Ducks Take 3-0 Pac-10 Record To Arizona
01/12/10 | Women's Basketball
THIS WEEK
Oregon (12-3, 3-0) remains atop the Pac-10 standings knotted with No. 2 Stanford (13-1, 3-0). Off to their best conference start since 2000-01, the Ducks put their undefeated league record on the line this week at Arizona State (5:30 p.m. PST, Thursday) and at Arizona (1 p.m. PST, Saturday).
RADIO BROADCASTS/MEDIA
Over the radio airwaves, Thursday's game at Arizona State will be broadcast on THE SCORE 95.3 FM with veteran announcer Terry Jonz calling the play-by-play. Saturday's game will be aired on KSCR 1320 AM in the Eugene/Springfield area.
Oregon fans out of the listening areas can hear Jonz's call of both games on the O-Zone, and a live video stream for Saturday's game will be offered on www.arizonawildcats.om.
Live stats for both games will also be available on www.GoDucks.com.
O-ZONE: ONLINE VIDEO & AUDIO/LIVE STATS
Women's basketball fans can now watch all non-televised home games live on the O-Zone at www.GoDucks.com. All home games will offer live video and audio. Live stats will also be available for all home games.
COACHES SHOW
The second edition of this year's coaches' show will air at 8 p.m., Monday, Jan. 18 on Comcast SportsNet Northwest. The show will feature interviews with UO men's basketball head coach Ernie Kent and women's basketball head coach Paul Westhead as well as game highlights and interviews with student-athletes from both teams.
TICKETS
Tickets are still available for Oregon's next Pac-10 homesatnd with California (Thursday, Jan. 21) and Stanford (Saturday, Jan. 23). Tickets can be purchased by clicking HERE, calling 1-800-WEB-FOOT, or in person at the Casanova Center ticket office. Tickets can also be purchased at the McArthur Court ticket window 90 minutes prior to game time. The doors to Mac Court open 60 minutes prior to tip.
PROMOTIONS
Oregon fans can pick up a “$5 Off” coupon at any Eugene/Springfield area Carl's Jr., BI-Mart, or Oregon Community Credit Union locations to receive $5 off a reserved ticket for Oregon's game against California on Thursday, Jan. 21.
FORMER DUCK GREATS RETURN TO MAC COURT
The University of Oregon Athletic Department announced its plan to celebrate the final Pac-10 Conference women's basketball season played at McArthur Court. Each Pac-10 game this season will have a pre-game ceremony featuring at least one honorary captain. In addition, the first 1,000 fans through the doors will receive a 3x7 commemorative ticket highlighting the accomplishments of the honorary captain(s) for that contest.
Missy Croshaw, who held the career all-time three-point record for 16 years before Taylor Lilley surpassed it, will be the honorary captain for the Oregon-California game on Thursday, Jan. 21. Debbie Sporcich will be the honorary captain for Oregon's Fox Sports Net televised game with Stanford on Saturday, Jan. 23.
MAC COURT MEMORIES
The Oregon Athletics Department wants fans to submit their favorite Mac Court memories online and at all home basketball games. Duck fans can write-in their favorite memory of McArthur Court and/or send pictures in to athletics@uoregon.edu (all submissions become the property of the athletic department and will not be returned).
ARIZONA STATE SERIES
Arizona State begins this week out of Associated Press and Top 25 poll for the second straight week. The Sun Devils have been ranked as high as No. 14 in the AP poll this season.
ASU enters this week with a record of 9-6 and tied for seventh in the Pac-10 standings with a 1-3 league record. The Sun Devils recently stopped a three-game losing skid with a 64-59 victory over Washington State on Saturday in Pullman, Wash.
The Sun Devils are led by Danielle Orsillo's 13.3 points per game. Oregon has lost nine straight to ASU, and has not won in Tempe since a 67-56 victory on March 2, 2000.
Arizona State Series History
ORE Record: 27-25
ORE at Home: 16-9
ORE on the Road: 10-14
ORE on a Neutral Court: 1-2
Streak: -9
Most ORE Points: 100 (Jan. 24, 1998)
Fewest ORE Points Allowed: 44, 2x, last Jan. 12, 2006
Widest ORE Victory: 39, 2x, last Jan. 24, 1998
Longest ORE Winning Streak: 11 (Feb. 23, 1995-March 2, 2000)
Last ORE Win: Feb. 17, 2005
Last ORE Home Win: Feb. 17, 2005
Last ORE Road Win: March 2, 2000
ARIZONA SERIES
Arizona is also tied for seventh in the Pac-10 standings with a 7-7 overall record and a 1-3 start in the league standings. Freshman Davellyn White is leading all freshmen in the conference averaging 16.4 points per game, while junior Ify Ibekwe is averaging 12.9 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.
Last year the Ducks and Wildcats split their series with each team picking up wins on their respective home floors. Oregon last won in Tucson, 59-55, on Feb. 10, 2007. Taylor Lilley and Micaela Cocks both came off the bench in that game scoring five points apiece.
Arizona Series History
ORE Record: 28-21
ORE at Home: 16-7
ORE on the Road: 11-13
ORE on a Neutral Court: 1-1
Streak: -1
Most ORE Points: 107 (March 3, 1991)
Fewest ORE Points Allowed: 47 (Jan. 26, 1996)
Widest ORE Victory: 38 (Jan. 3, 1981)
Longest ORE Winning Streak: 7 (Jan 3, 1981 -Jan. 13, 1989)
Last ORE Win: Jan. 8, 2009
Last ORE Home Win: Jan. 8, 2009
Last ORE Road Win: Feb. 10, 2007
PRESEASON POLL
Oregon was selected to finish eighth in the both the Pac-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll and the Pac-10 Preseason Media Poll.
The results are not a surprise citing UO's finish to the 2008-09 season which included dropping its final six games of the season and losing 10 of the final 11 tilts of the year.
OREGON'S CURRENT STATUS (RANKINGS AS OF 1/11)
• Oregon (12-3, 3-0) is currently off to its best start since the 1998-99 squad opened the year 14-3. The Ducks' 3-0 start in the Pac-10 is its best since UO opened its 2000-01 league season 4-0.
• The Ducks, who are tied with Stanford for the Pac-10 lead with identical 3-0 conference marks, are leading the nation in scoring averaging 87.0 points per game. If Oregon were to maintain that average, it would be the highest scoring season in program history.
• Also, if the Ducks were to end the season as the national scoring leader, it would be the fourth time head coach Paul Westhead has led a collegiate squad that topped the country in scoring. During his tenure at Loyola Marymount, the Lions led the nation in scoring for three consecutive seasons; 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90.
Other top-25 national marks for Oregon include:
Category Rank Number
Three-Point FG Per Game No. 5 9.0
Assists Per Game No. 10 17.7
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio No. 14 1.1
Field Goal Percentage No. 25 .453
• Oregon is averaging 87.0 points per game this season - a 30-point plus turnaround from last season's average of 56.6 points per game.
• UO has three players in the top-10 of Pac-10 scoring leaders; Taylor Lilley (16.7 ppg; 4th), Micaela Cocks (15.1 ppg; 7th) and Amanda Johnson (14.7 ppg; 8th).
• Oregon's Amanda Johnson is one of two players in the Pac averaging a double-double with 14.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Arizona junior Ify Ibekwe is averaging 12.9 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Johnson's 10.1 rebounds per game also rank 24th in the nation.
• Taylor Lilley's 3.4 three-pointers per game lead the Pac-10 and rank sixth in the nation.
LILLEY FOR THREE
One of two fourth-year seniors on the squad, Taylor Lilley continues her assault on the Oregon and Pac-10 record books. The Newhall, Calif., native's 197 career three-pointers are a new UO all-time record and lead all active players in the Pac-10. She needs just four more to break into the Pac-10 all-time top-10.
If Lilley were to keep pace with her 3.4 three-pointers per game for the remainder of the season, she would be on pace to break the Oregon single-season record for three-pointers (81) as well as the Pac-10 single-season record (92).
ALL IN THE BACKCOURT
Lilley isn't the only senior guard on the brink of breaking records. For the second consecutive game, senior Micaela Cocks scored 22 points to lead the Ducks to victory.
Cocks has fell short of double figures in only one game this season, and is averaging a career-high 15.2 points per game. Her 147 career three-pointers rank fifth all-time and fifth among active players in the Pac-10.
The New Zealand native also needs to play in just 10 more career games to break into the UO all-time top-10.
FASTBREAK LEADER
Oregon certainly has benefited from the return of a healthy Nia Jackson this season. The Ducks starting point guard is returning from an ACL injury in her left knee that forced her to miss all of last season. The Seattle native is averaging 8.8 points, 4.2 assists (3rd Pac-10) and 2.5 steals (3rd Pac-10) per game.
TEAM LEADER
While just a sophomore, forward Amanda Johnson is currently one of two players in the Pac-10 averaging a double-double scoring and 14.7 points per game (8th Pac-10) and grabbing a team-leading 10.1 rebounds per game (2nd Pac-10).
This season, Johnson has put together a stellar campaign with six double-doubles, 12 double-figure scoring games and five games with 20 points or more. She has led UO in scoring five times and led the squad in rebounding on 11 occasions.
MISSING LINK
Junior forward Victoria Kenyon has been praised by head coach Paul Westhead for her defensive efforts on Oregon's full-court press. That success has led to added confidence on the offensive end. In her last four starts, Kenyon is averaging 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from three-point range.
THE BENCH
While not a part of the starting lineup, sophomore Jasmin Holliday and junior Nicole Canepa are the first two players head coach Paul Westhead looks to off the bench.
Canepa is averaging career highs with 11.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. The San Francisco native has reached double-figures in 10 games this season.
Holliday is averaging 7.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game shooting 51.1 percent from the floor.
WORLD VISION INVITATIONAL
The Oregon women's basketball program would like to thank all fans that donated to “Operation Safety Net” during the World Vision Invitational.
World Vision raised $1,083 during the tournament enough to provide a net of protection for 180 children and one adult. One net covers two people.
