Tamika Nurse made the easy passes. She stopped and let the mid-range jumpers fly. She smoothly ran Oregon’s offense.
Nurse did everything the Oregon women’s basketball coaches asked of the sophomore point guard Tuesday night. The result was one of her best performances in an Oregon uniform and another win, this time beating the visiting University of Portland Pilots (4-3) 73-46 in front of 2,636 fans at McArthur Court.
“I would have probably told you the complete opposite,” Nurse said of what she expected. “I’m currently working on a 120-page paper and it’s really over my head so I was really kind of worried about this game but it was time to just let it go.”
That paper, part of a journalism class called Information Gathering and dubbed ‘Info Hell’ by students, has drawn Nurse’s full attention. On the court Nurse let any concerns go, and Oregon (4-1) rolled to an 8-2 start to open the game.
Forward Jamie Hawkins made consecutive baskets, the second assisted by Nurse, to push the lead to 14-6.
Nurse made a jumper in the key. On the next possession, Nurse drove down the right side and tossed in a shot off the backboard and was fouled for a three-point play to give Oregon a 30-16 edge.
By halftime, Oregon held a commanding 42-19 lead.
Nurse had 11 points, four assists, 5-of-5 free throws and maybe most importantly, no turnovers.
“She’s getting better,” Coach Bev Smith said. “She took a couple of dribble jumpers, which she just goes hard and pulls up, and I think that’s going to be unstoppable for her … when she gets that under control.”
Smith placed an emphasis before the game on Oregon’s post players playing well. Forward Jessie Shetters answered with nine points and career highs of four assists and 16 rebounds. Shetters, who left Oregon’s last game in the second half with an ankle bruise, started quickly with seven points and 10 rebounds in the first half.
“It’s real important for me, personally,” Shetters said. “I know if I don’t get my shots in right away … it kind of affects my confidence.”
Forward Eleanor Haring scored all 10 of her second-half points in the first seven minutes on a variety of mid-range jumpers and drives to the hoop. With 15 points Tuesday night and 14 points Saturday against Utah, the senior forward is finding her offensive rhythm after scoring a combined eight points in Oregon’s first two games.
“I hope so,” Haring said. “I don’t want to jinx anything.”
Guard Cicely Oaks, who’s been affected by a sprained left ankle, looked closer to being completely healthy with five points and four rebounds in 21 minutes.
“She’s back,” Smith said. “She’s a little bit rusty in terms of she hasn’t practiced last week but I like what she’s doing.”
With Oregon firmly in control in the second half, forwards Mary Sbrissa and Nicole Garbin made their college basketball debuts. Garbin lofted two shots, neither falling, and had a near-assist to Oaks unravel when her teammate missed a shot in the key.
Almost everything went right Tuesday for Oregon, who have put together two straight quality performances.
“Everyone was just kind of aggressive and we could get in there,” Haring said. “It was nice to make them foul instead of me doing it.”
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Nurse leads in quality win over Pilots
Daily Emerald
November 28, 2006
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