The last time Chelsea Wagner attempted a two-point basket, she was practicing with her teammates.
The redshirt sophomore guard was on the court for 25 minutes Saturday against Oregon State — as many or more minutes than four of Oregon’s starters — and attempted 11 three-point shots.
Five of them went in as Wagner scored 15 points off the bench in Oregon’s 56-54 victory against Oregon State.
“We think we have some very good (three-point) shooters,” head coach Bev Smith said. “Obviously, Chelsea’s a great shooter, Brandi (Davis) is a good shooter. We need to get them into a rhythm and find those opportunities. I think you saw Brandi’s athleticism tonight. She was very hot and she was in the zone.”
Davis came off the bench to lead the Ducks with 16 points. She scored 12 of those in the last nine minutes of the game, including a jumper just inside the three-point line to give Oregon the lead with 4.9 seconds left.
“I felt a lot of confidence after the first shot,” Davis said. “I was just really determined to go out there and hit some key baskets for us.
“We have a team that anyone can have a great night; anyone can come off the bench. Ashley Allen, she had one of those key assists to Carolyn (Ganes) and that really got the team going. We’re all little spark plugs, there’s just certain nights when it happens for each of us.”
Allen played for two minutes in the first half. Her only number in the statistical line is one assist — a pass to Ganes with 47 seconds remaining in the first half for a layup that cut the Beavers’ lead to 26-23.
Ganes, Yadili Okwumabua and Kayla Steen contributed from the bench. The three averaged 18 minutes, with each adding their specialty to the mix.
Steen had two points and four assists while primarily sharing point guard duties with starter Corrie Mizusawa. Okwumabua pulled down three rebounds.
“(The bench was) absolutely the key to the game,” Smith said. “It was a great team effort. I think everybody really gave us just a strong feel that we’ve got a great team and we can play that way.”
Ganes, playing on a sprained ankle, hadn’t practiced since Wednesday.
The sophomore was on the court for 18 minutes, grabbing five rebounds and six points while playing on an ankle that Smith called “the color of my Christmas tree.
“The doctors and our physiotherapy staff were very impressed that she was even able to play,” Smith said. “She’s tough as nails and she knew this was an important game for us.”
Wagner and Okwumabua both credited the bench with playing just as important a role off the court, encouraging their teammates from the sidelines.
“From the five starters to the last person off the bench, it’s important because everyone has to be in the game,” Okwumabua said. “When the game starts, the five people on the court have to get the energy going and it’s so important that the bench players keep that going.”