University of Oregon
Drake
Oaks' Outburst Lifts Ducks Past Drake, 66-63
12/15/06 | Women's Basketball
DES MOINES – What a difference a year makes.
Last season, the Ducks cruised to a 30-point blowout win over Drake at McArthur Court. This time around, the Oregon women had to overcome a lean roster and work for 40 minutes to dispose of the feisty Bulldogs, 66-63, at the Knapp Center.
The shorthanded Ducks (7-1), already minus freshman shooting guard Taylor Lilley for the month of December with a broken hand, traveled to the Midwest without senior post Jamie Hawkins, who became ill earlier in the week. That meant that Oregon was going into battle with only seven players in uniform who have seen significant playing time this season.
“We fought through a lot of things tonight,” said head coach Bev Smith. “If we made a mistake, we stayed focused and didn't lose our composure, and that's the sign of a team playing together.”
While the last two margins of victory against Drake (4-4) may have differed significantly, the play of Oregon's Cicely Oaks did not waiver. The senior guard, who had a career-high 15 against the Bulldogs last year, went for another career mark by dropping 21 points, including 15 in the second half to pull the Ducks through.
“Cic had just a fantastic game,” Smith said. “Offensively, we've always believed in her and she came through really big tonight when we needed her most.”
Senior forward Eleanor Haring had 16 points in a career-high 35 minutes, while sophomore guard Tamika Nurse and junior wing Kaela Chapdelaine finished with nine points apiece for Oregon.
Drake was led by freshman Monique Jones' career-high 17 points, one of three Bulldogs in double figures.
The Ducks snapped Drake's nine-game home winning streak in a contest that featured nine ties and 12 lead changes.
More evidence of how close the outcome was can be gleaned from the fact that both teams shot an identical 49 percent from the floor, making 25-of-51 field goals.
“It was a good game because it was tight and we're going to have a lot of games like that in the Pac-10,” Oaks said.
Oaks scored the Ducks' first eight points of the second half to push UO in front 43-39. But the Bulldogs refused to go away, scoring on back-to-back field goals to grab a one-point lead.
Drake still led by one at the 7:44 mark, 55-54, but Haring's turnaround jumper on the Ducks' ensuing possession put the visitors ahead for good.
The first half was a seesaw affair and ended tied at 35-all as the two teams put on a shooting clinic. Oregon converted 14-of-26 shots (53.8 percent), while Drake drained 15-of-28 (53.6).
DU built a six-point lead midway through the first half, but Oregon answered with a 7-0 run – capped by an Oaks three-ball – to reclaim the advantage, 17-16, at the 9:48 mark.
The Bulldogs charged back and built their biggest lead at 26-19 with 6:49 to play. UO countered with a 16-9 spurt to close the half.
The Ducks complete their non-conference road schedule on Saturday with a 1 p.m. (CT) game against Missouri State.
QUACK TRACKS: Hawkins could be available for the game at Missouri State on Saturday ... Oaks set a career-high with five three-pointers ... Chapdelaine made a season-high two FG from two-point range ... Nurse equaled her career mark for a second straight game with five assists ... DU outscored the Ducks, 36-16, in the paint and 16-6 in points off turnovers.
