Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Ducks Are More Than Big Three
02/21/20 | Women's Basketball, @GoDucksMoseley
The UO women's basketball team plays Friday at California (6 p.m., Pac-12), another chance for the Ducks' depth to complement its "Big Three" superstars.
The "Big Three" haven't been the only three for the UO women's basketball team this season.
The No. 3 Ducks, who play at Cal on Friday (6 p.m., Pac-12 Network), are national championship contenders because of Sabrina Ionescu, Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally. But Oregon hasn't had to rely only on those three to position itself atop the Pac-12 with two weeks left in the regular season, thanks to a supporting cast that has made its presence felt with increasing regularity the last few weeks.
Already the best offensive team in the country, the Ducks have become the best defensive team in the Pac-12 thanks in part to senior transfer Minyon Moore, and tenacious sophomore Taylor Chavez. Meanwhile, dead-eye shooters Erin Boley, Jaz Shelley and Chavez have punished teams who thought shutting down the Big Three would shut down Oregon's offense.
"I've been part of teams where I had to have the ball in my hands, play 40 minutes, but it actually hasn't been a huge adjustment," said Shelley, who is third on the team with 41 three-pointers as a freshman this season, while averaging about 18 minutes per game off the bench.
"We realize the type of players we have on our team, and we know we're not going to be the stars. We know where the ball should go, who needs the ball at the right time. Hopefully down the track that can be our position, and we're ready to wait."
A year ago, only seven players averaged double-digit minutes for the Ducks, on their path to the Final Four. This year, nine Ducks are averaging 10 minutes or more per appearance, with Lydia Giomi and Holly Winterburn further enhancing the depth.
Oregon's bench is deep enough that reserves can even help spell each other.
Last week at USC, Chavez was held out for precautionary reasons. She's been the team's most accurate three-point shooter at 45 percent, and she's been the Ducks' top perimeter defender off the bench with 26 steals.
Graves said Chavez was held out after experiencing symptoms similar to the foot injury that sidelined her late last season. But the Ducks are cautiously optimistic this won't be so troublesome.
"She's doing great, so I don't anticipate this is going to be long," Graves said Wednesday. "… It's definitely nothing long-term."
With Chavez sidelined, Shelley played 22 minutes at USC, the first time in 11 games she played more than 20 minutes.
"I just need to step into her place and kind of mimic what she's been doing, because it's been so positive for our team," Shelley said. "It's been so good to have her off the bench – she's been coming in and doing something really positive – so I just need to be able to do the same thing and try to make sure there's no hiccups."
Boley also helped account for Chavez's absence by having her most prolific shooting night of the season so far. The junior forward was 7-of-12 from three-point range against USC, for a season-high 25 points.
Boley led the Ducks with 108 three-pointers last season, and she's first again this year with 58. Ironically, though, Boley said her three-point production isn't how she evaluates her impact for the team.
"When I look at games and think about how I played and how I helped the team, it has nothing to do with my shot," Boley said. "Based on the night, some people will face-guard and not let me catch it on the perimeter, and that opens up things in the paint. Other nights, like at USC, we'll have open perimeter shots.
"But I've tried really hard this year to make an impact defensively, be able to contribute on the defensive end and doing lots of little thing on the floor."
All those little things have added up for Boley, and for all of Oregon's bench players this season. They may play in the shadow of the Big Three, but they've managed to grab the spotlight for themselves from time to time this season, and look to do so again Friday at California.
The No. 3 Ducks, who play at Cal on Friday (6 p.m., Pac-12 Network), are national championship contenders because of Sabrina Ionescu, Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally. But Oregon hasn't had to rely only on those three to position itself atop the Pac-12 with two weeks left in the regular season, thanks to a supporting cast that has made its presence felt with increasing regularity the last few weeks.
Already the best offensive team in the country, the Ducks have become the best defensive team in the Pac-12 thanks in part to senior transfer Minyon Moore, and tenacious sophomore Taylor Chavez. Meanwhile, dead-eye shooters Erin Boley, Jaz Shelley and Chavez have punished teams who thought shutting down the Big Three would shut down Oregon's offense.
"I've been part of teams where I had to have the ball in my hands, play 40 minutes, but it actually hasn't been a huge adjustment," said Shelley, who is third on the team with 41 three-pointers as a freshman this season, while averaging about 18 minutes per game off the bench.
"We realize the type of players we have on our team, and we know we're not going to be the stars. We know where the ball should go, who needs the ball at the right time. Hopefully down the track that can be our position, and we're ready to wait."
A year ago, only seven players averaged double-digit minutes for the Ducks, on their path to the Final Four. This year, nine Ducks are averaging 10 minutes or more per appearance, with Lydia Giomi and Holly Winterburn further enhancing the depth.
Oregon's bench is deep enough that reserves can even help spell each other.
Last week at USC, Chavez was held out for precautionary reasons. She's been the team's most accurate three-point shooter at 45 percent, and she's been the Ducks' top perimeter defender off the bench with 26 steals.
Graves said Chavez was held out after experiencing symptoms similar to the foot injury that sidelined her late last season. But the Ducks are cautiously optimistic this won't be so troublesome.
"She's doing great, so I don't anticipate this is going to be long," Graves said Wednesday. "… It's definitely nothing long-term."
With Chavez sidelined, Shelley played 22 minutes at USC, the first time in 11 games she played more than 20 minutes.
"I just need to step into her place and kind of mimic what she's been doing, because it's been so positive for our team," Shelley said. "It's been so good to have her off the bench – she's been coming in and doing something really positive – so I just need to be able to do the same thing and try to make sure there's no hiccups."
Boley also helped account for Chavez's absence by having her most prolific shooting night of the season so far. The junior forward was 7-of-12 from three-point range against USC, for a season-high 25 points.
Boley led the Ducks with 108 three-pointers last season, and she's first again this year with 58. Ironically, though, Boley said her three-point production isn't how she evaluates her impact for the team.
"When I look at games and think about how I played and how I helped the team, it has nothing to do with my shot," Boley said. "Based on the night, some people will face-guard and not let me catch it on the perimeter, and that opens up things in the paint. Other nights, like at USC, we'll have open perimeter shots.
"But I've tried really hard this year to make an impact defensively, be able to contribute on the defensive end and doing lots of little thing on the floor."
All those little things have added up for Boley, and for all of Oregon's bench players this season. They may play in the shadow of the Big Three, but they've managed to grab the spotlight for themselves from time to time this season, and look to do so again Friday at California.
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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
