SEATTLE — Neither Washington coach Mike Neighbors nor Oregon coach Kelly Graves were fans of the Pac-12’s scheduling rotation the last two years.
The two rivals played each other once per season: Oregon traveled to Washington last year. The Huskies visited Eugene earlier this season. Graves and Neighbors argued that maintaining the “regional rivalry” between the two schools was key towards drawing fans.
“I think you deny the fans something, but I get it,” Graves said last season. “I understand it. It’s their way of being fair.”
No denying the importance of Friday night’s game, a matchup between No. 6 Oregon and No. 3 Washington in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals (8:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network).
The Ducks took down No. 11 Arizona on Thursday for the program’s first Pac-12 Tournament win since 2008. Washington, which earned a bye in the first round, is coming off a dramatic win in which Kelsey Plum set the NCAA all-time scoring record with 57 points against Utah.
Earlier this season, the Ducks lost 99-77 to then-ranked No. 9 Washington at Matthew Knight Arena. Though Plum scored 44 points, the Ducks were without Sabrina Ionescu and Maite Cazorla, arguably the team’s best defender. It was also the first Pac-12 game for Oregon’s group of freshmen.
Oregon guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) tosses the ball during warm ups. The Oregon Ducks host the Northwest Christian University Beacons at Matt Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. on Oct. 29, 2016. (Kaylee Domzalski/Emerald)
“I think it can be an advantage for us because they haven’t played us with our whole squad,” Graves said. “As far as I’m concerned, we can go out loose. We can play really hard.
“We’ve already been under the lights, so to speak. I think we have some advantages, there’s no doubt about it. But we realize it will be a real challenge.”
Ionescu said earlier this season it was difficult not to play against Washington. The Huskies and Ducks were the final two programs she considered during her unconventional recruiting process.
“That, that was a little tough,” Ionescu said after Oregon’s loss to Stanford in the Bay Area. “There was nothing I could do.”
Plum, along with Chantel Osahor, pace the NCAA in scoring and rebounds, respectively. Oshahor averages 14.9 rebounds and 15.8 points a game. Oregon’s Mallory McGwire remembers the first time she saw Osahor’s unique game — on Twitter.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I’m going to be playing against her,” McGwire said. “When I did, it was like nothing different than what I saw. She’s an amazing player. It’s fun playing against her.”
Ionescu said all five players will have to work in unison to slow down Plum, who averages 31.9 points a game.
“It’ll be fun,” Ionescu said. “She’s a great player. All credit to her, but I think we’ll come out and show them something that they haven’t seen before.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
