How to Watch Oregon Ducks vs. Michigan State Women's Basketball: Preview

EUGENE – After winning three consecutive games at home in Matthew Knight Arena, the Oregon Ducks women’s basketball team is back on the road to begin the second half of conference play in the Big Ten. The Ducks will begin their two-game road trip on Thursday against No. 16 Michigan State.
Oregon will also run into former Duck Grace VanSlooten, who transferred from Oregon to Michigan State last season. VanSlooten has been instrumental in the Spartans' offense, averaging over 14 points per game.
This will be the fifth overall meeting between the Ducks and Spartans and the first meeting between the two programs in three years. Oregon leads the series 3-1 and will look to improve that mark Thursday.
How to Watch:
The Oregon Ducks (15-5, 6-3) will take on the No. 16 Michigan State Spartans (17-3, 7-2) on Thursday, January 30, on the road in East Lansing, Michigan. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
Preview:
After remaining nearly undefeated at home with three consecutive wins, the Ducks are back on the road to take on Michigan State and Michigan . The Ducks enter Thursday’s game fresh off their second straight comeback victory, this time with a 57-54 win over Indiana last Friday. The Ducks trailed by as many as 10 in the second half and used a 10-0 run in the game's final five minutes to complete the comeback, further showcasing Oregon’s resilience.
Thursday’s game will present a big challenge for the Ducks as they look to take down a top-20 opponent on the road. Michigan State is riding a five-game winning streak after most recently beating then No. 2-ranked Michigan 88-58 on the road. The Spartans have had a dominant 2024-25 season thus far with only three losses while spending the last nine weeks in the top 25. Michigan State also boasts a perfect 10-0 record at home.
The Ducks will look to put an end to the Spartans’ winning streak while also handing the team its first home loss of the season— and the Ducks seem to have the tools to do just that.
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Offensively, the Ducks are led by two of the top active scorers in the NCAA, Peyton Scott and Deja Kelly. Scott is averaging 10.4 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.1 steals. During the Ducks’ most recent victory over Indiana, Scott led Oregon in scoring with 14 points while going 4-for-4 from the floor and 2-for-2 from behind the arc.
Kelly leads the Ducks in scoring, averaging 10.5 points per game while adding 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
Kelly and Scott are undoubtedly the biggest offensive threats on this team; however, that is far from meaning they are the only ones who can score the ball. The Ducks have shown throughout the season just how deep their bench is, as well as displayed their ability to share the scoring load. This season, seven different players have either led or tied Oregon’s scoring through 20 games, including three off the bench: Nani Falatea, Katie Fiso, and Elisa Mevius. Oregon’s bench is averaging 28.1 points per game.
The Ducks will need to have a dominant offensive performance Thursday in order to bring down No. 16 Michigan State, who has offensive threats of its own. Julia Ayrault leads four Spartans who average double figures in scoring with 16.3 points per game, while Grace VanSlooten is second with 14.2, and Theryn Hallock adds 13.8 per night. Ayrault is also the team leader with 7.9 rebounds per game.
As a team, MSU ranks first in the Big Ten in steals per game (13.3), bench points per game (28.6), and turnovers forced per game (24.3). The Spartans are second in the conference in assists per game (19.1) and turnover margin (+8.7).
Oregon is currently 1-2 against top-25 opponents. A win for the Ducks on Thursday would be Oregon’s second win against a top-25 opponent this season and the first on the road.
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