Kelly Graves Provides Injury, Roster Updates Ahead of Season Opener

The Ducks will kick off the 2021-22 season on Tuesday with a whole new squad and a few missing pieces.

Oregon Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kelly Graves met with the media Monday before Tuesday's season opener against the Idaho State Bengals. The main focus in the Ducks' camp seems to be adjusting to the loss of guards Endyia Rogers and Te-Hina Paopao.

Graves gave some updates on who will be available for the Ducks Tuesday night. First, the good news: Kylee Watson should be available. Watson, a sophomore forward from Linwood, N.J., missed out on the last preseason game on Saturday due to an illness. Graves said she had not practiced since then, but she should be cleared in time for the opener.

Now the bad news. Incoming transfer Taylor Hosendove has not been cleared by the NCAA to play for the Ducks yet. Hosendove first transferred from Clemson to Georgia State two years ago before coming to Eugene. The fact that this is her second transfer move seems to be the reason she cannot suit up for the Ducks right away. Graves expressed his displeasure around the NCAA’s handling of Hosendove’s transfer.

“It is frustrating, there’s no question," Graves told reporters on Monday. "I think they did the right thing in giving the one-time transfer rule, but now you have to take your chances with the two-time. But the NCAA’s got a lot of issues right now.”

The status for the backcourt duo of Rogers and Paopao has not changed. Rogers will be out for the foreseeable future with a broken bone in her shooting hand, while Paopao is day-to-day. Paopao hasn’t practiced since getting injured in the exhibition against Saint Martin's on Oct. 28. Graves said the hope for Paopao is for her to return in time for the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament that kicks off on Nov. 20.

Rogers and Paopao were shoo-ins to start in the backcourt for Oregon and their absence means the Ducks will have to look elsewhere for perimeter shooting and ball-handling. The number one candidate to step up is guard Maddie Scherr. 

Scherr has some experience in this role, as she filled in at point guard for the injured Paopao late last year. With a whole offseason of work at the point, Scherr is ready to run the offense. She did it all in the preseason match against Westmont, finishing with eight points, eight assists and two three-pointers.

Despite the lingering injuries and transfer issues hanging over the Ducks, you would have never been able to tell from Scherr’s attitude. Tuesday will be Scherr’s and many of the Ducks’ first bona fide game at Matthew Knight Arena because of the pandemic keeping fans out of the arena until recently.

“This is our first time playing in front of the Oregon crowd, so we’re really excited, we’re looking good, and we’re ready," Scherr said Monday. "We’re gonna come ready to play tomorrow.”

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