The Oregon Ducks still have a few open slots for their 2019-20 women's basketball schedule. That led head coach Kelly Graves to take to social media in search for some help.
As of Tuesday's press conference, Graves post hadn't rendered much luck. He believes it may have been misconstrued.
“I think people took that the wrong way," he said. "They’re telling me to come play this school or come play us. I know the schools in the country. I’m saying put pressure on your coach. I thought I was pretty specific saying we need home games.
"I had people saying ‘come to Western’. 'Western' what? I really don't know."
What was Graves hoping for? For one, he was hoping to make up for missing the annual "speed scheduling event", as he terms it, at the Final Four. That was held at 4 PM last Friday. Graves and his team had a sizable conflict — a Final Four meeting with Baylor.
But more importantly, Graves is hoping to bring some marquee programs to Eugene to help satisfy a fanbase that has already proven it will turn out in droves to support the Ducks, even if they aren't facing an elite program. “I’m trying to get another Power Five team as well as somebody else," he explained. "So we have a good home schedule as well.
“Right now, our so-called marquee home game would be South Dakota State — a Sweet 16 team and we played them."
The Ducks already have scheduled road games at UCONN and Syracuse — two teams that finished the season ranked. Graves also suggested that the Ducks could face reigning national champion Baylor along with frequent Final Four participant South Carolina, at this year's Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Both schools are set to be in the field. They're just awaiting draws.
"I've let the people who run that tournament know we want to play the best that we can," Graves explained.
The Ducks are expected to be the top-ranked team when the first Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll are released. Bringing back four starters along with the front-runner for National Player of the Year Sabrina Ionescu will do that for you. Graves wants to ensure his group is tested.
"We’re going to schedule up and we’re going to push ourselves there’s no question," he said.
He also expects that the conference slate will provide his team with ample challenges. While several of the league's top players are graduating, including Stanford's Alanna Smith, Cal's Kristine Anigwe and Utah's Megan Huff to name a few, the outlook as a whole is exceptionally good, Graves believes.
I think the Pac-12 is going to be as good as its ever been next year," he said. "I’ve got a feeling we’ll have three maybe four teams in the top 10."
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