No. 10 Oregon women open by downing Seattle 116-51

EUGENE, Ore. — Taylor Mikesell scored 28 points and No. 10 Oregon opened the season with a 116-51 win over Seattle on Saturday.

Sophomore center Sedona Prince had 17 points for Oregon, which shot 53.1% from the field while outrebounding the Redhawks 58-28. Senior forward Lydia Giomi added 15 points and 13 rebounds.

"It was a lot of fun, a long time coming," said Oregon coach Kelly Graves, whose team last took the court on March 8 for an 89-56 win over Stanford in the championship game of the Pac-12 Tournament.

"For the longest time it seemed like something that was out there and out there and out there and then it seemed like it just came upon us real fast. Going through it, the game-day protocols were not too invasive. A lot of what we did was routine and normal. It was pretty neat to finally get out there and get a chance to play."

Mikesell, a junior transfer from Maryland, made seven 3-pointers in the first half, helping the Ducks to a 71-25 lead at the break.

"When you are hot and your teammates are finding you, just keep shooting the ball," Mikesell said. "I always have confidence in myself. The confidence I play with is from the work I put in. I had energy from the start and it was going in, so I was going to keep shooting it."

Oregon (1-0) is replacing four starters after it went 32-2 last season, including three first-round picks in the WNBA draft — Sabrina Ionescu (No. 1 overall to the New York Liberty), Satou Sabally (2, Dallas Wings) and Ruthy Hebard (8, Chicago Sky).

Prince, a transfer from Texas, and Mikesell both got the start in their Oregon debuts, along with point guard Te-Hina Paopao, one of five freshmen who signed with the Ducks.

Junior Taylor Chavez, the Pac-12 sixth player of the year last season, resumed her role off the bench with 11 points.

"Of all the seasons to have depth, it is this one," Graves said. "We don't know from day to day or game to game who will be available or how many players. I feel really good about the group we have. It is a group that's good enough to go a long way."

Mikesell and Prince each scored nine points in the first quarter as Oregon shot 63.6% from the field to take a 39-14 lead.

Oregon pushed the lead to 94-41 at at the end of the third quarter.

BIG PICTURE

Seattle: Williams was the only player in double figures for the team. Her 20 points matched her career high. Freshmen Irena Korolenko, Erin Tarasow, Hannah Martin and Helen Sauvage made their college debuts.

Oregon: The Ducks dominated in what likely will be one of only two nonconference games before they open Pac-12 play at home next weekend against Colorado and Utah.

UP NEXT

Seattle is scheduled to host Utah State on Thursday.