Nia Jackson scored 24 points, and the Oregon women’s basketball team won the inaugural Civil War contest at Matthew Knight Arena, 81-72, Sunday afternoon.
The redshirt junior electrified a Pacific-10 Conference-record crowd of 12,320 with big shots at big moments and deft ball-handling through the Beavers’ zone defense. Jackson ended the game with eight made field goals on 12 attempts (3 of 5 from three-point range) and supplemented her point total with four assists and three steals.
“Jackson’s phenomenal with the ball,” Oregon State head coach Scott Rueck said. “When she gets it, just a track meet to the other end.”
Her biggest impact was felt at the end of the first half. Tied at 39, Jackson made a three-pointer and two free throws over 22 seconds to send the Ducks (12-6, 3-4 Pac-10) to the locker room ahead 44-39.
“At the end of the half, they started seeping out onto our shooters (on the perimeter),” Jackson said. “I had openings.”
Another three-pointer, with 8:30 remaining in the game, curbed an Oregon State run of four made shots in six possessions. The Beavers never seriously posed a threat to the Ducks’ lead from that point, but Jackson hit three of four free throws in the last 75 seconds to put the victory on ice.
“She seems to save her best for the end of things,” Oregon head coach Paul Westhead said. “She’s our quarterback who we rely on bringing it home for us.”
Oregon State dropped to 7-11 on the season and 0-7 in the Pac-10 with the loss, having allowed their highest point total of the season to an opponent. Still, the Beavers proved to be more than a team still finding its way with two returning players and a new coach.
Guard Sage Indendi scored one of her 14 points on a technical foul free throw before the game even started. Oregon had been assessed an administrative technical foul due to the malfunction of LED lights behind the backboard.
“We all thought it was funny,” Ducks guard Kristi Fallin said. “Coach (Westhead) said, ‘They need help.’”
While many in Knight Arena felt like Oregon State was being spotted a point, the Beavers proved more than capable on their own. After falling behind 14-5 after 3:45, Oregon State’s drive-and-kick offense roared to life. A three-pointer by Indendi with 3:22 remaining gave the Beavers their second lead of the game, 38-37.
Forward Alyssa Martin, aggressive in driving to the basket on the Oregon defense, led the Beavers with 21 points. Center El Sara Greer had 16 points and game-highs of 11 rebounds and six blocks, frustrating the Ducks in the paint.
“They were talking to each other, getting mad at each other,” Greer said. “We were able to get on them and make them uncomfortable.”
Oregon got comfortable from outside the three-point line as the game wore on, making 13 of 30 attempts (43.3 percent). Fallin came off the bench to make five of six three-pointers, finishing with 17 points and providing a serious spark. A corner three out of a timeout with 6:06 to play gave the Ducks a 71-61 lead.
“They were fallin’ for her,” Westhead said.
The Ducks shot 44.4 percent from the field (28-of-63) and forced 21 turnovers but were outrebounded 40-30 and beaten in second-chance points, 18-10, and points in the paint (32-24).
Forwards Jasmin Holliday and Amanda Johnson each contributed 10 points to the victory, with Holliday adding seven rebounds, three assists and three steals. Johnson blocked three shots.
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