Mercury's Sabally Starts College Career On A Good Note

The Phoenix Mercury star had a strong debut season at Oregon.

Feb. 7, 2026 at 5:31am

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Satou Sabally, one of the Phoenix Mercury's top players, had an impressive start to her college career at the University of Oregon. In her debut season, Sabally averaged 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game, showcasing her all-around skills. She had several standout performances, including a 20-point game against Drake and a solid outing against Louisville, the team that handed Oregon its first loss that season.

Why it matters

Sabally's successful college debut foreshadowed her rise to stardom in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury. Her early success laid the foundation for her to become one of the league's top players, leading the Mercury in scoring and helping the team make a deep playoff run.

The details

Sabally played 38 games as a freshman, starting 29 of them. She made her debut against Cal State Northridge, recording 11 points, 4 steals, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and a block. In her second game, she scored 20 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, dished 2 assists and blocked 1 shot in a win over Drake. Despite being held scoreless in the next game, Sabally bounced back with 10 points against Louisville, the team that handed Oregon its first loss of the season.

  • Sabally made her college debut against Cal State Northridge in the 2022-23 season.
  • Sabally scored 20 points in a win over Drake later that season.
  • Sabally was held scoreless in one game but then scored 10 points against Louisville, the team that handed Oregon its first loss.

The players

Satou Sabally

A star forward for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA, Sabally had an impressive start to her college career at the University of Oregon, averaging 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game as a freshman.

Sabrina Ionescu

Sabally's teammate at Oregon, Ionescu was the leading scorer in the game against Drake, scoring 29 points and recording a triple-double with 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Lexi Bando

An Oregon player who scored 16 points in the game against Drake.

Maite Cazorla

An Oregon player who scored 12 points in the game against Drake.

Ruthy Hebard

An Oregon player who scored 10 points in the game against Drake.

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What they’re saying

“Satou Sabally is one of the Phoenix Mercury's stars, and she had an excellent season. She was the team's leading scorer, and she averaged 16.3 points.”

— Davion Moore, Author (yardbarker.com)

The takeaway

Satou Sabally's impressive start to her college career at Oregon foreshadowed her rise to stardom in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury. Her early success laid the foundation for her to become one of the league's top players, showcasing her all-around skills and ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor.