No Longer An Upstart, Ducks Handling Life As The Hunted In Pac-12
01/11/18 | Women's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
After capturing the attention of the nation last spring, then winning Sunday at Pac-12 preseason favorite UCLA, Oregon has a target on its backs entering this week against the Arizona schools.
In high school, Ruthy Hebard played in three state tournaments. During one summer with her club team, Mallory McGwire lost just once, on the way to a national title. One of her teammates on that club, Sabrina Ionescu, has helped Team USA win no less than five international age-group tournaments.
All of which is to say that, while young, members of the UO women's basketball team know what it's like to play the favorite role. Which is good news for a team that, in the wake of its historic sweep in Los Angeles last week, figures to be fully entrenched as "the hunted" in the Pac-12 conference, beginning when the Ducks host Arizona on Friday (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network) and against ASU on Sunday (5 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
"I definitely think we have a target on our back," Ionescu said. "Everyone's coming out to get us – and I think they all think they can."
After surprising the nation with its run to last year's NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, Oregon wasn't exactly sneaking up on anyone this season. The Ducks were ranked No. 11 in the preseason, and were picked second in the Pac-12 preseason poll.
But as recently as Sunday at UCLA, head coach Kelly Graves could play the underdog card with his team. The Ducks had never swept the L.A. road trip; doing so last week required, after winning at USC, upsetting preseason Pac-12 favorite UCLA, on its home court, with 7,190 fans cheering on the Bruins.
"You have nothing to lose," Graves told his team in the locker room before tipoff.
That tact is probably off the table after Oregon's 70-61 victory over the Bruins. The Ducks (15-2, 4-0 Pac-12) have only lost twice, both on the road to teams ranked No. 5 nationally. They're off to their best start in conference play, looking to go 5-0 for the first time ever. And they're one of only two unbeaten teams through two weeks of Pac-12 play, along with Sunday's visitor to Eugene, Arizona State.
"I think our kids are mature enough, even though they're still young, to realize we gotta turn the page," Graves said. "We enjoy (beating UCLA) that night, and guess what, it's Arizona next."
The player whose late three-pointer helped clinch the win at UCLA, UO guard Lexi Bando, also knows what it's like to play as favorites; her Willamette High (Eugene) team played for three state titles, winning two. But as an Oregon senior, she's spent three years helping the Ducks grow into the favorite role, something they're realizing only now.
"It's a totally different mindset," Bando said. "Being the underdog, last year especially, and really now being on the radar the last three years, it's a different mindset. Every team is going to give you their best game, and we can't really have any off nights."
Ionescu said protecting their status at the top of the Pac-12 standings can help keep the Ducks focused. She knows from experience, having helped McGwire win a national club title in summer 2015.
"(Opponents) see holes in our defense and in our offense, they see we're still young and still improving, so I think they are coming out to get us," Ionescu said. "Which is definitely different than last year; last year we were under the radar and we were able to kind of sneak by some teams. But this year teams are coming to get us, and I think that's making us better. We have to be on our 'A' game night in and night out, or we're gonna be upset."
Graves is fond of sending group texts to the team that included inspirational quotes, either his own or things he's read elsewhere. In the wake of the UCLA win, his message was on the subject of not being complacent.
"If what you did yesterday still looks good today," Graves texted to his players, "then you haven't done anything today."
Fortunately for Graves, his roster is littered with players who over the years have grown accustomed to not being satisfied by a single victory.
"In high school, we maybe lost seven games," said McGwire, who attended Reno (Nev.) High. "That's a fun thing to go through. I don't honestly know any different. That's weird to say out loud, but you just have to work harder than other teams. I know people say that, but it really comes down to little, nitty gritty things."
Graves sees plenty of details to keep hammering on with the Ducks. In the nonconference season, Oregon's offensive firepower masked some defensive deficiencies. Entering this weekend's matchup with the Arizona schools, the UO women are seventh nationally in scoring at 86.9 points per game, but in Los Angeles it was defense that saved the Ducks, as they combined for 38 turnovers against the Trojans and Bruins.
The Ducks are far from perfect, despite their perfect start to Pac-12 play. With a roster of players accustomed to keeping a level head while experiencing success, and several weeks of high-caliber opponents standing between Oregon and a conference title, Graves is confident his team can maintain a mature approach – starting Friday against Arizona.
"I anticipate a really good game (Friday)," Graves said. "And then, Arizona State is Arizona State. … They get in your face defensively, they don't make mistakes, they make you work for everything – and this year they're making threes. This will be a big weekend."
