Photo by: Samuel Marshall/Eric Evans Photography
Sweet Sixteen Features Similar Challenge
03/23/18 | Women's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
Like Minnesota in the second round, the Ducks face another run-and-gun offense that relies on threes when they meet Central Michigan in the Sweet Sixteen on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN)
SPOKANE, Wash. — The Oregon women's basketball will have no excuse if the Ducks aren't prepared for the challenge they'll face in the Sweet Sixteen.
Because familiarities abound in Spokane this weekend.
Six days after facing a run-and-gun Minnesota squad that relied heavily on three-pointers, the UO women face a team with a similar profile in Central Michigan on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN). Like regional No. 2 seed Oregon, the 11th-seeded Chippewas feature five starters averaging double-figure points per game. And they made 14-of-27 threes in upsetting No. 3 seed Ohio State on Monday.
"That was an upset in seed-line only; they're really good," UO coach Kelly Graves said.
In reviewing film of the Chippewas, Graves said they reminded him and his long-time assistant, Jodie Berry, of the teams they fielded during a 14-year run at Gonzaga that included seven NCAA Tournament appearances.
"They can all shoot it, they can handle it, they can pass it," Graves said. "They play unselfishly, they play hard. It's a good team."
Graves had similar things to say prior to Oregon's second-round win over the Gophers. The third-ranked scoring offense in the country entering that matchup, Minnesota attempted 28 three-pointers Sunday in Matthew Knight Arena. The pace was such that the Gophers put up 66 shots overall, more than all but six other UO opponents in 2017-18.
Central Michigan (30-4) is making its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, and its first-round win over LSU was the first in school history. The Chippewas' leading scorer is 6-foot-3 forward Tinara Moore, who is averaging 18.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, and is comfortable enough on the perimeter to have made 2-of-4 threes against the Buckeyes.
Moore had 20 points and 10 rebounds against Ohio State, and 6-foot forward Reyna Frost grabbed 13 boards. In two tournament games this year, the Chippewas have a plus-12 rebounding margin on average.
Central Michigan also has averaged just 12 minutes per game of play by its bench in this tournament. Point guard Presley Hudson has played all 80 minutes over the two games, wing Cassie Breen has played 79 and Moore has played 78.
That could provide an opening for the Ducks, if they're able to take advantage.
"I think we're difficult to play against if you don't have a bench, only because we make you defend," Graves said. "We get up and down the floor OK, but I think in the halfcourt, we make you guard. We try to get it to the third and fourth side of the floor. Over the course of a 40-minute game, that can be difficult."
In yet another parallel for the Ducks, they're facing an opponent Saturday that, like Minnesota last week, is looking to mirror what Oregon accomplished a year ago — advancing deep into the tournament as a double-digit seed. The Ducks were a No. 10 seed when they advanced to the 2017 Elite Eight, and they know the mentality it takes to be a giant killer — which will help them avoid that fate, they say.
"We were that team last year, so we're gonna be ready," Graves said. "We're not gonna fall into that trap, that's for sure."
Oregon's arrival in Spokane was delayed about 17 hours due to mechanical issues with the team charter.
The Ducks were scheduled to arrive on site late Thursday afternoon, but spent the night at home in Eugene before rising early for a flight Friday morning.
"A little disappointed we couldn't get out yesterday, but those kind of things happen," Graves said. "I reminded our team and sent them a little text today about our core values and principles. No. 1 on that list is, we choose to be positive. So we were positive about it and got here."
Perhaps the most disappointing element of the delay was that the family of UO junior Oti Gildon, a Spokane native, had prepared a dinner feast for the Ducks upon their scheduled arrival Thursday. The dinner was rescheduled for Friday, and Graves said it was worth making time for on the itinerary.
"I've eaten at the Gildon's before," he said. "It's impressive."
For the second year in a row, Oregon post Lydia Giomi is experiencing a postseason tournament run from the bench.
Giomi played sparingly last season before suffering a wrist injury that allowed her to receive a medical hardship waiver and sit out the season as a redshirt. At this year's Pac-12 Tournament in Seattle, Giomi suffered a foot injury that required surgery and sidelined her for the rest of this postseason.
"It's hard, for sure; definitely hurts," Giomi said. "But you do what you can on the bench. Obviously it's something I had to do last year, so you know the process, you know the steps. It's familiar ground, and I think that does make the blow a little softer."
The blow will be further softened for Giomi when about a dozen friends and family arrive from her native Seattle to attend Saturday's game. Among her family will be her maternal grandfather, Peter King, a Eugene native who preceded her as a UO student-athlete, in football and basketball.
Despite the injury, Giomi did have work to do in Spokane. Upon the team's arrival Friday morning, she retired to a meeting room where she had a final exam in physics administered by a UO staff member.
Because familiarities abound in Spokane this weekend.
Six days after facing a run-and-gun Minnesota squad that relied heavily on three-pointers, the UO women face a team with a similar profile in Central Michigan on Saturday (3 p.m., ESPN). Like regional No. 2 seed Oregon, the 11th-seeded Chippewas feature five starters averaging double-figure points per game. And they made 14-of-27 threes in upsetting No. 3 seed Ohio State on Monday.
"That was an upset in seed-line only; they're really good," UO coach Kelly Graves said.
In reviewing film of the Chippewas, Graves said they reminded him and his long-time assistant, Jodie Berry, of the teams they fielded during a 14-year run at Gonzaga that included seven NCAA Tournament appearances.
"They can all shoot it, they can handle it, they can pass it," Graves said. "They play unselfishly, they play hard. It's a good team."
Graves had similar things to say prior to Oregon's second-round win over the Gophers. The third-ranked scoring offense in the country entering that matchup, Minnesota attempted 28 three-pointers Sunday in Matthew Knight Arena. The pace was such that the Gophers put up 66 shots overall, more than all but six other UO opponents in 2017-18.
Central Michigan (30-4) is making its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, and its first-round win over LSU was the first in school history. The Chippewas' leading scorer is 6-foot-3 forward Tinara Moore, who is averaging 18.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, and is comfortable enough on the perimeter to have made 2-of-4 threes against the Buckeyes.
Moore had 20 points and 10 rebounds against Ohio State, and 6-foot forward Reyna Frost grabbed 13 boards. In two tournament games this year, the Chippewas have a plus-12 rebounding margin on average.
Central Michigan also has averaged just 12 minutes per game of play by its bench in this tournament. Point guard Presley Hudson has played all 80 minutes over the two games, wing Cassie Breen has played 79 and Moore has played 78.
That could provide an opening for the Ducks, if they're able to take advantage.
"I think we're difficult to play against if you don't have a bench, only because we make you defend," Graves said. "We get up and down the floor OK, but I think in the halfcourt, we make you guard. We try to get it to the third and fourth side of the floor. Over the course of a 40-minute game, that can be difficult."
In yet another parallel for the Ducks, they're facing an opponent Saturday that, like Minnesota last week, is looking to mirror what Oregon accomplished a year ago — advancing deep into the tournament as a double-digit seed. The Ducks were a No. 10 seed when they advanced to the 2017 Elite Eight, and they know the mentality it takes to be a giant killer — which will help them avoid that fate, they say.
"We were that team last year, so we're gonna be ready," Graves said. "We're not gonna fall into that trap, that's for sure."
Oregon's arrival in Spokane was delayed about 17 hours due to mechanical issues with the team charter.
The Ducks were scheduled to arrive on site late Thursday afternoon, but spent the night at home in Eugene before rising early for a flight Friday morning.
"A little disappointed we couldn't get out yesterday, but those kind of things happen," Graves said. "I reminded our team and sent them a little text today about our core values and principles. No. 1 on that list is, we choose to be positive. So we were positive about it and got here."
Perhaps the most disappointing element of the delay was that the family of UO junior Oti Gildon, a Spokane native, had prepared a dinner feast for the Ducks upon their scheduled arrival Thursday. The dinner was rescheduled for Friday, and Graves said it was worth making time for on the itinerary.
"I've eaten at the Gildon's before," he said. "It's impressive."
For the second year in a row, Oregon post Lydia Giomi is experiencing a postseason tournament run from the bench.
Giomi played sparingly last season before suffering a wrist injury that allowed her to receive a medical hardship waiver and sit out the season as a redshirt. At this year's Pac-12 Tournament in Seattle, Giomi suffered a foot injury that required surgery and sidelined her for the rest of this postseason.
"It's hard, for sure; definitely hurts," Giomi said. "But you do what you can on the bench. Obviously it's something I had to do last year, so you know the process, you know the steps. It's familiar ground, and I think that does make the blow a little softer."
The blow will be further softened for Giomi when about a dozen friends and family arrive from her native Seattle to attend Saturday's game. Among her family will be her maternal grandfather, Peter King, a Eugene native who preceded her as a UO student-athlete, in football and basketball.
Despite the injury, Giomi did have work to do in Spokane. Upon the team's arrival Friday morning, she retired to a meeting room where she had a final exam in physics administered by a UO staff member.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's BasketballKelly Graves | Selection Sunday
Monday, March 17
Deja Kelly, Peyton Scott & Phillipina Kyei | Selection Sunday
Monday, March 17
Peyton Scott & Ari Long: "A good, competitive basketball game."
Thursday, February 27
Kelly Graves: "We've played really well."
Thursday, February 27
