Ionescu’s triple-double lifts No. 3 Oregon to 102-82 win over Buffalo

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Sabrina Ionescu had her 12th career triple double, Ruthy Hebard added 25 points and No. 3 Oregon cruised past Buffalo 102-82 on Sunday.

Ionescu finished with 12 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, the last board coming with 1:24 left to play. Hebard had 13 points in the third quarter as the Ducks (4-0) doubled their halftime lead to 20 points.

All five Oregon starters scored in double figures as Satou Sabally had 20 points, and Maite Cazorla and Erin Boley added 15 each. The Ducks also made 34 of 38 free throws, including runs of 17 and 13 in a row, and held a 35-23 edge in rebounds.

Cierra Dillard led the Bulls (2-1) with 32 points and Courtney Wilkins added 19.

Oregon led 49-39 after one half slowed to a crawl by 27 personal fouls and 31 free throws.

The Ducks were 12-for-24 from 3-point range, led by Boley’s 5-for-8 effort, and held Buffalo to 9-for-31 shooting beyond the arc.

BIG PICTURE

Oregon continues to suit up only nine players, and all had played by the end of the first quarter, with German freshman Nyara Sabally out for the season with an ACL injury suffered in the FIBA U18 Euro title game. All five starters are averaging at least 12 points per game.

Buffalo goes as far as Dillard can carry the scoring load, and the senior came within four of her career high, as she and Wilkins took 37 of the Bulls’ 67 shots.

UP NEXT

Buffalo heads to Las Vegas to play Georgetown on Friday night and South Dakota State on Saturday night.

Oregon plays UC Riverside on Friday as part of the Saint Mary’s Invitational in Moraga, California. The Ducks face the host Gaels on Saturday.