The first chance for coach Bev Smith to unveil her young basketball team comes tonight when the Ducks host visiting Western Oregon in an exhibition game at McArthur Court.
And, for a change, Oregon holds a clear advantage in the height department.
Western Oregon’s tallest player – Alison Neussi at 6-foot-1 – is the lone player for the Wolves that’s taller than 6 feet. Oregon is introducing its all-freshman frontline of 6-foot-5 Nicole Canepa, 6-foot-4 Ellyce Ironmonger, 6-foot-3 Ellie Manou and 6-foot-2 Victoria Kenyon.
The exhibition game gives Oregon a chance to showcase its increased emphasis on rebounding, an area the Ducks struggled with last season.
“Huge,” said Kenyon, describing its importance. “We’re always doing rebounding drills and boxing out.”
On offense, Oregon will have 3 1/2 players go for the rebound and have the shooting guard go back as the safety. The point guard will go to the free throw line and get the balls that are tipped back. It’s a change from last season when three players chased after the rebound and two went back on defense.
“Defensively, we’ve become a little bit more aggressive with the rebounding, trying to get into people early and then try and get the ball off the rim or get the ball before it hits the ground so we can take off,” Smith said.
Another benefit to Thursday’s game is to see how the Ducks do against players other than their own.
“Western Oregon is going to be a little bit smaller than us, so I think we are going to try and focus on going inside and using our post play,” guard Kaela Chapdelaine said. “However, it just depends on how they play us. If they play a lot of zone, well, then our perimeter might get some more scoring.”
Smith says the focus is on making sure the players understand how to run the team’s systems on offense and defense.
“I think that we’re ready to play someone else and see where we’re at,” she said. “Obviously, our execution won’t be precise offensively and defensively, but we’ll be ready to compete.”
Western Oregon was 3-24 last season and brings back three starters.
On Sunday, the Ducks host Love & Basketball, consisting of Southern California residents. Most of the players have played college basketball, including Denise Woods and Jessica Cheeks of USC and Amber White of California.
The last time Oregon played an exhibition game, the Ducks dropped a 64-60 shocker to visiting Vanguard, an NAIA school, last fall-a memory the upperclassmen would like to forget.
“I think we just didn’t come out being the aggressor,” Chapdelaine said. “This year … with our identity with being the hardworking team we want to come out and be the hammer on the nail. Regardless of who it is-it doesn’t matter whether it’s a Pac-10 opponent or if it’s just an exhibition game-we definitely want to set the tone early and get it done.”

Sidelined

Tatianna Thomas, who was involved in a minor car accident last week, will suit up but not play Thursday, Smith said. Smith said that Thomas’ injuries consisted of bumps and bruises. Her status for Sunday is unclear.
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