In one important way, there is a notable similarity between the Oregon team that visits El Paso for a WNIT quarterfinal and the UTEP squad hosting them.
Both teams got off to blazing starts, both went into the final weeks of the regular season thinking they were going to play in the NCAA tournament, both had to deal with the disappointment of not getting in and both are playing their way into form as as the WNIT progresses.
For the Ducks, that's especially impressive considering they lost the Pac-12 co-player of the year, Jillian Alleyne and her 19.