MORAGA, Calif.—The UC Riverside Women's Basketball team gave No. 3 Oregon a fight, but couldn't pull off the upset in a 94-44 loss on Friday in the Saint Mary's Thanksgiving Classic.

The Highlanders (2-4) have played a tough schedule to begin the season, facing off against the likes of USC, BYU and Oklahoma State, which will unquestionably prepare them for a tough slate when Big West Conference play begins at the end of December.

With UCR down 23-11 going into the second quarter, Oregon couldn't miss, scoring 29 points in the quarter and shooting 65 percent from the field. Consistent from the three-point line the entire game, the Ducks drained a trio of three-pointers in the second quarter and finished the game shooting 46.7 percent (14-for-30) from beyond the arc.

UCR's offense attack had trouble adjusting to the length and agility of Oregon's forwards, consistently shooting with just a few seconds left on the shot clock.

Oregon forward Ruthy Hebard was a thorn in the team's side, scoring 16 points in the first half (19 overall), along with forward Satou Sabally, who tallied 17 points. Both were a big reason why UCR was outscored 40-18 in the paint.

The Highlanders were led by Lauryn Pointer, who scored a season-high nine point. Head coach John Margaritis chose to go deep into his bench, playing 11, which will no doubt help the Highlanders as the team gets deeper into the season.

The team didn't let the score dictate how hard they played. Down to the last minute, the Highlanders played with intensity and hustled up and down the court.

The team will face Milwaukee on Saturday at 12 p.m. in the final game of the Classic.