric Evans Photography)

Rogers got going in the third, scoring seven points. With Oregon up 50-40, she made a bucket that sparked an 11-0 run to close out the quarter. Hurst made yet another three to cap that run and give the UO women a 61-40 lead entering the fourth.

Then it was Paopao's turn, as she hit a trio of three-pointers in the fourth for nine points in the period. Hurst made two more threes to cap her season-high night, and Phillipina Kyei added a couple of buckets to complement the seven rebounds she grabbed on the night.

Notable: Freshman forward Grace VanSlooten started but didn't play in the fourth quarter. … Freshman post Kennedy Basham was not in uniform. … The Ducks have won 20 games for the seventh straight season, not counting the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign.

The Oregon Ducks take on the San Diego Toreros in round 3 of the 2023 NIT Tournament at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon on March 23, 2023 (Eric Evans Photography)

Quotable:

UO coach Kelly Graves on amping up defensive pressure at times Thursday

"Sometimes when we put more pressure defensively, you know, it kind of picks us up. Early in the game we were a little lethargic, and we kind of needed a little pick-me-up. And then thank God in that second quarter the threes started falling. But especially when we go small — you know they were considerably bigger than us, taller and stronger — so we just wanted to open it up best we could."

UO coach Kelly Graves on the plan Friday given the uncertain schedule

"We have a couple that have finals tomorrow. So yeah, we've just got to rest and heal. As you can see, we didn't go back to Grace late. But hopefully we get Kennedy back for the next game; I think that's the plan. And then hopefully Grace can get healthy."

Up Next: The Ducks will play the winner of Friday's game between Washington and Kansas State, with the date and location to be determined after the matchup is set.

Original source can be found here.