Ducks Battle UCLA Saturday at 2 p.m.
THIS WEEK
The Oregon women’s basketball team returned to Mac Court on Thursday and suffered a 67-58 loss to fourth-place USC.
The Ducks will look to rebound against UCLA (14-12, 9-6) on Saturday, hosting the fifth-place Bruins at 2 p.m
The Ducks final home game against Oregon State is set for 4 p.m., Saturday, March 1, and will be broadcast by the Oregon Sports Network.
TELEVISION
Oregon’s 2 p.m. game with UCLA this Saturday will be aired on Comcast SportsNet. The game is the eighth television game of the season for Oregon. The Ducks are scheduled to have nine games on the air this year, with the final hosting Oregon State at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 1.
MEDIA
Fans in Oregon can listen to Terry Jonz call the UCLA game on KSCR 1320. His broadcast will also be available on the O-Zone, as well as a video stream of live action for Duck fans out of the broadcast area. Live stats will also be available at www.GoDucks.com.
TIP-OFF TUESDAY
The Cooler’s Oregon Tip-Off Tuesday coaches’ radio show is broadcast live from The Cooler Restaurant and Bar from 7-8 p.m., every Tuesday night.
The show features Jerry Allen with men’s basketball head coach Ernie Kent, and the voice of Oregon women’s basketball, Terry Jonz, with head coach Bev Smith. Fans are invited to catch the live action in-person, but can also listen on KUGN 590 in Eugene as well as the O-Zone at www.GoDucks.com.
INSIDE SCOOP
Don’t forget to catch head coach Bev Smith in her weekly coach’s show, aired on KEZI at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, and replayed on Comcast SportsNet (channel 37). Check listings at www.northwest.comcastsportsnet.com for each week’s replay times. O-Zone subscribers can also watch on www.GoDucks.com.
PAC-10 SHAPING UP
With the Pac-10 Tournament less than two weeks away, the conference standings are beginning to take shape. Currently holding down the top spot is eighth-ranked California (23-3, 14-1), but a loss to Stanford on Saturday could move the Bears behind the currently second-place Cardinal (24-3, 13-2).
Arizona State (17-9, 11-4) is currently in third spot, trailed closely by USC (17-9, 10-5) and UCLA (14-12, 9-6). Washington holds down the sixth spot (12-15, 7-8), two games ahead of seventh place Oregon (11-15, 5-11).
Arizona (9-17, 3-12) is currently eighth in the standings, followed by Oregon State (10-17, 3-13) and Washington State (4-22, 1-14).
If the standings remain as is after the final games next week, Oregon would play Washington State at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 7, to open the 2008 State Farm Pac-10 Women’s Basketball Tournament. If the Ducks knocked out the Cougars, they would play the No. 2 seed at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, March 8.
The Ducks are not completely out of hope for gaining a first round bye, but would need quite bit of help. Oregon would have to win-out, defeating UCLA and Oregon State, while Washington would have to drop its final three; on the road at Arizona State, and at home to Cal and Stanford. The teams would then have identical 7-11 records, but the Huskies would hold the tiebreaker with their win over USC. UCLA could surpass the Trojans in the standings for Oregon to hold the tiebreaker, but that would involve the Bruins losing to the Ducks on Saturday, and then sweeping Arizona State and Arizona next week, while USC would have to lose three in a row to Oregon State, Arizona and ASU.
BECKY L. SISLEY AWARD
At halftime of the Oregon-UCLA game on Saturday, two qualified recipients will receive the Becky L. Sisley award, which recognizes professional achievement, community service and support to the University of Oregon.
Sisley served as the first and only Director of Women’s Athletics from 1973-1979. She also coached basketball, field hockey, softball, and was instrumental in creating a level playing field for women to compete in intercollegiate athletics.
This year, Charlene Carter and June Liu will be recognized.
Carter entered Oregon in the fall of 1978 and played on the Northwest Championship field hockey team in 1979 and the Northwest Championship club soccer team in 1980 & ?81. Carter has been a mentor and advisor for Committed Partners for Youth, and has been honored by Eugene Red Cross, Zonta Club, and the local HIV Alliance for service to the community. A donor to the Alumni Association and the Fast Break Club, she recently gave an endowment to support the new College of Education building.
Liu is a Eugene native who played softball for the Ducks from 1979-1982. She was a four-year starter and team captain as a junior and senior.
Liu spent four years in the Eugene area as Recreation Coordinator for the Eugene Life Care Center and Junction City Senior Center Coordinator before heading to southern California. She currently serves as Administrative Services Manager for the City of Cypress, Calif. Liu has chaired the Employers’ United Way Campaign, sponsored the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and served on the local 10 K Road Run Committee to raise funds for high school athletic scholarships and the Children’s Advocacy Fund. As a “distant” Duck, Liu still supports the green and yellow and is a member of the Alumni Association and Order of the “O”.
THE CLOSE ONES
This season Oregon has played nine games that have been decided by five points or less. In those nine games - eight of which were conference contests - the Ducks won just three.
The Ducks won their Pac-10 opener at Oregon State, 76-72, on Dec. 29, held off Washington, 66-64, on Jan. 19 at Mac Court, and most recently defeated Washington State, 70-67, in Pullman.
Excluding their four Pac-10 losses to top-10 conference opponents Stanford and Cal, the Ducks’ six other Pac-10 losses have come by a total of 28 points or 4.6 points per game.
THE YOUNG ONES
Of 338 Division I teams, Oregon ranks 11th in the nation on relying on sophomores and freshmen. Of a total of 5400 minutes played this season, the Ducks’ six freshmen and three sophomores have played a total of 3784 minutes, 70.1 percent. That percentage makes Oregon the youngest team in the Pac-10, just ahead of UCLA, whose underclassmen are allotting for 68.9 percent of minutes played (13th in the country), Washington State, which ranks 19th at 63.1 percent and Washington (22nd) at 58.6 percent. Gardner-Webb plays the youngest squad in the nation, with underclassmen allotting for 94.0 percent of the team’s playing time.
THREE-POINT MASTERS
Oregon’s three-point shooting was significant in the team’s victory at Washington State last Sunday. The Ducks shot 42.4 percent from the floor overall, but behind the three-point line produced a season-best 12-for-22 (.545) performance.
Oregon set a new season high with 12 made three-pointers; the most the Ducks had scored earlier this season was 10 at UCLA (Jan. 24) and vs. Tulsa (Dec. 19).
Handling the majority of that three-point shooting was sophomore guard Micaela Cocks. The native of New Zealand came off the bench and shot 4-of-5 from three-point range, setting a new career high with four long distance baskets made in a single game.
Ellyce Ironmonger contributed with her fourth three-pointer of the season, while Taylor Lilley hit four treys and Kaela Chapdelaine finished with three.
THE 100 CLUB
A couple of centennial milestones were reached on Thursday against USC. Taylor Lilley scored the 100th three-pointer of her career at the 8:31 mark of the first half, her career total is now at 102, ranking seventh in program history. Kaela Chapdelaine dished her 100th assist of the season on a feed to Victoria Kenyon with 13:44 in the first, Chapdelaine’s career total has now reached 337, ranking eighth all-time.
ANOTHER MARK BY CHAP
Chapdelaine’s assist total is not the only mark that will put her in the record books. The Okotoks, Alberta, native has played 118 career games, tying Kedzie Gunderson (2001-06) for seventh in program history. Chapdelaine has also started her last 87 games for Oregon, dating back to the first game of the 2005-06 season, her sophomore year.
CANEPA ON THE BLOCK
Since her insertion back into the starting lineup on Feb. 2, at Arizona State, freshman Nicole Canepa has led Oregon averaging 10.2 points per game. During the last six games, Canepa has reached double figures four times, and led the Ducks in scoring twice.
She has shot 46.3 percent (25-54) from the floor during her latest starting stint, including four games in which she shot .500 or better.
On the year, the San Francisco native is averaging 6.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, while shooting .431 from the field. She is also second on the team making a total of 67 trips to the free-throw line.
INJURY BUG
The injury bug has crossed the path of a fair share of Oregon players this season. While a total of four players have missed a total of 13 games due to injuries, several additional Oregon players have battled chronic injuries.
Freshman Ellie Manou continues to struggle with a soft tissue injury in her left foot that limits her full-court practice time and conditioning. Taylor Lilley has not missed a game, but continues to fight pain in her shins. Freshman Tatianna Thomas has dealt with Achilles and wrist problems as well. Freshman Nia Jackson, who played with a knee bruise earlier in the year, missed four games (UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State) with a right quad strain. On Feb. 4, Jackson sprained her left ACL. She has been unable to play vs. Stanford, Cal, Washington and Washington State. Jackson will also be unavailable this week as well.
UCLA SERIES HISTORY
In Pac-10 action, UCLA holds a 23-21 series advantage over Oregon...earlier this season at Pauley Pavilion, UCLA overcame a second-half double-digit deficit en route to a 63-59 victory...the Ducks’ Tamika Nurse played just one minute in that game before leaving the action with a shoulder sprain...last year at Mac Court, Oregon was victorious by the score of 76-60...the Bruins last swept the series with the Ducks during the 2005-06 season.
UCLA Probable Starters
01 ? Nina Earl ? F ? 6-1 ? Fr. ? Pomona, Calif./Diamond Ranch HS
? Second on the team averaging 9.2 points per game...shooting .431 from the floor...has 72 turnovers and 31 assists.
14 ? Lindsey Pluimer ? F ? 6-4 ? Sr. ? San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente HS
? Leads UCLA in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg)...her 39.0 percent three-point shooting ranks third in the Pac-10.
21 ? Doreena Campbell ? G ? 5-10 ? Fr. ? Alexandria, Va./Edison HS
? Leads the Pac-10 with a 1.69 assist/turnover ratio...averaging 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
23 ? Chinyere Ibekwe ? C ? 6-4 ? Jr. ? Los Angeles, Calif./Carson HS
? Received her first start of the season against USC last week...held scoreless, and grabbed 5 rebounds in 12 minutes.
31 ? Moniquee Alexander ? C ? 6-6 ? So. ? Harbor City, Calif./Edison Academic Center
? Averaging 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game...against USC last week scored two points in 15 minutes of action.
USC 67, OREGON 58 RECAP
EUGENE, Ore ? The return to its home floor did not do much good for Oregon on Thursday night, as the Ducks suffered a 67-58 loss to USC in front of 2,394 at Mac Court.
The Trojans (17-9, 10-5) extend their winning streak to four games, and remain fourth in the Pacific-10 standings with the victory. Oregon (11-16, 5-11) remains seventh in the standings, trailing Washington (12-15, 7-8) by two games, after the Huskies topped Arizona, 60-58, in Tucson.
Each team shot 40.0 percent from the floor, and the Trojans had just a slight 35-33 rebounding advantage, but it was Oregon’s 21 turnovers that made the significant difference in the final score.
Off the bench for USC, Morghan Medlock recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds (5 offensive), while Nadia Parker had a game-high 17 points on a 6-of-10 shooting night. Kari LaPlante also added 10 off the bench for the Trojans.
For the second straight game, sophomore guard Taylor Lilley led Oregon in the scoring column with 13 points, but the Newhall, Calif., native committed a career-high seven turnovers. For the fourth time in her last six starts, freshman Nicole Canepa reached double figures with 11, while Tamika Nurse added 10 points and six rebounds.
The Ducks made things interesting, beginning to foul and slow down the game trailing 57-47 with 1:19 to go.
Sophomore Micaela Cocks hit a deep three-pointer with 34 seconds remaining to bring Oregon within seven, 55-62 and less than 10 seconds later, it was Lilley with a three-pointer of her own to make the score 64-58.
But USC was confident at the free-throw line, making 11 of their 14 attempts during the last stretch.
In the second half, Oregon cut USC’s lead to three on two separate occasions, but could never get closer.
