University of Oregon
Portland
Portland Hands Women's Basketball First Loss, 76-58
12/04/03 | Women's Basketball
PORTLAND, Ore. ? The 20th-ranked University of Oregon women's basketball team lost its first game of the year Thursday as Portland won 76-58 at the Chiles Center.
The Ducks (5-1) couldn't get anything going offensively as the Pilots (2-2) jumped on them early, taking a 24-8 lead in the first 10 minutes. Oregon, which committed 23 turnovers, could get no closer than 12 down the rest of the way.
"I tip my hat to Portland and Jim Sollars' staff," Oregon coach Bev Smith said. "They really played their game. We didn't do a good job in transition or on the boards."
The Pilots, who defeated Oregon for just the third time in the 20-game series, including two in a row at the Chiles Center, shot 51 percent from the field, including 7-of-18 from 3-point range.
It marked Oregon's first game without star forward Cathrine Kraayeveld, who partially tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee during practice Tuesday and likely out for the season. She leads the team in points, rebounds, blocked shots and 3-pointers.
"We have to move the basketball and work to create the best shot for our team," Smith said. "We were really playing on our heels (tonight)."
Khalila O'Rielly-Williams led four Portland in double figures with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Ashlee Orndorff and Hanna Seltzer each added 13. Orndorff led all players with nine rebounds.
Junior guard Corrie Mizusawa was Oregon's only double-digit scorer with a season-best 12 and a game-high seven assists. Carolyn Ganes, starting in Kraayeveld's absence, had nine points in 20 minutes on the floor.
Oregon outrebounded Portland 34-30, but only made 40 percent from the field and 35 percent in the first half.
"A loss was going to come sooner or later," Smith said. "We have to learn lessons from it."
The Ducks next take on Colorado State (3-2) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the Rose Garden in Portland. The game will be televised live on the Oregon Sports Network.
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