ROBERT HUSSEMAN | SPORTS REPORTER
The Oregon women could not overcome a poor shooting night, making just 25 percent (13-52) of shots from the field and 14.3 percent (2-14) from the three-point line in a 67-45 loss to the BYU Cougars on Friday afternoon.
Sophomore center Ellie Manou and freshman forward Amanda Johnson each scored 10 points to lead the Ducks. Johnson also chipped in a team-high eight rebounds, while Manou added six and the team’s only blocked shot of the game.
Though Oregon narrowly lost the rebounding battle 46 to 45 and the turnover battle 21 to 15, BYU accumulated 18 assists on 29 made field goals (43.3 percent shooting), while the Ducks managed only three assists in the entire game, two from sophomore Tatianna Thomas and one from sohomore Ellyce Ironmonger.
The Ducks drew first blood in the game and had a 10-8 lead before the Cougars seized control, rattling off 11 straight points en route to a 38-24 halftime lead. The Ducks attempted to establish Manou early in the post, and it worked to an extent, as Manou led the Ducks with nine points at the break.
Both teams shot significantly worse in the second half, but Oregon made only six field goals of 30 shots, compared to BYU’s 12-of-32 shots, and the Cougars took full control of the game. Manou could not establish momentum in the post, missing all four shots in the half, and Micaela Cocks missed all five shot attempts. The junior guard had an uncharacteristic performance against the Cougars, scoring only seven points on 2-of-13 shooting and committing five turnovers without recording an assist.
BYU guard Shawnee Slade scored 10 points in the first half and 17 overall to lead all scorers, and Sarah Hostetter scored 13 in 18 minutes off the bench. BYU center Cassie King added 10 rebounds and three blocked shots – both game-highs – to her eight points.
South Dakota State 80, Oregon 63
Cocks found her shot, scoring a game-high 20 points and grabbing four rebounds, but the Ducks could not overcome 26 turnovers, including 11 by the starting backcourt of Cocks and Thomas, and lost to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits 80-63 on Sunday afternoon.
No Duck besides Cocks managed double figures in scoring against the Jackrabbits.
Thomas came close, with eight points and a team-high six rebounds, as did sophomore Nicole Canepa, who scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench, still working her way back from an ankle injury.
Oregon fell early into a deep hole, as South Dakota State forward Ketty Cornemann buried a three-pointer with 10:31 left in the first half to increase the Jackrabbits’ lead to 28-6. The lead quickly grew to 37-8 before the Ducks managed 12 points during the final 3:38 for a 45-31 halftime score in favor of South Dakota State.
The Ducks stumbled out of the halftime gate, committing three straight turnovers that were converted into six points for a 10-point deficit. Oregon never got closer than the 14-point halftime deficit, down by as many as 29 with 6:02 remaining.
Cornemann led the Jackrabbits with 19 points – all scored in the first half – while Stacie Oistad added 13.
Forward Jennifer Warkenthien filled up South Dakota State’s stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds, six steals and three blocks in 22 minutes.
Oregon junior guard Taylor Lilley sat out both the BYU and South Dakota State games with a shin injury. She has been listed as day-to-day for the Ducks’ next contest, at home on Saturday against Wyoming.
The South Dakota State game marked the first of six for the Ducks against opponents who made the women’s NCAA Tournament or Women’s National Invitational Tournament last year, including WNIT champion Marquette.
ROBERT HUSSEMAN
[email protected]