In light of a disappointing 70-41 defeat against Oregon State on Saturday, Oregon head coach Bev Smith and the coaching staff mixed it up in Monday’s practice for the Ducks (9-18, 5-11 Pacific-10 Conference).
First on the agenda was a simulated game. Borrowing the game plan from Saturday, the Ducks executed their offensive and defensive sets under conditions that included foul trouble and simulated media time outs.
“We tried to replicate our game against Oregon State, trying to get them to understand that it takes commitment and effort to doing the little things over time,” Smith said.
“(We gave) them the opportunity to coach themselves through that. We got some things done yesterday.”
After further drilling, Smith abruptly ended practice with a closed-doors team meeting. The topic of discussion, according to the players, was offensive execution.
“Just being able to play a full 40-minute game,” junior guard Taylor Lilley said.
“I think we responded well,” sophomore guard Tatianna Thomas said. “We took the criticism and we took what was supposed to be taken from it. We just have to come out here and try to fix what they pointed out.”
Thomas has been fighting an inner ear ailment diagnosed last week and played nine scoreless minutes against the Beavers. She saw the overall reaction to issues raised in Monday’s practice as positive.
“I think it was very important because it’s helping us to understand,” Thomas said.
Since the Ducks embarked on a 4-2 start to the Pac-10 season (including a win over UCLA at Pauley Pavilion), the Ducks have now lost eight of their last nine games, with the only win coming against last-place Washington at McArthur Court. A first-round bye in the Pac-10 Tournament, awarded to the top six seeds, is improbable, meaning that Oregon’s weekend series against the Los Angeles schools will be played for momentum.
“We’ve had our ups and downs since then,” Smith said. “We’re trying to get back on an upward slide.”
Where to start?
“Playing a whole game,” Lilley said. “Consistently and intense.”
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