Oregon WBB Weekly Release: Utah
01/31/12 | Women's Basketball
Utah at Oregon LIVE COVERAGE
• Date: Thursday, Feb. 2
• Time: 7:00 PM
• Venue: Matthew Knight Arena
• Radio: KUGN 590 AM in Eugene/Springfield; Terry Jonz, play-by-play
• Webcast: O-Zone
• Live Audio: O-Zone • Live Stats: www.GoDucks.com
• Twitter: @OregonWBB for in-game updates, stats, etc
• Facebook
• vs. Utah: Oregon leads 9-5
GAME DAY PROMOTIONS
Utah, Feb. 2 - Karaoke Night
BI-MART Buy One, Get One Free: Show your BI-MART card at the ticket
window and get a free GA ticket for the Stanford game on Feb. 18.
Colorado, Feb. 2 - Youth Day & National Girls & Women in Sports Day
Youth $1GA & Adults $3GA! Pregame fan-fest/autograph signing with the Oregon women's teams.
Johnson Named Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Finalist
Oregon senior Amanda Johnson was named a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, it was announced on Jan. 25.
The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in November. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on either the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award website or the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through March 18.
THIS WEEK
For the first time, Oregon (11-10, 3-6) will host Utah (10-10, 3-6) and Colorado (15-5, 4-5) as Pac-12 conference opponents. The Utes will visit Matthew Knight Arena for the first time at 7 p.m., Thursday, while the Buffaloes make their first appearance at 2 p.m., Saturday.
PROMOTIONS
If Oregon scores 100 points or more in a game this season at Matt Arena, all fans in attendance will receive free garlic parmesan bread sticks from Papa John's Pizza by taking their ticket stub to any of the three Eugene-Springfield Papa John's locations within 10 days for redemption. Students will receive vouchers at the end of the game.
National Girls & Women in Sports Day
As Oregon welcomes Pac-12 newcomer Colorado at 2 p.m., Saturday, to Matthew Knight Arena, the Ducks will host a pre-game celebration for National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Tickets to Saturday's contest are $3 for adult general admission and just $1 for youth ages 12 and under. To purchase tickets click HERE.
At 1 p.m., when the Matthew Knight Arena doors open to the public, student-athletes from the lacrosse, softball, soccer, track and field, acrobatics and tumbling and volleyball programs will be hosting activities and games for all youth in attendance as well as signing autographs inside the practice courts on the concourse level.
HEALTH REPORT
• Freshman center Janitah Iamaleava suffered a season-ending left knee injury during a pre-season practice that will keep her off the floor for the 2011-12 season.
UTAH NOTES
• Oregon connections: Utah assistant coaches Willette White and Velaida Harris were assistant coaches on Bev Smith's coaching staff at Oregon. The Utes also have three players from the state of Oregon on their roster, senior guard Janita Badon (Portland, Ore./Jefferson HS), sophomore guard Allison Gida (Ashland, Ore./Ashland HS) and sophomore guard Brittany Knighton (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City HS).
• Utah head coach Anthony Levrets was born in Eugene and graduated from Bandon High School. Levrets spent five years as an assistant coach a for the Southern Oregon University men's basketball team. He also coached at Southwestern Oregon Community College and Lane CC.
• Utah and Oregon are in a three-way tie for ninth place in the Pac-12 Conference with Washington. Janita Badon leads the league averaging 5.7 assists per game, and the Utes are averaging 60.4 points per game, while holding opponents to 54.2 points per game - second in the Pac-12.
• Oregon holds a 9-5 advantage in the all-time series against Utah, but the Utes have won the last two games. The last meeting between the two squads was an 89-86 Utah overtime victory at the Jon Huntsman Center on Dec. 22, 2009. The Utes erased a 15-point second-half deficit as Janita Badon scored 29 points with nine rebounds and four assists. Amanda Johnson led Oregon with 20 points, while Nia Jackson and Jasmin Holliday are the only Ducks currently on the roster that played in that game. Utah's Taryn Wicijowski (23 points, 7 rebounds), Rachel Messer, Iwalani Rodrigues, and Diana Rolniak also appeared in the last meeting.
LAST TIME OUT
The first round of the Civil War was won by the Oregon State defense, as the Beavers dominated the final four minutes of play in a 67-60 victory on Saturday evening at Gill Coliseum.
Oregon (11-10, 3-6) led by as many as eight in the second half, and held a slim 57-53 advantage after an Amanda Johnson bucket with 3:51 to play. But Johnson's basket would be the Ducks' last score until a Jordan Loera three-pointer with 28 seconds left as Oregon trailed 64-60.
During Oregon State's 11-0 run, the Beavers (13-7, 4-5) knocked down three three-pointers, as Ali Gibson scored the final dagger with 1:46 left on the clock to put Oregon State ahead 62-57.
The Ducks were led by Johnson's 16 points and eight rebounds, as the senior returned to the floor for the first time since breaking her left thumb at Denver on Dec. 11, and missing 11 consecutive games.
Game Notes: For the 10th time this season an Oregon opponent has knocked down 10 three-pointers…the Ducks blew an eight-point lead for the second time this year with the other on Jan. 19 at USC.
NATIONAL TOP 25
Oregon ranks second in the Pac-12 and 15th in the nation averaging 75.7 points per game. Notre Dame leads the country scoring 83.9 points per game.
The Ducks' 7.8 three-pointers per game lead the Pac-12 and rank ninth in the nation, while UO's 11.1 steals per game lead the league.
REBOUNDING GAME
When Oregon has outrebounded its opponent this season, the Ducks have a 7-1 record, scoring 83.4 points per game, and averaging 71.5 field goal attempts per game.
When Oregon is outrebounded, the Ducks are 4-8 and average just 71.8 points per game, and attempt 67.9 field goal attempts per game.
PLAYING FAST
Head coach Paul Westhead said before the season started that he wanted his team playing even faster. After UO's 6-0 start, the Ducks were averaging 87.7 points per game, but that number has dropped to 75.7 points per game (2nd Pac-12) with the absence of Amanda Johnson for 11 games.
During head coach Paul Westhead's three years at Oregon, the Ducks have finished in the country's top-15 in scoring in back-to-back seasons, averaging 81.4 points (2010, 2nd) and 73.3 points per game (2011, 15th). In fact, during the last two seasons, the Ducks have averaged 79.0 points per game overall, out done only by Oral Roberts (84.7 ppg) and Gonzaga (82.7 ppg). In the last three years, Oregon has produced seven 100-point games, recording a 6-1 mark in those contests.
Oregon's 7.8 three-pointers per game rank first in the Pac-12 and ninth in the nation. The Ducks have proven to be a deadly three-point shooting team, finishing third in the country averaging 8.5 three-pointers per game in 2011, while ranking seventh in 2010 knocking down 8.4 long-distance buckets per game.
SCHEDULE
The Ducks have compiled a difficult schedule as 14 of their opponents reached the postseason a year ago. Nine teams played in the 2011 Women's National Invitation Tournament, and five appeared in the NCAA Tournament.
DOUBLE-FIGURES
• Oregon has recorded six wins by 10 points or more. The Ducks have also posted a 4-2 record in games decided by four points or less.
• Oregon's roster has totaled 66 occasions of players scoring in double figures led by Jasmin Holliday (17).
• The Ducks have also posted 13 double-figure rebounding efforts led by Amanda Johnson (6).
• Oregon has recorded seven games with 10 or more three-pointers.
FRESHMAN FIX
Oregon currently has six freshmen on its roster, with five eligible to play after Janitah Iamaleava suffered a season-ending knee injury in pre-season practice.
Freshman Jordan Loera leads the class in scoring (7.5 ppg), and also leads the entire team with 39 three-pointers on the season.
TREY TROUBLE
On 10 occasions this season, Oregon has allowed an opponent to knock down at least 10 three-pointers in a game. On the year, the Ducks have allowed opponents to drain 203 long-distance shots as opponents are shooting 35.6 percent from 3-point range.
SENIOR TRIO
Currently all three Oregon seniors rank in the conference's currently active top-15 scorers: Amanda Johnson (1,343, 5th), Nia Jackson (948, 9th) and Jasmin Holliday (878, 13th).
Johnson's 805 career rebounds rank second among active Pac-12 players and 31st all-time in conference history. Holliday's 627 career boards rank sixth among active Pac-12 players.
Johnson's 143 three-pointers rank third, while Jackson's 333 assists rank second.
All three list in the steals category as Jackson's 193 steals rank third followed by Johnson's 180 at fifth and Holliday's 176 at sixth.
SENIOR MOMENT
Senior Jasmin Holliday worked harder than ever this offseason, and apparently hard work pays off. The native of Chino Hills, Calif., is averaging a career-best 15.0 points per game. Holliday has led Oregon in scoring on seven occasions, and has led the Ducks on the boards a team-best 11 times.
She leads the team with 17 double-figure scoring games, and set a new career high, scoring 26 points in a loss at Nevada on Dec. 14. This season, Holliday has posted five 20-point efforts and five double-doubles. Most recently, she led the Ducks with 21 points and 13 rebounds in an 82-63 victory at UCLA on Jan. 21.
JOHNSON ON FIRE
Amanda Johnson returned to the floor at the 15:31 mark of the first half in Oregon's game at Oregon State last Saturday. It was Johnson's first appearance since breaking her thumb at Denver on Dec. 11.
Before her injury, Johnson had recorded six double-doubles in nine games this season.
After missing 11 games, the Santa Rosa, Calif., native is averaging 19.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game to lead the Ducks.
Johnson's career numbers include; 1,343 points (11th), 805 rebounds (8th), 143 three-pointers (7th), 180 steals (6th), 26 double-doubles (7th), 66 double-figure scoring games, three 30-point games, 18 20-point games, 34 times leading the club in scoring and 63 occasions leading the team in rebounding.
AWARD WINNER
Before two knee injuries sidelined her for the final nine games of last season, senior guard Nia Jackson led the Pac-10 averaging 17.0 points and 5.7 assists per game. Despite missing the final half of conference play, Jackson was named to the 2011 Pac-10 First Team and the 2011 Media All-Pac-10 Team.
The Ducks were 12-9 with Jackson in the lineup, and 1-8 in the final nine games of the year without her. The Ducks averaged 80.5 points per game with Jackson in the lineup, and 66.7 points per game without her.
The Seattle native has returned from off-season surgery and is cleared to play, but is continuing to regain her strength and stamina. She missed her first and only game of the year with right knee trouble on Dec. 29 against Washington State.
Currently Jackson is averaging 9.5 points and a team-leading 3.9 assists per game. Jackson's 193 career steals rank fourth all-time at Oregon, and her 333 career assists rank ninth. Jackson has delivered at least six assists on five occasions this year.
NEW ADDITION
Oregon freshman Liz Brenner joined the UO women's basketball team officially on Dec. 19 after being cleared for competition by the NCAA. Brenner recently finished her freshman season competing for the UO women's volleyball team, receiving Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors.
Brenner is averaging 6.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. The Portland, Ore., native led the Ducks in scoring for the first time at USC on Jan. 19 with a career-high 16 points. She followed that performance up by recording the first double-double of her career with 15 points and 11 rebounds in an 83-62 win at UCLA on Jan. 21.
D WEAVE FOR THREE
After ending the 2010-11 season starting the last nine games of the year, Deanna Weaver and Ariel Thomas started their sophomore season on the bench as both battled injuries.
After missing three games at the start of the year with a toe injury, Weaver is averaging 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
SHOOTING TOUCH
In the absence of Nia Jackson last season, Ariel Thomas took over point guard duties and started the final nine games of the year, averaging 14.3 points, 4.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game during that stretch.
With Jackson back on the floor, Thomas has moved into the starting role at shooting guard, registering her first start of the year at Nevada. She missed the first three games of the season with Achilles trouble.
Currently averaging 8.9 points per game, Thomas has led the Ducks in scoring twice this year.
MAJOR MINUTES
Sophomore Danielle Love is the one player head coach Paul Westhead can't take out of the game as she is playing a team-best 31.3 minutes per game.
The Everett, Wash., native has recorded three new career scoring highs this year, and is averaging 7.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. At UCLA, Love knocked down a career-high four three-pointers, and matched a career best scoring 16 points.
RUNNING THE POINT
Junior point guard Laura Stanulis continues to handle back-up point guard duties as Ariel Thomas spends time at shooting guard. A former walk-on and now on scholarship, Stanulis is averaging a career-best 3.2 points per game, and is also second on the team with 48 assists.
MEET THE NEWCOMERS
Oregon's freshman class was ranked 49th in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz.
SHE'S A SHOOTER
Freshman guard Jordan Loera is a second generation Duck as her mother, Lori Carver Loera, played basketball at UO from 1983-84.
The Moses Lake, Wash., native is averaging 7.5 points per game, and leads the Ducks with 39 three-pointers. Her three-point total also leads all freshmen in the Pac-12, and with one more three-pointer, Loera will set the freshman record, previously held by Taylor Lilley (2006-07).
Loera also has the chance to become the first freshman to lead UO in three-pointers since Lilley tied with Carolyn Ganes for the team lead (39) during the 2006-07 season.
RUNNING THE FLOOR
With Nia Jackson battling knee trouble, Lexi Petersen's speed has been put to good use at the point guard position. In the Jan. 12, 87-73, victory over Arizona, Petersen scored a career-high 17 points and led the Ducks in scoring for the first time this year. She is averaging 4.9 points per game.
A FIRST
Freshman guard Amanda Delgado (Las Vegas/Liberty HS) was named the 2011 Gatorade Nevada Girls Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 16.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals per game as a senior. Delgado has appeared off the bench in 12 games.
UNDER THE BASKET
Freshman center Megan Carpenter (Longmont, Colo./Longmont HS) was a two-time all-4A Northern Conference selection and two-time Longmont Times Call all-area selection in 2010 and 2011. Carpenter is averaging 2.9 rebounds per game.
