University of Oregon
USC
Ducks Run Out of Gas, Fall 71-56 to USC
01/31/04 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES ? The University of Oregon women's basketball team lost 71-56 to USC before 4,078 fans Saturday at the Sports Arena.
The Women of Troy led just 51-46 with 7:13 left before going on an 11-0 run to lead 62-46 with 5:02 remaining. The Ducks missed three from the floor and two from the foul line during that stretch and couldn't recover, being denied their first sweep of the L.A. schools for the first time in school history. Oregon has split on the road with USC and UCLA for 11 seasons in a row.
USC improved to 11-8 and 8-3 in the Pac-10 while Oregon dropped to 11-10, 3-8.
“We thought we had the brooms today, but we just didn't have any energy (in the second half),” Oregon coach Bev Smith said. “We couldn't finish (on offense) and stayed tight.”
USC's pressure defense wore down the Ducks after a first half which saw 10 lead changes and five ties with the Women of Troy holding a 35-34 lead entering the lockerroom. USC's leading scorer, Ebony Hoffman, sat on the bench for the entire first half because of disciplinary reasons, according to coach Chris Gobrecht.
Down 40-36 at the 14:21 mark, Hoffman sparked USC with three baskets and two assists as her team reclaimed a 49-44 lead with 9:40 left. She finished with 12 points while teammate Rometra Craig had a team-high 18 and Jamie Funn added a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Oregon held a 28-24 rebounding advantage early in the second half, but USC owned the glass the rest of the way, outrebounding the Ducks 20-6 to close the game.
The Women of Troy helped shut down Oregon's Andrea Bills, whose six points was her lowest scoring total in the Pac-10 this year and fewest since a loss Dec. 18 at George Washington. Bills, however, lead the Ducks in rebounds for the 16th straight game with six.
Oregon junior guard Brandi Davis led all players with 19 points ? 16 of them in the first half. Davis shot 7-of-20 from the field. Eleanor Haring was the Ducks' other double-figure scorer with 14 on 6-of-11 shooting, to go with five offensive rebounds.
Corrie Mizusawa finished with eight assists for the Ducks, which moved her to seventh place on the school's all-time list with 140. The Oregon single-season record is 190, set by Jacquie Semeniuk in 1988-89.
Chelsea Wagner, who had made 25 3-pointers in the last seven games, missed her only two attempts on the night in 15 minutes.
It was the Ducks' worst loss to USC since a 20-point setback in February 1993.
Oregon next takes on in-state rival Oregon State at Corvallis on Saturday in the 72nd Civil War. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. and will be televised live on the Beaver Sports Network (KVAL in Eugene-Springfield).
- www.GoDucks.com -
