Ducks End Regular Season In Washington
03/05/10 | Women's Basketball
THIS WEEK
Oregon (16-12, 7-9) enters the final season of Pac-10 play on the road at Washington State (6 p.m., Friday) and Washington (2 p.m., Sunday).
The Ducks are currently sixth in the Pac-10 standings and would receive a first-round bye in the conference tournament for the first time in three years if the standings were to remain the same. If UO remains the No. 6 seed, the Ducks would play USC (16-11, 11-6) in the quarterfinals as the Trojans are currently third in the standings.
RADIO BROADCASTS/MEDIA
Over the radio airwaves, Terry Jonz will provide the play-by-play on THE SCORE 95.3 in the Eugene/Springfield area for both of this week's games.
The O-Zone will also offer a live audio feed for both games.
O-ZONE: ONLINE VIDEO & AUDIO
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.
PIZZA HUT 100-POINT PERSONAL PAN PLAY
The second highest-scoring Division I women's basketball team in the nation has a new promotion at Mac Court: The Pizza Hut Personal Pan Play.
Oregon has teamed with Pizza Hut, and each time the Ducks reach 100 points in a game, every fan in attendance at McArthur Court will receive a free personal pan pizza.
Oregon is currently averaging 83.6 points per game to rank second in the nation.
POSTSEASON AWARDS
Oregon held its annual banquet last Sunday night, and the Ducks issued a slew of awards for this year's roster.
Senior guard Taylor Lilley was voted Team MVP for the second time in her career by her teammates. She was previously named team MVP following her sophomore season at the UO.
Senior guard Micaela Cocks was voted the Offensive Player of the Year after taking home Team MVP honors a year ago.
Sophomore guard Nia Jackson - who returned to the floor this season following her rehabilitation from an ACL injury - was named the Defensive Player of the Year.
Junior forward Victoria Kenyon was voted the team's Most Improved Player after starting 27 games this season and averaging a career-best 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Sophomore forward Amanda Johnson, who was recently was named to the 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® University Division second team, was given the team's Harry Ritchie Scholar-Athlete Award, which honors athletic and academic abilities.
The Green and Gold Award went to junior forward Ellyce Ironmonger for contributions on and off the court.
WASHINGTON STATE SERIES
Washington State currently sits ninth in the Pac-10 standings with an overall record of 7-20 and a conference mark of 2-14. The Cougars are just one game ahead of Oregon State (9-18, 1-15) in 10th place.
The Cougars are a young team with two sophomores; April Cook (13.8 ppg) and Jazmine Perkins (10.9 ppg) as well as one freshman; Kiki Moore (12.6 ppg) leading the squad in scoring
Earlier this season Micaela Cocks (22 points) and Nia Jackson (20 points) led the Ducks to a 98-92 victory over WSU on Jan. 3 at McArthur Court.
Washington State Series History
Oregon Record: 56-11
Oregon on the Road: 25-6
Oregon at Home: 38-5
Oregon on a Neutral Court: 3-0
Streak: +1
Most ORE Points: 101 (Jan. 22, 1987)
Fewest ORE Points Allowed: 34 (Feb. 22, 2007)
Widest ORE Victory: 46 (101-55, Jan. 22, 1987)
Longest ORE Winning Streak: 17 (March 10, 1978-Feb. 18, 1988)
Last ORE Win: Jan. 3, 2010 (98-92)
Last ORE Home Win: Jan. 3, 2010 (98-92)
Last ORE Road Win: Jan. 17, 2009 (58-45)
WASHINGTON SERIES
Washington (10-16, 5-11) currently sits eighth in the conference standings, one game behind Arizona and two games behind the Ducks.
The Huskies are led by Sami Whitcomb's 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
Earlier in the season, Taylor Lilley scored what was then a career-high 33 points and knocked down what was then a career-best eight 3-pointers in an 82-71 win over Washington on New Year's Day at Mac Court.
Washington Series History
ORE Record: 41-39
ORE at Home: 25-13
ORE on the Road: 12-23
ORE on a Neutral Court: 3-4
Streak: +1
Most ORE Points: 105 (Jan. 23, 1982)
Fewest ORE Points Allowed: 50 (March 1, 1974)
Widest ORE Victory: 31, 105-74 (Jan. 23, 1982)
Longest ORE Win Streak:12 (Feb. 8, 1996-Dec. 28, 2001)
Last ORE Win: 82-71 (Jan. 1, 2010)
Last ORE Home Win: 82-71 (Jan. 1, 2010)
Last ORE Road Win: 75-55 (Jan. 15, 2009)
PRESEASON POLL
Oregon was selected to finish eighth in 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 3/5)
• Oregon (16-12, 7-9) is on a four-game losing streak and sits sixth in the Pac-10 standings heading into this week. Depending on results across the league, the Ducks could finish as high as fifth or drop down to seventh. A top-six finish for the Ducks would be UO's best mark in the Pac-10 since a sixth-place finish in 2006-07. It would also guarantee the Ducks a first-round bye at the Pac-10 Tournament.
• The Ducks are the second-highest scoring team in the nation averaging 83.6 points per game. Oral Roberts leads the country averaging 86.1 points per game. If Oregon were to continue its high scoring ways, the Ducks could possibly eclipse the highest scoring year in program history. The record is 84.6 points per game set during the 1978-79 season.
• 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. 7 8.5
Three-Point FG Percentage No. 24 .370
• Oregon is averaging 83.6 points per game this season – close to a 30-point turnaround from last season's average of 56.6 points per game.
• UO has four players averaging double figures; Taylor Lilley (17.6), Micaela Cocks (15.4 ppg), Amanda Johnson (12.6 ppg) and Nia Jackson (10.9 ppg).
• Taylor Lilley's 3.6 three-pointers per game lead the Pac-10 and rank second in the nation, and her .427 field goal percentage ranks 25th .
• Micaela Cocks' 86.9 free-throw percentage ranks 18th in the nation.
RECORDS FALLING
A multitude of records have fallen this year, here is a quick recap:
- At Cal on Feb. 20, Taylor Lilley knocked down four 3-pointers to reach 93 on the season, setting a new Pac-10 single-season record and surpassing the old record of 92 which Arizona's Lisa Griffith had held since 1997.
- On Feb. 11, Taylor Lilley completed the trio of Oregon 3-point records by breaking the single-season record against Arizona, surpassing Jamie Craighead's record of 81 set in 2001. Lilley now holds the single-game (9), single-season (93) and career 3-point records at the UO (239).
- On Jan. 30 at USC, Taylor Lilley broke an Oregon single-game record draining nine three-pointers. The previous record of eight three-pointers in a single game was shared by Lilley, who tied it against Washington on New Year's Day, Chelsea Wagner vs. Arizona on Feb. 9, 2006, and Jessica Schutt vs. Hawai'i on Nov. 26, 1993.
- Lilley's nine from long distance also tied for the most three-pointers scored by a player in a Pac-10 game. Stanford's Lindsey Yamasaki is the only other player to accomplish the feat, draining nine vs. Washington on Feb. 24, 2001.
- Taylor Lilley's 248 career 3-pointers have set a new program record. Her total also ranks fourth in the Pac-10 all-time standings. Lilley broke the record on Jan. 1, in an 82-71 win over Washington, knocking down what was then a career-high eight treys and tying a single-game and Mac Court record. Missy Croshaw held the previous career record of 189 for 16 years. Lilley's 635 career three-point attempts are also a new UO record, passing Brandi Davis' mark of 535.
- Oregon has also knocked down 237 three-pointers this season, breaking the previous mark of 194 set in 2002.
- On Jan. 16 at Arizona, the Ducks and Wildcats obliterated the previous record for the highest scoring game in women's Pac-10 history. With Oregon on the losing end of a 119-112 decision, the 231 combined points bested the previous combo of 221 set by California (115) and USC (106) on March 10, 1989.
- Oregon's 112 points were also the most scored by a losing team in Pac-10 history.
- Nicole Canepa's career-high doubling 38 points scored at Arizona on Jan. 16, were the most an Oregon player has ever scored against a Pac-10 opponent. The mark also ties with Bev Smith and Debbie Adams for the UO single-game record.
- Oregon's 119 points allowed at Arizona (Jan. 16) were the most the Ducks have ever surrendered. The previous record was 107 at Stanford on Feb. 25, 1989.
- Earlier this season, Oregon set a new single-game record for single-game three-point attempts with 31 in an 102-70 win over Long Beach State on Dec. 6.
JOHNSON NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN
Oregon sophomore forward Amanda Johnson was named to the 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® University Division second team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), it was announced on Feb. 23.
Johnson, who has a 4.0 gpa and is a double major in Psychology and Sociology, is scheduled to graduate following the 2010 spring semester, and is currently in the process of applying for graduate programs. She is on track to finish with a Master's Degree at the end of her four years at the UO.
Johnson was originally named to the 2010 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VIII First Team on Feb. 4, ensuring her placement on the ballot for All-American consideration.
TRIO COMPLETED
Senior guard Taylor Lilley completed her trio of Oregon 3-point records on Feb. 11 in the Ducks' 92-74 win over Arizona.
She now holds the UO single-season record, surpassing Jamie Craighead's mark of 81 set in 2001. Most recently Lilley broke the Pac-10 single-season 3-point record by reaching No. 93 at California on Feb. 20. Arizona's Lisa Griffith held the previous record of 92 since 1997.
Lilley is now the first player in Pac-10 women's basketball history to reach triple-digits for 3-pointers made in a single season with 102. She would need to reach 111 to break into the NCAA single-season top-10. The record of 126 has been held by Alabama State's Lisa McMullen since 1991.
Lilley also holds the Oregon single-game and all-time 3-point records. On Jan. 30 at USC, Lilley helped UO to its first win at the Galen Center since its opening in 2007. It was also the Ducks first win over the Trojans in Los Angeles since Feb. 27, 2003. Lilley scored a career-high 36 points, which ties for fourth all-time in Oregon single-game history. She also broke the Oregon single-game 3-point record, and set a new career high knocking down nine three-pointers. The mark also ties for the most 3-pointers in a Pac-10 game, a record Lilley shares with Stanford's Lindsey Yamasaki, who drained nine 3-pointers vs. Washington on Feb. 24, 2001.
Lilley's 248 career 3-pointers have already set a new all-time record at the UO, while that number also ranks fourth all-time in the Pac-10.
Currently, Lilley's 1,308 career points rank fourth among active Pac-10 players and 10th all-time in UO history.
Lilley leads the Ducks averaging 17.6 points per game, but has increased her average in Pac-10 games, scoring 19.7 ppg, trailing only Alexis Gray-Lawson of Cal (20.6 ppg).
ALL IN THE BACKCOURT
Lilley isn't the only senior guard on the brink of breaking records. Micaela Cocks hit a significant milestone playing in 119th career game for Oregon last Saturday vs. UCLA on senior day.
With 119 career games played, she is now tied for sixth all-time, and if she appears in UO's two remaining regular season games, would move up to fourth on the top-10 list.
Cocks also has eclipsed the 1,000-career point total in her career after a 14-point effort at UCLA on Jan. 28. Cocks is now the 22nd player in UO women's basketball history to reach 1,000 points, and currently her 1,144 career points total is 17th all-time.
Cocks is averaging a career-high 15.4 points per game, and her 162 career 3-pointers rank fifth all-time for Oregon and fifth among active players in the Pac-10.
ACTION JACKSON
Oregon sophomore Nia Jackson pieced together arguably the greatest performance of her career vs. No. 2 Stanford on Jan. 23 in Eugene. The Seattle native scored a career-high 26 points and led the Ducks with four assists, while also making 15 trips to the free-throw line and frustrating the Cardinal defense into three 3-point play opportunities.
With defenses focusing on Cocks and Lilley, head coach Paul Westhead is urging Jackson to get to the basket. In Pac-10 games, Jackson has increased her production across the board averaging 12.5 points, 3.1 assists, and a 2.5 steals per game. She has reached double figures in 11 of UO's 16 Pac-10 games, including scoring a team-leading 18 points and picking a game-high five steals in UO's 92-74 victory over Arizona on Feb. 11.
TEAM LEADER
While just a sophomore, forward Amanda Johnson already has nine career double-doubles - eight from this season - to her credit. The Santa Rosa, Calif., native is averaging 12.6 points and a team-leading 8.4 rebounds per game. Johnson's last double-double came against Arizona on Feb. 11 as the 6-foot-2 forward scored 13 points and added a game-high 14 rebounds.
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. Kenyon has set career highs in points, rebounds, steals and 3-pointers made this year. Kenyon scored 13 points in Oregon's win over Arizona on Feb. 13, and knocked down three first-half 3-pointers.
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 9.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The San Francisco native has reached double-figures in 12 games this season.
Holliday is averaging 6.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, and one was one board short of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds in UO's 92-74 win over Arizona on Feb. 11.
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.
