Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu Helps No. 1 Ducks Stun U.S. Women's National Team

The U.S. women’s national team lost to No. 1 Oregon 93-86 on Saturday, losing to a college team for only the second time in history.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

EUGENE, Ore. — The U.S. women’s national team lost to No. 1 Oregon 93-86 on Saturday—only the second defeat to a college team in the Americans’ history.

The Americans haven’t lost a major international game since falling in the semifinals of the 2006 World Championships to Russia. The only other loss to a college program for the Americans came in 1999 when Tennessee won on a shot by Kara Lawson, who was a freshman that season, with 10 seconds left. The U.S. won the next 20 college games after that loss to the Lady Vols before Saturday.

Sabrina Ionescu scored 30 points to lead the Ducks. Her layup to end the third quarter gave Oregon a 68-67 lead and started a 15-2 run that Satou Sabally capped with a layup with 6:26 left. Sue Bird then hit a 3-pointer on the other end, igniting a 15-5 U.S. spurt that got the Americans to 87-84 with 1:02 left after a layup by Napheesa Collier.

But Sabally, who finished with 25 points, answered with a layup and the U.S. could get no closer.

The Americans were playing the fourth game of their college tour that started in Stanford last Saturday. Since that win over the Cardinal, the Americans have traveled nearly 5,000 miles while playing against Oregon State, Texas A&M and now Oregon.

Nneka Ogwumike had 19 points and 14 rebounds for the U.S., which now will head to Argentina to play in a FIBA Pre-Olympic qualifying tournament.