Little was expected of the Oregon Ducks. They hadn’t beaten the USC Trojans in the last four head-to-head games. The Ducks had zero wins against ranked teams this season. And for the better part of the game, it looked like it was going as expected. The No. 21-ranked team led by 17 points at one point… But what came next will go down as one of the greatest comebacks in Oregon history, inspired by none other than program legend Sabrina Ionescu.

“We were a little intimidated; she [Ionescu] talked about that, talked about just playing stronger,” Kelly Graves said after the game. “The message was right on point. And they listened. Maybe I gotta hire her.”

The comeback started after Ionescu’s motivational speech, with the Ducks scoring 24 points in the third quarter. That was 3 points more than they scored in the entire first half. That push lit the fire, but once the fourth began, that belief turned into total control.

They scored the first 12 points, with Katie Fiso scoring eight and assisting a few. The USC defense looked fragile, to say the least, and the offense looked rushed. Three of the Trojans’ first four shot attempts were air balls, and they also missed the final eight. The Ducks ultimately punished them, going on a 14-0 run to grab the 71-66 win. 

Ari Long hit 3 three-pointers in a row to give the Ducks the lead with just 30 seconds to go. Ionescu fired them up more from the sideline when the third triple landed. For context, Long was 0 of 3 from behind the arc and had just two points before catching fire.

Ehis Etute led the Ducks with a career-high 17 points and also grabbed 13 rebounds. Fiso finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Mia Jacobs and Long chipped in with 11 points each.

The Trojans are 10-5 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, and for Jazzy Davidson, a landmark day was marred by a heavy loss. 

Jazzy Davidson’s Sabrina Ionescu PE debut ends in disappointment

Sabrina Ionescu is among the prime reasons Jazzy Davidson is where she is today.

“I didn’t watch much WNBA growing up,” Davidson said. “I watched the Oregon Ducks when Sabrina was there. They were the big thing in Oregon. My family and I would drive down to all her games and watch. She really inspired me.”

Taking note of her fandom, the Nike WNBA athlete also gave Davidson her PEs, featuring a custom colorway, in December.

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Recently, the Trojans star unveiled her ‘Clackamas Sisterhood’ Sabrina 3 PE. And with Ionescu in attendance, Davidson thought it was the perfect opportunity to debut the sneaker, featuring a bright red upper and a large metallic silver Swoosh. The name is supposed to be a nod to her high school, according to Sole Retriever. Davidson’s Clackamas High School in Oregon had a similar jersey shade, which adds a personal touch. 

“USC star Jazzy Davidson is debuting another new Sabrina 3 PE tonight — against Oregon with @Sabrina_i20 in attendance,” wrote sneaker insider NickDe Paula, which Ionescu reposted.

However, that debut did not go to plan… Davidson scored 14 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks, but she was ineffective from the field, going 5 of 20 and 2 of 8 from deep.

The freshman also made some questionable decisions as the clock was winding down. She took on a double team and missed a floater that could’ve given her team the lead and possibly the win. While Davidson’s decision-making left much to be desired, the youngster will eventually learn from this and improve.