Just about anyone who lives in Oregon understands the magnitude of the Civil War. Tomorrow, the rivalry game will take on an entirely different meaning, as it will be the last to ever be played at McArthur Court.
To some, the idea might be intimidating. After all, the game will become one of the final memories of the legendary arena. Still, many members of the women’s basketball team (13-8, 4-5) see it as a unique opportunity.
“(We) have the privilege of playing that last game,” junior forward Victoria Kenyon said. “It’s a very special honor. I’m sure the crowd is going to be crazy for the Civil War, and it’s going to be a game that’s going to be remembered for many years after its played.”
For head coach Paul Westhead, it is an interesting situation. The game, ironically enough, will be his first and last Civil War at McArthur Court.
“What a prestigious position to be in,” Westhead said. “We obviously want to try and close this classic arena down in style by winning the game. But, as I said to our players briefly today, so does the opposition. It’s not like it’s only us involved.”
Indeed, Oregon State (9-11, 1-8) is desperate for a win no matter where it plays. The Beavers have now lost nine straight games, their last win coming on New Year’s Day against Washington State. That same Washington State team is the only one behind Oregon State in the Pacific-10 Conference standings.
In their first matchup in Corvallis on Jan. 9, the Ducks won rather easily 86-71. It was a strong showing, and Westhead came away impressed.
“We played a pretty sound game against Oregon State,” Westhead said. “We defended well, we pressed well, we caused turnovers, (and) shot the ball very well, especially in the second half.”
Oregon shot 53.8% from the field, including 44% from three-point range. Senior guard Taylor Lilley led the team with 23 points, while senior guard Micaela Cocks added 22 points and sophomore Amanda Johnson totaled 20 points and 9 rebounds. Sophomore Jasmin Holliday also came off the bench to contribute 13 points and nine key rebounds.
The Ducks ourebounded Oregon State 34-32, which was important to their success. The team hopes to repeat that effort on Saturday.
“Overall as a team we’re focusing on rebounding,” Kenyon said. “That’s been a challenge for us, so in this coming game we’ll be working on getting (rebounds), pressing full-court and then running as fast as we can.”
Another key to the game will be containing the potent Talisa Rhea. The junior guard scored 30 points on 10-20 shooting in her last matchup with Oregon, connecting on seven of her eight three-pointers.
“We didn’t play Rhea very well,” Westhead said. “She had thirty, and could have had more, so we need to do a better defensive job on her. She’s a very, very good player.”
Freshman guard Haiden Palmer also played well against the Ducks, totaling 19 points and four assists. Sophomore forward Kirsten Tilleman added 13 points and 7 rebounds.
Despite their recent struggles, the Beavers are still third in the Pac-10 in scoring defense, giving up just 57.5 points per game. They also lead the conference in rebounding defense, giving up just 31.8 per game. Clearly, the Ducks will have to work hard on the glass to overcome Oregon State.
Oregon is no stranger to losing streaks, having just ended a five-game skid of its own. Still, it seems that these two teams are moving in drastically different directions.
“I think we gained our confidence back,” junior guard Candyce Flynn said. “It was a win at the right time on the road, and now we come back here for the Civil War, and I think we have a lot of confidence and momentum that we need.”
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Last War at Mac has Ducks excited
Daily Emerald
February 3, 2010
Jack Hunter
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