CORVALLIS — There are basketball teams that live and die by the three-point shot.
Then there is Oregon.
“I don’t think we really live and die by the three-point,” guard Chelsea Wagner said. “I think we’ve been relying on it a lot lately.”
During Oregon’s 3-9 Pacific-10 Conference season, the Ducks have taken at least 17 three-point shot attempts in their three victories, making eight shots in two of the wins.
Saturday, the Ducks had just eight attempts against Oregon State. Those eight, it seemed, either went right in the basket or had no chance — in equal proportion.
By percentages, Saturday was Oregon’s best three-point shooting night of the season as the Ducks were 4 for 8. But basketball isn’t a game of percentages.
“You’ve got to credit Oregon State’s defense,” Oregon head coach Bev Smith said. “They played very well, they kept in our shooters’ faces and one of the reasons that we didn’t get those open looks is that we just did not move the ball.”
It was apparent that the Beavers studied the Ducks’ behind-the-arc attack. In part one of the Civil War on Jan. 10 in Eugene, Oregon was 8 for 18 from three-point range. Five of the eight made up a career-high for Wagner, which she has since tied three times.
Saturday, Wagner went 1 for 1 in three-point attempts during her 12 minutes on the court. The sophomore partially tore the lateral meniscus in her left knee Jan. 15 in a loss to Washington.
“I’m not moving too well,” Wagner said. “It affects how I play and I don’t want to be out there unless I can help the team. We had to get some people in there that could move.”
In Oregon’s past two games, Wagner has been held to three points or less. Hampered by the injury, she averaged 14.5 minutes in the two games.
“I think that knee is always going to be a factor,” Smith said. “It’s certainly hindered her from practicing as well as she can and I think it takes a little away from game-time readiness. However, we did get her open for one three and that was really important for us.”
Combined, Wagner and guard Brandi Davis account for 64 percent of Oregon’s three-point offense this season.
Davis, who led the Ducks in the first Civil War with 15 points and again Saturday with 13, made Oregon’s three other shots from three-point range. The junior was 3 for 6 from behind the line.
“It’s not all about our guards, it’s all of us as a whole,” Davis said. “I don’t think just because two people didn’t get as open (off) looks as they did the last game (that it) affects the team. It’s all about stepping up and putting it all together.”