Over the years, McArthur Court played host to a number of star basketball players and coaches. The likes of Bill Walton, Gary Payton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jason Kidd, John Wooden, Pete Newell and Lute Olson all frequented the historic venue during their stints in the Pacific-10 Conference.
While it’s impossible to know who the next wave of Pac-10 icons to visit Eugene will be, there are a number of talented visitors set to play at Knight Arena when it opens its doors for the first time Thursday night. Here’s a look at some of the best Pac-10 players and coaches who will play at Knight Arena this season.
Women’s basketball players
1) Jeanette Pohlen, Sr. Guard, Stanford — You’d be hard pressed to find a Pac-10 player with more notable career highlights than Pohlen. After willing Stanford to the Final Four last season with a buzzer-beating full-court drive to defeat Xavier, Pohlen scored 31 points in Stanford’s stunning upset of then-No. 1 Connecticut in late December. Pohlen ranks fourth in the Pac-10 in scoring, third in assists, first in free-throw percentage, and second in three-point percentage.
2) Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Jr. Forward, Stanford — Perhaps the most athletic player in the Pac-10 conference, Ogwumike garnered All-American honors last season. She currently ranks second in scoring and fifth in rebounding in the league. Oregon women’s basketball fans are well acquainted with Ogwumike’s talents — she scorched the Ducks for 30 points and 23 rebounds when Stanford and Oregon met at Mac Court last season. Stanford will be coming to Knight Arena Jan. 27.
3) Ify Ibekwe, Sr. Forward, Arizona — An imposing defensive force who won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year award last season, Ibekwe has fine-tuned her offensive game over the course of her Wildcat career. In addition to leading the Pac-10 in rebounding with 10.5 per game this season, Ibekwe ranks in the top-10 in the league in scoring (ninth at 14.7 points per game), field goal percentage (eighth at 50 percent), and blocks (second with 1.71 per game). Ibekwe and her team will be at Knight Arena March 5.
Men’s basketball players
1) Klay Thompson, Jr. Guard, Washington State — Currently the Pac-10’s leading scorer by a wide margin at 22.3 points per game, Thompson has starred for the Cougars since he arrived on campus as a freshman. In addition to being one if its most efficient scorers, Thompson is one of the Pac-10’s best all-around players. He ranks in the top five in the conference in assists, steals, and free-throw percentage, and ranks seventh in three-point percentage. Oregon will take on Washington in Knight Arena Feb. 3.
2) Derrick Williams, Soph. Forward, Arizona — Perhaps the best NBA draft prospect in the Pac-10, Williams is an explosive player who made the No. 1 spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays with a dunk against Washington State last season. Williams currently ranks second in the conference in scoring at 19.1 points per game, and is in the top 10 in rebounds and field goal percentage. Arizona already traveled to McArthur Court for its road matchup earlier this season, but look for Williams to be one of the most dominant big men in the Pac-10 if he decides to return for his junior season.
3) Nikola Vucevic, Jr. Forward, USC — A 6-foot-10 post player who can shoot from distance, Vucevic is among the conference’s most versatile players. He’s currently ranked third in scoring at 16.1 points per game, and leads the league in rebounding with 9.6 per game. He won the Pac-10’s Most Improved Player award last season. You can see Vucevic in Knight Arena on Jan. 13.
Coaches
1) Tara VanDerveer, Stanford — The longest-tenured basketball coach in the Pac-10, VanDerveer has a laundry list of achievements to her credit. She’s won more than 800 games in her collegiate coaching career, two NCAA national championships, one Olympic gold medal, and made eight Final Four appearances. She’s also a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
2) Mike Montgomery, Cal — The only Pac-10 basketball coach who has been a head coach in the NBA (aside from Paul Westhead of Oregon, of course), Montgomery recently picked up his 600th win as a college head coach. Cal lost a several key players to graduation last season, but Montgomery is shaping up his new Golden Bears roster to be a tough challenge for any team to content with. Montgomery will bring his team to Knight Arena Feb. 24.
3) Ben Howland, UCLA — Although he hasn’t coached as long as VanDerveer or Montgomery, Howland has experienced impressive success in his more than 16 seasons as an NCAA head coach. He’s taken three different schools to the NCAA Tournament, made three Final Fours, and won the Big East Coach of the Year Award with Pittsburgh in 2002. UCLA will take on Oregon on Jan. 15.
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Who will play at Matthew Knight Arena?
Daily Emerald
January 11, 2011
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