Ducks Take Three-Game Streak to the Desert
Note: This is an abbreviated version of Oregon's Weekly Basketball Notes. For the complete release, including stats, box scores, player capsules, etc., please view the PDF.
THIS WEEK
The Ducks (13-9, 5-7) look to continue their recent success as they head to the Desert for games against No. 10 Arizona State (21-3, 12-2) and Arizona (8-17, 2-11) on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. No road trip in the Pac-10 has been as daunting as the Southwest swing in recent years with Oregon going without a win at either campus since 2000.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE
Oregon’s upcoming home practice schedule is as follows:
Mon., Feb. 5, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Tue., Feb. 6, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Wed., Feb. 7, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Practices at McArthur Court are open to the media and interviews may be conducted at the conclusion of each session. Please contact Andy McNamara (541-346-2253) if you plan on attending. All times are subject to change.
QUICK QUACK
Oregon returns six players from last year’s squad, which went 14-15, 5-13 in the Pac-10. Of UO’s nine active players, five are seniors, including F Eleanor Haring, a former Pac-10 All-Freshman team honoree.
CLIPPED WINGS
The Ducks will likely be without the services of SR F/C Jessie Shetters (stress fracture) for the remainder of the regular season. FR G Taylor Lilley will be day-to-day for the rest of the season with a precursor to a stress fracture in her right leg.
SERIES VS. ARIZONA STATE
UO holds a 27-20 series’ edge all-time vs. ASU, but the Sun Devils are 12-3 against the Ducks since 2001. All three of Oregon’s wins over that span have come at home. Last year in Tempe, the Ducks nearly upset ASU before falling 44-43 on Jan. 12, 2006. Chelsea Wagner’s potential game-winning jumper rimmed out at the buzzer.
SERIES VS. ARIZONA
Oregon leads the all-time series against UA 25-19, including a 14-7 mark at Mac Court. Last year, the Wildcats took two of the three meetings with the Ducks and knocked UO out of Pac-10 tournament. UA has won 10 of the last 16 meetings against Oregon dating back to 2000. UO has won the last three games in Eugene and UA the last six in Tucson. Last year the ?Cats needed overtime to win, 81-72, on Jan. 14, 2006. UA was 26-of-30 from the free throw line in that game.
NURSE NAMED PAC-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SO G Tamika Nurse was selected as the Pac-10 Player of the Week for the week ending Feb. 4 after helping the Ducks defeat UCLA and USC at home. Nurse scored a career-high 22 points against the Bruins and grabbed a career-best six rebounds against the Women of Troy. Over the two games, the Hamilton, Ontario native was 24-of-26 at the foul line. Nurse was UO’s first weekly honoree this season and first since SR F/C Carolyn Ganes took home the hardware Dec. 19, 2005. It was the first weekly award for Oregon to come during Pac-10 play since Brandi Davis won for the week of Feb. 12, 2005.
YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS
Speaking of free throws, in the 11 games the Ducks have made more freebies than their opponents, they are a perfect 11-0. When the opposition hits more foul shots, UO is 2-9.
MORE FOUL LINE FUN
Against UCLA on Feb. 1, SO G Tamika Nurse was 10-of-10 on free throws, tying her for the third on the single-game list for FT percentage. In the next game - vs. USC on Feb. 3 - she was 14-of-16 (.875) to tie for second on the single-game list for FT made. The team’s 27 made free throws (in 30 attempts) against the Women of Troy was a season-high.
TOUGH TAY
While not even close to 100 percent physically and limited to half court drills in practice for the foreseeable future due to an injured right leg, FR G Taylor Lilley is a big reason for the Ducks’ turnaround to start the second half of Pac-10 play. Over her past three games, the 5-6 sharpshooter is averaging 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field and 55 percent from three-point range.
OH CANADA
The Ducks looked North of the Border for major contributions in last week’s wins against UCLA and USC. Canadians JR G Kaela Chapdelaine, SR F/C Carolyn Ganes and SO G Tamika Nurse combined for 88 of Oregon’s 149 points (59 percent) in the two games. The trio combined to make 35-of-37 free throws and 23-of-45 field goals.
DUCKS ADD AUSSIE KENYON
G/F Victoria Kenyon, a 17-year-old Australian from Brisbane, Queensland, joined the Ducks prior to the start of winter term and will redshirt the remainder of the 2006-07 season. Kenyon, who comes to Eugene from the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS), will participate in all practices and travel with the team.
GOODBYE GARBY
SR G Nicole Garbin has called it a career and will not continue to play basketball for the Ducks. Garbin, a sixth-year senior, played in three games this season following a standout soccer career at UO.
MAC COURT 300
Oregon’s win over BYU on Dec. 30 was the program’s 300th home victory at McArthur Court. The Ducks have an all-time Mac Court mark of 302-103 (.746).
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
The Ducks have had plenty of success outside of the Pac-10 Conference in recent years and this one is no different. Over the past three seasons, UO is a combined 26-8 in non-league games. Oregon is 8-2 in non-conference games this year with its next such contest coming in March at the Pac-10 tournament.
PAP? PLAYER
SR F Eleanor Haring earned the MVP award at the ninth annual Pap? Jam at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Dec. 9. Haring led all scorers with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting as she paced the Ducks to a 70-60 victory against Big 12 side Colorado.
ALL TOURNEY
SR F/C Carolyn Ganes was the Ducks’ representative on the Oregon Thanksgiving Tournament All-Tournament team after averaging 13.5 points and 4.0 rebounds as the Ducks went 1-1 to take third place. Pittsburgh won the tourney with wins over Utah and Boise State.
2007 RECRUITS
Oregon inked one of its most impressive recruiting classes in recent years, signing four prep players to National Letters of Intent during November’s early period.
6-4 post Nicole Canepa (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius Prep), 5-7 guard Nia Jackson (Seattle, Wash./Chief Sealth), 6-2 post Ellie Manou (New South Wales, Australia/Australian Institute of Sport) and 5-11 wing Tatianna Thomas (Newhall, Calif./Hart) will be incoming freshmen in the fall of 2007.
UO’s class was ranked 31st nationally by recruiting outlet Blue Star Basketball.
