Taylor Lilley breathed a sigh of relief when Oregon’s losing streak finally ended.
“You can just take a deep breath and start over right now on a good note,” the sophomore guard said. “Especially coming up against two teams we played very well against in LA.”
Those teams, namely USC and UCLA, visit Eugene this week with NCAA Tournament hopes at stake. The two Los Angeles schools played last week, and USC emerged victorious, 49-36. The Trojans are now 16-9 and 9-5 in the Pacific-10 Conference.
Oregon lost both games in Los Angeles in January, but in each contest held a lead and had a chance to win.
The Ducks’ young post players will be kept busy defending USC’s Nadia Parker, a 6-foot-3 center who leads the team in scoring (12.0) and rebounding (6.7).
Oregon counters with 6-foot-5 Nicole Canepa, who has had 9, 12, 6 and 12 points in the Ducks last four games.
The Ducks are returning from their last regular season road trip after splitting games with the Washington schools.
Oregon narrowly escaped Pullman, Wash., with its 70-67 win after Washington State narrowed a 13-point Ducks lead to three in the closing seconds.
“It’s nice to be able to know that we can finish off those games,” guard Micaela Cocks said. “We also have to be able to learn from that and keep that 13-point lead.”
Oregon, at times, has gone to a four-guard lineup and did so against the Cougars with success. Kaela Chapdelaine, Tamika Nurse, Cocks and Lilley combined for 52 of Oregon’s 70 points.
“I think we’re faster,” Lilley said. “I think our transition is better. We’re more of a threat on the outside and then we have more space for our inside post player to work with.”
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