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Hebard leads Oregon to 83-69 win over Central Michigan

The Ducks are in the Elite Eight for the second straight year.
Sabrina Ionescu had 29 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to lead Oregon past Minnesota 101-73 in the second round of the Women's NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 18, 2018. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Ruthy Hebard had 23 points and 14 rebounds, Sabrina Ionescu just missed another triple-double with 16 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, and second-seeded Oregon beat No. 11 seed Central Michigan 83-69 on Saturday in the Spokane Region semifinal of the women's NCAA Tournament.

Lexi Bando added 14 points for Oregon (33-4), which earned a second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight with its 12th win in a row.

The Ducks will play top-seeded Notre Dame in the regional final on Monday.

Tinara Moore had 23 points and 14 rebounds for Central Michigan (30-5), which won its first two NCAA Tournament games in program history this year. Presley Hudson added 15 points on 6-of-21 shooting.

The Chippewas were doomed by poor shooting, making just 36 percent of their shots to 49 percent for Oregon.

Oregon led 24-12 after a first quarter in which the Ducks shot 55 percent while holding Central Michigan to 29 percent.

Oregon was ahead 40-25 at halftime behind an efficient 16 points from Hebard on 8-of-12 shooting from inside. The taller Ducks held a 26-10 advantage in the paint during the first half.

The Chippewas shot only 29.7 percent in the first half. Hudson, who averages 18 points per game, was scoreless until she hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer.

The 25 points were the least in a first half for the Chippewas this season.

Central Michigan got untracked in the third quarter, with Hudson and Cassie Breen each hitting a pair of 3-pointers to cut Oregon's lead to 55-46. But the Ducks outscored the Chippewas 11-2 the rest of the third to take a 66-48 lead into the fourth.

Moore scored 15 points in the fourth, but it wasn't enough to make up the deficit.

BIG PICTURE

Central Michigan: The Chippewas wrapped up the finest season in the program's 50-year history.

Oregon: The Ducks showed plenty of depth and sound defense in beating the Chippewas, who average 82 points per game.

UP NEXT

Oregon plays Notre Dame, a 90-84 winner over Texas A&M, in the Spokane Region final on Monday evening.

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