It’s a role that the Ducks aren’t used to, but it’s a role that they’re relishing.
For the second time in as many home games, the women’s basketball team played the spoiler role in defeating the Pacific-10 Conference’s top team.
Less than two weeks ago, it was No. 23 Washington that entered McArthur Court with a grasp on the conference lead, but left with the consolation prize.
Thursday night it was No. 22 Arizona State that was knocked off the podium, as the Ducks — hanging by the thinnest of threats for a shot at the NCAA Tournament — defeated the Sun Devils 63-56 in front of 4,774 fans at The Pit.
“We’re kind of laughing about how we’re the giant killers now,” said senior forward Angelina Wolvert, who, with 36 seconds left, sank a desperation three-pointer as the shot clock sounded to provide the margin of victory. “It’s just weird being in that position because we haven’t been before.”
Ranked 67th in the latest RPI report, Oregon (15-11 overall, 8-8 Pac-10) had to beat Arizona State (19-8, 11-4) and has to win its final two games — both at home against Arizona and Oregon State — to be considered for the Big Dance.
Arizona State head coach Charli Thurner-Thorne, days away from giving birth to her second son, said after the game that her team is in unfamiliar territory atop the conference standings.
“Oregon played awesome,” Thurner-Thorne said. “They have a good group of seniors that are used to being the [NCAA] Tournament, and we don’t have that. It’s kind of ironic because we’ve never been close to being the giant.”
Ironic because Oregon, in the past few years, has been the giant. Ironic because Oregon, instead of Arizona State, is the underdog, the one trying to spoil the giant’s hopes.
“We like to be the giant killers … we haven’t had the pressure on us as of late,” said junior Jamie Craighead, who scored 11 points against Arizona State. “And they’re coming in with a chance at winning the Pac-10 title, so we get to knock them off. So it’s kind of been a relief for us.”
Before the then-22nd ranked Ducks lost in Tempe Feb. 3, Oregon had won 11 straight against the Devils. That weekend in Arizona, the Ducks were dropped from the top of the Pac-10 and began their five-game descent into the middle of the pack.
“We were sick of losing, and we knew we needed to win to have a chance of getting to the NCAA Tournament,” said sophomore point guard Alissa Edwards, who sank consecutive three-pointers late in the game. “We just didn’t want to lose anymore.”
Wolvert, clad in the old light green Oregon shorts during post-game interviews, said she just wants play hard in what could be her final two games as a Duck.
“We just want to come out and play well,” Wolvert said. “I don’t know what we’re looking for right now, other than to just come out and play well and have fun, but that’s just all we can do. At the end of the season, other people are going to decide where we’re going to be and what’s going to happen.”
Oregon hosts Arizona at 1 p.m. Saturday.