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To stream or not to stream?
That is one of just a few questions Oregon Ducks women’s basketball coach Kelly Graves is looking forward to answering as the Ducks prepare to open up the 2021-22 season.
Oregon opens the campaign with Idaho State, a team that made the NCAA tournament last season and returns many of those players. But not a lot is known about this year’s Bengals team on the court.
“We’re one of just a few teams that stream our exhibition games. Good luck in trying to find teams that have archived their first two games,” Graves said. “It just doesn’t happen. Idaho State didn’t even print their box score from their one exhibition game. I don’t know what the secrecy is. We have chosen not to do that, but we also chose not to show anything.”
The Ducks were able to easily defeat their competition in the exhibition season with resounding wins over St. Martin’s and Westmont. But the Bengals will present a different kind of challenge.
They were picked to win the Big Sky Conference after going 22-4 last season, which included a road victory over Kansas State. Idaho State had 4-seed Kentucky on the ropes in the NCAA tournament before falling 71-63.
“These guys are good. But we’ve always scheduled up ever since I’ve been here,” Graves said. “We play a tough non-conference schedule. We’re going to be tested, no question about it. These guys are coming in and they’re not afraid. (Idaho State) is loaded. They’re not going to be intimidated. They’re going to come in intent on beating us.”
Graves wishes his team is at full strength against the Bengals, but that just won’t be the case. Guard Indyia Rogers is out 4-6 weeks with a broken arm, Te-Hina Paopao will be out a couple of weeks with an undisclosed injury, and forward Taylor Hovendove is still awaiting clearance from the NCAA with her transfer paperwork.
The Ducks and Bengals will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed on pac-12.com.
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