One week past the midway point of the women’s basketball Pacific-10 Conference schedule, Oregon has its work cut out for it.
With an 11-10 overall record, the Ducks are barely afloat in the eligibility for an NIT berth at the end of the season.
With a 3-8 Pac-10 record, Oregon is eighth and slowly sinking in the conference standings.
Amid the injuries, the lost leads and the punishing practices, the Ducks are actually coming together and making progress.
“We have been really searching for an identity — for a lineup that will bring us consistency,” head coach Bev Smith said. “We’ve realized as a team how we needed to play.”
This season has been a roller coaster ride for the Ducks as a team. The team has gone from extreme highs, like a nine-point win against then-No. 9 LSU in November, to extreme lows, like the 45-point loss at Washington on Jan. 15, and has had continued falls and climbs throughout the season.
One of the worst falls was the 0-4 start to Pac-10 play in late December. The Ducks entered the conference season with an 8-2 record and promptly hit a roadblock. Oregon is one week into the second half of the Pac-10 season, and the Ducks have a win against UCLA and a loss to USC behind them.
“Turning the corner on the second half of the season, we’re 1-1,” Smith said. “And that’s better than we started.”
Picked to finish as high as fourth in the Pac-10, the Ducks were somewhat dependent on a healthy team and, primarily, the return of a healthy Catherine Kraayeveld.
As it turned out, the senior was healthy for five games before suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee, the same knee that had a staph infection last season that caused her to miss 13 games.
The Ducks found a small positive spin by getting a medical redshirt year for Kraayeveld, so the senior will return next season with a year of eligibility remaining.
Kraayeveld’s injury isn’t the only one to test Oregon’s depth. The Ducks started the season without sophomore transfer Chelsea Wagner and lone senior Kayla Steen. Since Wagner and Steen returned in November, sophomore Carolyn Ganes, freshman Jessica Shetters, junior Kedzie Gunderson and Wagner have missed playing time because of one injury or another.
“They’ve taken a little wind out of our sails at times,” Smith said. “We just have to get to the point where we can get over those kinds of injuries.”
Wagner’s injury is perhaps the worst. She is playing on a torn lateral meniscus in her left knee — injured in the loss to Washington — which is protected by a brace in each game and drained prior to each contest.
The guard hasn’t missed much practice time, though, while Ganes’ injuries — an ankle that is now mostly recovered and back that acts up — have kept her out of full
practices.
“Once you get out of that rhythm, it’s hard to get it back,” Smith said.
Keeping a rhythm on the court is what junior transfer Corrie Mizusawa is in charge of during
the game.
Mizusawa made a big impression in her first non-exhibition game as a Duck. On Nov. 15 against Valparaiso, Mizusawa’s 13 assists were two shy of setting a new single-game Oregon record.
“Corrie has gone through an evolvement and transformation,” Smith said. “The team knows that if they run the floor and get into position, they will be rewarded (with a pass).”
Mizusawa’s 6.7 assists per game average has her at No. 7 all-time on Oregon’s single-season assists list with 140 this season.
As for weaknesses with the Ducks, choosing their biggest is a draw.
It could be their ability to lose a lead late in the game, eventually losing the game as well.
On the other hand, it might be their inability to play offense against the press.
Regardless, the Ducks still have some kinks to work out for their second half. Two of those kinks don’t include starting point guard Mizusawa and one starting forward, freshman Eleanor Haring.
Haring has played in all 21 games this season, starting 14. She is Oregon’s third-leading scorer with eight points per game.
“Eleanor has grown and become our best player in terms of go-to offense,” Smith said.
Oregon has gone to Haring, Mizusawa and Wagner for three-pointers and everyone on its bench and starting lineup for something this season, be it minutes, rebounds or points.
The key for the Ducks’ second half will be making sure they can continue to go to everyone on their bench, and avoiding a few of those injuries.
“Since the Washington State game (Oregon’s second Pac-10 win), we’re more aggressive and tough,” Smith said.