It’s safe to say that the Oregon women’s basketball team won’t
be sending Giuliana Mendiola a Valentine’s Day gift.
The Washington senior scored 18 of the Huskies final 23 points
— including 13 straight — Saturday, leading the Huskies to a
67-56 win over Oregon in front of 4,254 fans at McArthur Court.
Mendiola — last season’s Pacific-10 Conference Player of the
Year — started her scoring run with 10:37 remaining in the
second half when her three-pointer from the right wing gave
Washington a 47-40 lead.
Oregon pulled to within two at the 8:29 mark when a
three-pointer by Brandi Davis made the score 49-47. Mendiola
answered with eight straight points and the Huskies lead by at
least five the rest of the way.
The 5-foot-11 guard finished with 22 points on 8 of 17 shooting.
“My teammates rely on me to score so I just tried to bring it,”
Mendiola said. “… I just started taking my time, relaxing and
not forcing things.”
Oregon (12-12 overall, 4-10 Pac-10) entered Saturday’s game
hoping to avenge its 95-50 loss — the third worst in school
history — to Washington (14-10, 7-8) on Jan. 15 in Seattle.
The Ducks stayed within shouting distance of the Huskies the
entire game but couldn’t find an answer for Mendiola in the
second half.
It was the second time in three contests that Oregon allowed an
opposing player to dictate the outcome of a game. Oregon State’s
Brina Chaney scored 31 against the Ducks in a Feb. 7 loss to the
Beavers in Corvallis.
“I think (Mendiola) is a great player,” Davis said. “She found
her rhythm. As a defense, we have to learn to slow her down.”
Davis helped keep the Ducks close down the stretch, scoring 14
of her team-high 19 points in the second half. Her three
three-pointers moved her into fifth place all-time on the Oregon
career list with 91.
The Ducks opened the game on a 7-2 run but cooled quickly.
Eleanor Haring had several good looks at the basket in the first
half, but was unable to connect. The freshman forward missed her
first six shots, finishing with eight points on 3 of 13
shooting, two nights after scoring a career-high 16 against
Washington State.
“I think she just missed some good shots,” Oregon head coach
Bev Smith said. “… It’s too bad because I think if she had
gotten off to a better start it certainly would have given them
some different defensive problems.”
Andrea Bills notched her second consecutive double double,
finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Wagner added nine
points on 3 of 8 shooting.
Andrea Lalum scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds for
the Huskies. Gioconda Mendiola and Cameo Hicks each had nine
points.