Separation time has arrived for the Oregon women’s basketball team.
The Ducks moved into a tie for fourth place in the Pacific-10 Conference last weekend and now have an opportunity to prove they belong starting tonight against UCLA inside Pauley Pavilion.
Both Los Angeles schools and Oregon sit at 4-3 in conference play. Wins this week could move the Ducks back up into the upper half of the Pac-10 and put them in better position to earn a postseason berth, whether it’s the Women’s National Invitational Tournament or, better yet, the NCAA Tournament.
“We’re feeling good about ourselves, but there are still things we need to improve upon,” guard Kaela Chapdelaine said.
The Washington game gave the Ducks a glimpse of an Oregon team able to overcome multiple deficits and an injury to a key player in Ellyce Ironmonger. Oregon (10-8 overall) also showed they can win a close game, and as point guard Tamika Nurse pointed out – the Ducks won back to back contests.
“Even if things aren’t going well, if you still keep going through it hard then good things will happen,” guard Taylor Lilley said.
UCLA (9-9 overall) boasts an athletic squad run by freshman point guard Darxia Morris. Morris, who has missed the last three games, is questionable with a knee injury. But the Bruins, even without Morris, are a high-scoring bunch and as a team are averaging 70.9 points a game – second in the Pac-10.
Oregon coach Bev Smith and Chapdelaine say the Ducks need to shore up their turnover totals after committing 21 against Washington and 16 against Washington State.
UCLA’s athletic forward Lindsey Pluimer poses a match-up problem for any team with her ability to either post-up or play out on the perimeter. The senior Pluimer is averaging a team-high 14.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, while shooting nearly identically from the field (43.2 percent) as from three-point territory (43.1 percent).
Oregon freshman forward Victoria Kenyon is likely to draw the assignment on defense.
“If we’re going to put a post on her, I think Vic is almost kind of the same player,” Chapdelaine said. “She’s a little stronger and a little more back-to-the-basket oriented but she can also shoot the ball and handle. She’s got some good perimeter skills.”
“That will be a match-up probably for Victoria, who I think did a great job against (Washington’s Katelan) Redmon on the weekend, who is a similar player – younger (and) not as savvy,” Smith said.
UCLA players Moniquee Alexander, Candice Brown and Morris are all eligible to play, should they be healthy, after they were ejected in a wild finish to the Bruins rivalry game with USC last week.
All three came off the bench in an altercation between Allison Jaskowiak and Pluimer. Pluimer had fouled Jaskowiak to stop the clock at the end of what became a 64-56 USC win. Jaskowiak swung her elbow, catching Pluimer’s cheek and the above mentioned trio and USC’s Jacki Gemelos were ejected for coming off the bench.
The altercation wasn’t ruled a fight so all three UCLA players were cleared to play tonight.

Quick healer

Ellyce Ironmonger shook off any concerns from a first-half tumble on Saturday in the Washington game and has been able to practice all week. Although Smith held her out of the second half as a precaution, she says Ironmonger will be ready to play tonight.
“I thought it was worse, but it’s fine now and I’m really looking forward to this weekend and getting some wins,” she said.
Ironmonger says from what she can remember she was bumped, leading her to fall to the ground and clutch her right knee. Initially diagnosed as a right knee sprain, Ironmonger says the knee was sore, but improved after the game and she was able to walk on it.
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