BEN SCHORZMAN | SPORTS REPORTER
The women’s basketball team wrapped up its exhibition schedule Monday night with a 101-55 thumping of Division II Western Oregon, and now the team is preparing for its first “real” game of the season.
“It’s about time. It’s like our season is finally starting on Saturday,” junior Taylor Lilley said with just a hint of relief. “This is what we’re here for, and we’re ready to go.”
In the final tune-up for their road contest with San Jose State this Saturday, the Ducks again flashed their defensive intensity, holding the Wolves to 26.2 percent shooting for the game and forcing 30 turnovers. On Nov. 2, Oregon forced 33 turnovers against Northwest Christian.
Lilley was back in the lineup after missing the first game with shin splints. She said they were good now and other than wearing a pair of black tights, she was the same Taylor Lilley who led the team in scoring last year.
Lilley seemed eager to be back on the floor, and showed no side effects of not having played yet this season. She consistently attacked the basket, and on the defensive end she played aggressively in the passing lanes, finishing with 16 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals.
“I was just trying to create shots. I was getting into the paint, and the girls were spacing out right in their spots,” she said. “Hopefully they can start knocking more of them down in the next games.”

Junior Micaela Cocks was also glad to see her running mate in the backcourt return. Cocks said the difference with Lilley in the game is big.
“It creates so much more offensive opportunities for us when she’s in the game, and defensively it was great, too,” Cocks said. “Not even in games but also in training when it’s a lot more competitive.”
Lilley’s return has been tempered by the fact that the Ducks are still fighting injuries. Redshirt senior Rita Kollo broke her right foot in practice last week and, according to the team’s web site, is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Sophomore Nicole Canepa missed the Western Oregon game due to an ankle sprain, and she’s day-to-day.
Add sophomore Nia Jackson’s torn ACL in her left knee to the mix, and it’s a recipe for the freshman recruits to step up immediately.So far it seems they are up to the challenge.
Through the two exhibition games, freshmen Darriel Gaynor, Jasmin Holliday and Amanda Johnson have all performed exceedingly well. Against Northwest Christian, Johnson had a team-high 18 points, seven rebounds, and four steals.
Gaynor added 11 points and Holliday had eight points and five rebounds. Then Johnson added another 10 points against Western Oregon to lead the freshmen.
“The tempo is very different from high school,” Gaynor said. “Especially the tempo from offense to defense, but we try to watch (the upperclassmen) when they’re in and see what they do and try to keep it up when we come in.”
But besides the solid play from the new recruits and the consistent play of veterans Lilley and Cocks, the team is looking to improve in a few areas to prepare for the stronger competition Division I teams offer.
The Ducks gave up 18 offensive rebounds to the smaller Wolves, and although they forced 30 turnovers in the Western Oregon game, the Ducks also committed 19.
When asked at the press conference after the game about what were more disappointing, the turnovers or the offensive rebounds, both Cocks and Lilley said the offensive rebounds.
“We have got to work on sealing our person and boxing out,” Cocks said. “We can’t get out rebounded like that. We just have to work on playing more consistently instead of playing in patches. We have to work on playing a full game.”
BEN SCHORZMAN
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