70-69 Loss to Washington Forces Oregon into Big Ten Tournament First Round

Washington's 70-69 win at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene pushed Oregon into a Big Ten Tournament first-round game instead of a bye, a result that followed a furious Ducks comeback and a costly late turnover by guard Katie Fiso. The Register‑Guard published an extended photo gallery dated March 1, 2026 documenting the game, and OregonLive described it as "Sunday’s 70-69 loss to Washington at Matthew Knight Arena."

Oregon erased a 10-point deficit to take a one-point lead in the final two minutes, but the score stood at 69-69 after Washington guard Sayvia Sellers scored inside and missed her free throw after being fouled. Oregon’s last possession included a loose-ball collision between Washington’s Devin Coppinger and Oregon’s Katie Fiso, and Fiso’s turnover late in the sequence left the Ducks on the wrong end of the one-point margin. Katie Fiso acknowledged the sting, saying, "It’s definitely a tough loss in a game we could have won." She added on the silver lining, "Like I always say, 'Who doesn’t want to play more games?' ... I love this sport. I love this game. So, playing more games, I’m kind of happy for it."

Coach Kelly Graves tied individual moments to the arc of the contest in his postgame remarks, saying, "I feel bad for our kids. We fought hard. We weren’t great in the first half, but I thought in the second half, we were much better. Typical Ducks’ fashion. We sure make it exciting here." Graves also shared a Senior Night moment on the court after the final buzzer, giving senior Amina Muhammad a hug while senior Astera Tuhina posed with the Oregon Duck.

Photographs from the Register‑Guard gallery capture the game’s momentum swings and late drama: "Oregon’s Avary Cain, left, has a shot blocked by Washington’s Avery Howell during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene March 1, 2026." The gallery also shows "Oregon’s Ehis Etute, center, shoots between Washington’s Avery Howell, left, and Elle Ladine during the second half," "Oregon’s Mia Jacobs, left, forces a turnover during the second half against Washington’s Elle Ladine," and "Washington’s Devin Coppinger, left, and Oregon’s Katie Fiso collide going for a loose ball during the Duck’s last possession of the game at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene March 1, 2026." Postgame emotion is visible in the image captioned, "Washington’s Olivia Anderson, left, and Devin Coppinger, center, celebrate their victory over Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene March 1, 2026."

The loss changes Oregon’s path in the postseason: instead of a bye, the Ducks open Big Ten Tournament play Wednesday against Purdue, according to the site’s tournament listings. Teams and fans at Matthew Knight Arena who watched the comeback and the late-game turnover left with the narrow defeat in mind and a midweek trip to the Big Ten Tournament on the schedule.