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Five must-watch games in the Pac-12

By Kim Doss

PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 31: Oregon Ducks guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) cuts the net after the NCAA Division I Women's Championship Elite Eight round basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and Mississippi State Bulldogs on March 31, 2019 at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 31: Oregon Ducks guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) cuts the net after the NCAA Division I Women's Championship Elite Eight round basketball game between the Oregon Ducks and Mississippi State Bulldogs on March 31, 2019 at Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 20: Haley Jones #30 drives against Francesca Belibi #1 during the Jordan Brand Classic girls high school all-star basketball game at T-Mobile Arena on April 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 20: Haley Jones #30 drives against Francesca Belibi #1 during the Jordan Brand Classic girls high school all-star basketball game at T-Mobile Arena on April 20, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Stanford at Oregon

Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET

Airing on ESPN/ESPN2

The Ducks took the title during the regular season, absolutely destroying the Cardinal at Matthew Knight Arena in the only match-up before the post-season. Stanford came back and took the conference tournament title by beating Oregon in the final.

This season, the unbalanced schedule swings back around so the top two teams in the conference have a home-and-away match-up. The first round is again in Eugene

The Cardinal lost leading scorer and rebounder Alanna Smith, but return DiJonai Carrington, Kiana Williams, Lacie Hull and Lexie Hull. They also add the No. 2 class in the country featuring three McDonald’s All-Americans among their four recruits. Those All-Americans include the No. 1 recruit in the nation, Haley Jones.

The Ducks didn’t need to worry about additions as much as they needed to avoid one rather substantial subtraction. They were relieved when Sabrina Ionescu opted to return for her senior season, eliminating that possibility.

Ionescu joins Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally as the top returners for the Ducks. They also added USC’s top scorer from last season, grad transfer Minyon Moore.

Stanford has a hill to climb to overcome the incredible combination of experience and talent at Oregon, but is it ever wise to count out a team coached by Tara VanDerveer?

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