The most prolific three-point shooting team in the Pacific-10 Conference clashed with the best three-point defensive team in the conference Saturday afternoon at Matthew Knight Arena.
Oregon came into its contest with Cal after a 3-for-32 performance from beyond the arc against Stanford on Thursday. The Ducks had shot 33.2 percent on 464 attempts, third in the Pac-10.
Early on, Oregon appeared to outplay a Golden Bears defense that had allowed 25.9 percent shooting from the three-point line entering Saturday. The Ducks hit five shots from long range in the first nine minutes and seven of 14 attempts in the first half, entering the locker room ahead 38-36.
Cal head coach Joanne Boyle issued a simple directive.
“We just emphasized that not one of their shooters could be open,” Boyle said. “We were going to give them a drive to the basket, but not one of them could get an open three, so I thought the kids made a really nice adjustment, coming out and buying into that piece of the game plan.”
Twenty minutes later, Oregon had nothing to show for 11 three-point attempts. The Ducks finished the game shooting 28.0 percent (7-for-25) from beyond the arc in the 81-65 loss.
“Their three-pointers can bring you right back,” said Cal guard Layshia Clarendon, who led the Golden Bears with 19 points. “You’ve got to stay with them.”
Cal had struggled to pull away from Oregon until a three-point shot by Clarendon with 9:03 left gave the Golden Bears an eight-point lead, 63-55. Tatianna Thomas would make a layup a short time later for the Ducks, but Oregon never came within reach of Cal for the rest of game.
“Like a dagger to the heart,” Clarendon said of her shot.
Drives to the basket were mitigated by Talia Caldwell, the Golden Bears’ 6-foot-4 center. Caldwell was physical with the Ducks’ forwards and gave them fits in the paint, which Cal dominated 44-28.
“She’s very strong and aggressive,” Oregon head coach Paul Westhead said. “That’s a nice weapon to have.”
Another, equally important factor was alert defense in the full court. The Golden Bears forced at least five backcourt turnovers in an attempt to curtail Oregon point guard Nia Jackson’s effectiveness. Jackson finished with 14 points and nine assists but also committed six turnovers.
“We knew we had to slow Jackson down,” Clarendon said. “Make someone else bring the ball up, get it out of her hands.”
Perhaps the most impressive statistic on the night was bench points: Oregon 16, Cal 0. The Golden Bears had nine players available for the game, all of whom played and showed little ill effect from the Ducks’ intended pace.
“There goes that theory that you have to rotate your players to be fresh at the end,” Westhead said with a chuckle. “They’re strong, athletic kids.”
Clarendon cited a quote from Boyle in pre-game preparations: “If you don’t expect to be tired, don’t show up for this game. You’re going to be drained after this game.” As one of four Cal starters to play 36 minutes or more, she eventually emerged — drained but enthusiastic — on the winning side.
Fallin leaves with injury
Oregon guard Kristi Fallin left the game late in the second half with an apparent right ankle injury.
Fallin, who had three points and five rebounds against the Golden Bears, was carried off the court, unable to put weight on the ankle. She was seen on crutches after the game.
The senior from Roseburg, a junior college transfer, is averaging 6.9 points in 18.6 minutes per game this season.
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Cal shuts down Oregon in second half, prevails victorious
Daily Emerald
January 30, 2011
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