Takeaways from Oregon’s overtime win over Vanderbilt

Here are three takeaways from Oregon’s gritty win and Vanderbilt’s late push.

Oregon’s hot start and deep shooting paid off

The Ducks imposed their pace early, controlling the tempo and executing their game plan across the first three quarters. Oregon led for 37 minutes of the game and, with 6:09 left in the third quarter, they had built a 19-point lead. That cushion proved essential when Vanderbilt stormed back, scoring one-third of its points in the fourth quarter. Oregon’s sharp perimeter shooting gave them a consistent scoring edge. The team shot 8-for-16 from 3-point range, with junior guard Nani Falatea leading the way with 4-for-7 shooting from deep. Sophomore guard Sofia Bell added two triples to the board while fifth-year guard Peyton Scott and senior guard Deja Kelly both added one bucket each from beyond the arc.

“I thought we did a really solid job, especially those first three quarters,” Kelly said. “We just stuck to the game plan. We were focusing on details. We were in our right spots positionally on defense. So I think we got good looks offensively. We did a really good job of just sticking to the overall game.”

Vanderbilt, by contrast, struggled from distance, going just 2-for-14 on 3-point attempts. That discrepancy from long range helped Oregon absorb the Commodores’ fourth-quarter comeback — a 9–0 run that erased the lead and forced overtime.

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Oregon’s composure sealed the win

When the lead vanished late in regulation, Oregon didn’t panic. The Ducks stayed focused and closed out the game with free throws, rebounding and timely defensive stops. They outscored Vanderbilt 10-6 in overtime. 

Deja Kelly finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists. She hit seven of nine free throws and was key to settling the team when the pace threatened to get out of hand. The Ducks also got a meaningful lift from their bench, which outscored Vanderbilt’s reserves 17-12.

“We were composed,” Kelly said. “I think that that was the biggest thing for us. You know, once we did break the pressure in our stretch, we were able to get the shots that we wanted, and again, just control the game and control our pace.”

Oregon head coach Kelly Graves praised his team’s toughness and situational awareness — from Peyton Scott drawing the offensive foul that disqualified Vanderbilt freshman guard Mikayla Blakes, to junior forward Amina Muhammad securing a critical offensive board on a missed free throw.

“Our players just kind of know how to make winning plays,” Graves said. “And sometimes it’s not pretty. In fact, if you’ve seen us play a lot this year, oftentimes it’s not pretty. But we make the plays when they count.”

Blakes shows star power — but fouls out late

Blakes entered the tournament as Vanderbilt’s leading scorer and lived up to the billing with 26 points and five rebounds. She attacked off the dribble, finished through contact and hit 11-for-13 from the free throw line. Her energy helped ignite Vanderbilt’s rally, but foul trouble in overtime brought her standout performance to a sudden halt.

“She’s an incredible player,” Graves said. “She reminds me of [Atlanta Dream guard] Jordin Canada with a jump shot. We talked about containment — there’s no way you stop her. Even with the amount of attention we gave her, she still puts up 26 points. That’s what great players do. I’m really excited to watch how she progresses as a player.”

Blakes’ performance impressed even in defeat. She played over 42 minutes, sparking momentum with her pace and control.

“We knew that she was special. We knew that she had the capability of impacting our program in a way that maybe we hadn’t seen yet from a recruit we had brought here,” Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph said. “I mean, look at everything that our athletic department is doing right now. How cool is it to be part of that now, I get to be part of that, and I think we’re a big piece of why Vanderbilt athletics is moving in the right direction.”

As Blakes fouled out, so did Vanderbilt’s shot at a storybook comeback.

The Commodores also lost sophomore forward Khamil Pierre and Leilani Kapinus to fouls. All three players were essential to the resurgence — and all three were on the bench by the game’s final minutes.

“I would like to think if we had our best players on the floor for most of the game, the outcome would have been different,” Ralph said. “But that usually doesn’t happen in March. You have to prepare for everything.”

Oregon meets No. 2 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Sunday to battle for a spot in the Sweet 16.

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