At the end of a tremulous week for the Oregon women’s basketball team, the Ducks made a firm decision about Saturday’s game against Washington.
The Ducks decided not to lose, and they didn’t.
When all was said and done, after 45 minutes of regulation plus overtime, Oregon (13-10 overall, 6-7 Pacific-10 Conference) out-toughed and out-played the Huskies (16-7, 9-4) in a 64-60 victory in front of 5,144 fans.
After the game, Oregon players leapt into each other’s arms near center court, celebrating not only as if they’d knocked off the Pac-10 leaders, but won a third Pac-10 title themselves.
“It just came down to we weren’t going to lose again,” guard Jamie Craighead said. “Having the Huskies be the next on the schedule helped because we don’t want to lose to them.”
“This is a big win,” said backup point guard Alissa Edwards, who played 25 minutes, scored eight points and dished four assists. “We needed to win a game because we were in a little slump, so it was huge.”
The Ducks snapped a five-game losing streak that began with a Feb. 1 loss at Arizona. By beating Washington, Oregon still has a slight chance of earning an eighth-straight invitation NCAA tournament.
But don’t tell that to the Ducks, who say they’re only thinking about the next game, which happens 7 p.m. Friday at UCLA.
“We have five opportunities now,” said forward Angelina Wolvert, who had 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. “I’ll come in here and say this every week — we’ve got five opportunities, four opportunities, three opportunities — and we just want to come out and win. We just have to look at the next win.
“Obviously, we looked ahead, and look what happened.”
Oregon players said they were fired up from comments made by Husky guard Jill Pimley the day before the game. The two teams crossed paths between practices and Pimley, according to Wolvert, approached Craighead and asked how it felt to be swept by Washington State.
Then, Pimley said she got paid $5 for asking that.
Craighead didn’t have much of a comeback — until Saturday.
Because with six seconds left in overtime and one second left on the shot clock, it was Craighead who hit a long jumper from the top of the arc, putting her team up by four and thrusting the dagger into Washington’s heart.
“I knew they had a post on me and I was praying that she didn’t get her hand up and block the shot,” said Craighead, who tied Husky guard Megan Franza with 18 points. “That was a wild shot; I was trying to get a three but I think I stepped on the line.”
Wolvert didn’t let Pimley leave The Pit without saying good-bye.
“I went up to her after the game, and I gave her a huge hug and I said, ‘Thanks for the four-year sweep,’” Wolvert said, grinning.
Since Oregon’s Feb. 10 loss to California, Ducks head coach Jody Runge has been trying to motivate her team. She prohibited the Ducks from wearing their uniforms during Tuesday’s practice, said that she wouldn’t accept a WNIT bid and even brought in a team psychologist to speak with the players.
In the end, Runge said that her players simply got fed up with losing games.
“We talked after the Cal game that although we’re hurt and although we’re sick and although whatever is keeping us from being successful, you know what? We’d better get sick of it,” Runge said. “We’re going to have to play through it, it’s all we’ve got, and we did that tonight.”
Wolvert, who voiced frustration with the coaching staff after Thursday’s loss to the Cougars, said the coaching was excellent on Saturday.
“I think the coaches did a really good job at the end of the game to call a timeout,” Wolvert said, referring to the timeout taken with 16.8 left to set up Craighead’s game-sealing shot. “They took care of it in the end of the game for us and kept us calm, and we just want out and had a big game.”
Oregon outrebounded Washington 44-39 and shot 44.3 percent from the floor, including 51.9 percent in the second half and 50 percent in the overtime period.
The game was close the entire way. Husky forward LeAnn Sheets went to the free throw line for two shots with 36.9 seconds left, but Sheets — who is 28 percent from the line this season — missed both. Washington got the offensive board and another chance, but Ducks center Jenny Mowe blocked guard Mendiola Giuliana’s running jumper. Oregon forward Lindsey Dion drove downcourt and missed from the edge of the key, sending the game to overtime.
The injured Dion, whose choice to play was a game-day decision, put the Ducks up for good in overtime when she hit a jumper with 48 seconds left, making the score 62-60.Dion scored 15 points in 25 minutes.