Hebard Faces Pivotal Civil War Matchup
01/18/18 | Women's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
Oregon sophomore Ruthy Hebard will go head-to-head with Oregon State's 6-foot-5 senior Marie Gulich on Friday and Sunday.
It's hard to imagine a 6-foot-4, returning all-Pac-12 selection being overshadowed in any way, but for a while earlier this winter, it happened to Ruthy Hebard.
Hebard's fellow sophomore sensation, Sabrina Ionescu, commanded attention through her play in December. On Dec. 17, Ionescu tied the NCAA record with her seventh career triple-double, and the record became hers alone with another triple-double on New Year's Eve, against Washington. After that weekend, Ionescu was named Pac-12 player of the week for the third time in a row, and the fourth time in five weeks.
Entering this weekend's Civil War series, beginning in Corvallis on Friday (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network), Ionescu leads the conference in points and assists. But Hebard has been productive as well, and captured the spotlight in last week's sweep of Arizona and ASU by making 13-of-14 field-goal attempts – including all nine against the Sun Devils.
That was an encouraging prelude to a weekend in which no Oregon player figures to be more important than Hebard. On Friday night in Corvallis, and again Sunday in Eugene (5 p.m., Pac-12 Network), Hebard will be tasked with slowing down OSU post Marie Gulich, who is fourth in the nation with a 67.4 shooting percentage and is the only woman in the Pac-12 with double-digit scoring in every game this season.
"Ruthy's been playing well, and obviously we need her to play well, because I think she's going against the best post in the conference right now, in Marie Gulich," UO coach Kelly Graves said. "So she's got her work cut out for her, no doubt. … It's going to test everything she's about, and all her skillset."
Fortunately for the No. 7 Ducks, that's a considerable skillset. A year after leading the Ducks in scoring (14.9) and rebounds (8.5) as a freshman, Hebard has increased her offensive efficiency as a sophomore. She's averaging 16.8 points per game and is shooting 68.5 percent – third nationally, one spot ahead of Gulich, who is an inch taller at 6-5.
When Hebard and Gulich meet in the post Friday and Sunday, there don't figure to be many missed shots.
"She's really calm with the ball, and she really gets deep post-ups," Hebard said. "She's a really strong, physical post player, so I'm excited to go up against her."
Gulich is also respected by the Ducks as a passer. When opponents drop a wing down to double-team her, she can find the open teammate on the perimeter, where the Beavers are shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range as a team. Graves said 18th-ranked OSU often features a "plus-one pass" from Gulich, creating an open look by funneling the ball from Gulich out to the perimeter, and then over to a third player for the shot.
Oregon State's prolific three-point shooting – the Beavers made 16 in a win over Arizona last week – will be a test for Oregon's guards. They would benefit from Hebard holding her own one-on-one against Gulich.
"Hopefully I don't need help, so I can stop her myself," Hebard said. "But I believe in my teammates – if I need help, they'll come and help me out."
For all the concern Oregon has about Gulich, however, the Beavers will face a similar threat in Hebard. Though her 9-of-9 shooting against ASU was eye-opening, it wasn't Hebard's best shooting night of the season – she was 10-of-10 in an early season win over then-No. 19 Texas A&M. Hebard was also perfect on seven attempts against Eastern Washington in November, and made 11-of-12 against Mississippi State.
"Part of it is, she's getting great looks," Graves said. "She's right at the basket, and credit to her teammates: Maita (Cazorla) and Sabrina have done a really good job of getting her the ball where she can just catch and finish."
It won't be so simple against Gulich. Like her predecessor Ruth Hamblin, Gulich is a formidable shot blocker, with 51 so far this season (Hebard leads the Ducks with 25).
Hebard, though, is a more unpredictable scorer this season. She's worked hard to diversify the look she presents, and in particular not to be so reliant on her right hand. And she's added strength this year, to score by going through the defense and not just around it.
"I'm definitely working on my post moves a lot," Hebard said. "Going over both shoulders, left-handed, finishing stronger – it's definitely helping me."
In two matchups against Gulich and the Beavers last season, Hebard went just 4-of-16 combined. Oregon's sophomore post is a different player this season, and the Ducks will need her to continue to be so this weekend.
