Lexi Bando puts opposing teams on notice when she’s hot from 3-point range.

Just ask UCLA, which cut the Oregon lead to six points during the fourth quarter on Friday, only to have Bando score eight straight points.

She didn’t score in last month’s meeting, but Bando delivered a 25-point performance on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point lead for a dramatic win on Friday night over No. 15 UCLA, 84-75. The Ducks improve to 16-9, 5-7 Pac-12.

“I thought she was really aggressive,” head coach Kelly Graves said of Bando, who had scored 23 total points in the Ducks’ last four games. “She didn’t hesitate on her shot. She lined it up quick. … She kept them honest by taking it to the basket a couple of times. That was one of our focuses.”

In the win, Sabrina Ionescu recorded her fourth career triple-double, breaking the Oregon career record that Bev Smith previously owned. Ionescu had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

After the win, Ionescu said she was more focused on the team.

“I knew I was somewhere close but I didn’t care,” Ionescu said. “I just wanted to win. I’m happy we won.”

UCLA recruited Ionescu in high school, so head coach Cori Close was familiar with Ionescu’s playmaking ability. Graves said Ionescu’s performance was all the more impressive given that UCLA keyed in on Ionescu from the opening tip.

“I have a lot of respect for Ionescu,” Close said. “She will have a special place in my heart. I respect what she’s doing.”

Ruthy Hebard, who was 5-of-6 from the floor, had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Maite Cazorla continued her hot streak on the court with 13 points. Mallory McGwire and Sierra Campisano each had nine points as well.

“This was a really big game for us growing as a team,” Bando said. “We just haven’t able to get it done on the past, but we’re only looking forward. If we want to reach the NCAA Tournament we have to close out games like this.

“We did that tonight.”

The Ducks entered the week No. 8 in ESPN’s Bracketology and will surely benefit from Friday’s win. UCLA entered the game with an RPI of 10 after its upset win at Stanford on Monday night.

“We put four great quarters together,” Graves said. “I loved our energy and our consistency throughout the game, especially defensively.”

Oregon finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field while holding the visitors to 36 percent. The Ducks won the rebounding battle 43-34 and shot 60 percent from 3-point range.

“We did a great job of taking care of the ball against really, really good pressure,” Graves said. “UCLA is just an outstanding team. They’re incredible. They keep coming at you.”

Though UCLA guard Jordin Canada, who Graves called the best point guard in the country, finished with 20 points, the Ducks held her to just two points before halftime. The Ducks led 41-27 at intermission.

UCLA was picked to win the Pac-12 by the league’s coaches before the season.

“That’s a really good team. That’s a Final Four contending team,” Graves said. “We were able to get it done here. It gives us confidence. … It’s a quality win late in the season.”

USC, which beat Oregon State on Friday, comes to town on Sunday for an 11 a.m. tipoff.

Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne

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