University of Oregon
7-2
Denver
7-5
Ducks Snap Denver's Winning Streak
12/18/10 | Women's Basketball
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EUGENE – Oregon will head out on its road trip to the Bay Area with its seventh win of the season after defeating Denver 82-71 on Friday night at Mac Court in front of 1,561.
Junior forward Amanda Johnson recorded her fifth double-double of the season and the 17th of her career scoring a game-high 24 points and leading the Ducks with 12 rebounds. The Santa Rosa, Calif., native now leads the Pac-10 with five 20-point games and five double-doubles, and also set new career highs with a 10-of-12 performance from the free-throw line.
Oregon now improves to 7-2, while the Pioneers fall to 7-5 after having their four-game winning streak snapped.
Johnson was one of four Ducks in double figures as junior point guard Nia Jackson and junior forward Jasmin Holliday each scored 13 points, while Kristi Fallin added 11 points and a career-high seven rebounds off the bench.
After a dismal performance at the charity stripe in Tuesday's loss to UC Riverside, the Ducks turned it around on Friday night shooting 22-of28 (.786) from the line – a new season best.
Oregon had built a 19-point lead by the 17:01 mark of the second half, but Denver slowly chipped away at UO's lead, and used a 10-2 run over a near four-minute stretch to cut the Ducks' advantage to 76-71 with 1:32 to play.
But Oregon responded by shooting 6-of-8 from the line for the remainder of the game.
The Ducks' bench outscored Denver's reserves 23-9 as UO is now 6-1 when Oregon's bench outscores the opponent. Oregon also scored 22 points off Denver's 23 turnovers and totaled 14 assists on 26 baskets as the Ducks shot 38.2 percent from the floor.
Denver was led by Kaetlyn Murdoch's 20 points and game-high 16 rebounds, while Brianna Culberson added 17 points and seven rebounds. The Pioneers shot 35.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded UO, 49-39.
Sophomore point guard Laura Stanulis set new career highs and led the Ducks with a game-high tying four assists and a game-high five steals while finding her way to a career-high tying five rebounds.
Oregon senior Ellyce Ironmonger saw her first action of the season after rehabbing from offseason right ankle surgery. The native of Australia scored five points – including a 3-pointer – in three minutes of action.
Senior Nicole Canepa added seven points and three rebounds for Oregon.
The Ducks began the second half with a 10-0 spurt in 2:59 to extend their lead to 57-38. Oregon went into halftime ahead 47-38 led by 14 points from Johnson and eight points off the bench from Fallin.
The Ducks scored 17 points off Denver's 17 turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
Oregon now hits the road for four consecutive away games beginning with Saint Mary's on Sunday afternoon at McKeon Pavilion. The Ducks will play at Santa Clara on Tuesday night before the holiday break.
UO returns to action and begins Pac-10 on Friday, Jan. 31 at Arizona, while visiting Arizona State on Sunday, Jan. 2.
Oregon will return to Mac Court to play the final two games at The Pit hosting Washington State, Thursday, Jan. 6 and Washington, Saturday, Jan. 8.
Notes: Amanda Johnson recorded the fifth double-double of her season and 17th of her career with 24 points and 12 rebounds…she leads the Pac-10 with five double-doubles and five 20-point efforts this season…Johnson's 17 career double-doubles also tie for seventh in Oregon history with Renae Fegent…Johnson has now scored double figures in 12 straight games dating back to last season… Johnson has led UO in scoring and rebounding seven times each this season…her 10-of-12 performance from the free-throw line set career highs in both categories…senior Ellyce Ironmonger returned to action for the first time this season after rehabbing from offseason right ankle surgery…Ironmonger made her first appearance and bucket since March 23, 2010 vs. New Mexico…she knocked down the eighth 3-pointer of her career and first since March 18, 2010 vs. Eastern Washington…Nia Jackson has now reached double figures in 10 straight games dating back to last season… Kristi Fallin scored in double figures for the fourth-consecutive game, pouring in 11 points and grabbing a career-high seven rebounds…after playing a combined 19 scoreless minutes in Oregon's first five games, Fallin has scored 63 points (15.8 per game) and made 12-of-25 three-pointers (48 percent) in her last four outings…Laura Stanulis tied a career-high with five rebounds and set career highs with a game-high tying four assists and a game-high five steals... Oregon is 6-1 when its bench outscores the opponent…the Ducks were without freshmen Deanna Weaver and Ariel Thomas for the second straight game, both are day-to-day with shin splints… UO went a season-best 22-of-28 (78.6 percent) at the free throw line.
