Sunday’s NCAA Selection Show was taking a toll on Oregon women’s head coach Bev Smith.
After it ended, Smith jokingly
admitted to the crowd of about 200 at McArthur Court that she needed a drink.
Smith and the Ducks had just secured a berth in the 2005 NCAA Tournament, marking the first career bid as a coach for Smith and the first for the Ducks since 2000-01.
So it wasn’t a drink out of futility or frustration.
It was a drink of celebration.
More importantly, Smith and her team deserve it. So enjoy that ‘drink,’ because it was a reward for a season that could have gone
in many directions, but instead a team came out and refused to let that happen.
“To see that ‘O’ up there on national television, on ESPN, is just fantastic for our team, for our program, for our university and for the community of Eugene,” Smith said. “I’m just so, so excited and so proud of our team, and how they played this year.”
The Ducks were also rewarded by the selection committee by being placed in Seattle for their first and possibly second round tournament games.
“We’re really excited to be in Seattle,” Oregon senior Cathrine Kraayeveld said. “We feel like it can be essentially a home court for us. It’s so close, and we’re going to get a lot of fans hopefully.”
The recent house of horrors that is Bank of America Arena will now serve as the home away from home for the Ducks.
In the last two games in Seattle, the Ducks have lost by a combined 71 points.
But that was against the Huskies. On Saturday, Washington’s home court will become neutral.
No Dawgs. No Washington fight song.
By the way, the Ducks are 4-1 this year on neutral courts.
Interstate-5 will serve as a direct pipeline for the Mac Court fans and Mac Court mojo.
“We’re excited,” Oregon senior Corrie Mizusawa said. “We’re going to Seattle, having all of our fans come up there. We feel we can make some noise up there.”
That mojo led the Ducks to a
9-0 conference record in Eugene, and now Oregon doesn’t have
to worry about seeing if that
magic could extend to the Chattanooga, Tenn., Kansas City, Mo., or Philadelphia regions.
“I think there will be a lot of interest in going to Seattle,” Smith said. “We know the area, and there will be a lot of green and (yellow) in that purple gym, and we can’t wait.”
Seattle is exactly where the Ducks needed to land, and that psychological boost should help Oregon have a legitimate shot to start something special.
Or would it be a continuation of what they have already accomplished?
“All the credit goes to our players,” Smith said. “How they worked, how they committed to the things that our coaching staff felt was important. All the hard work was worth it, and right now, it’s a great moment for our team.”
For example, how about the
three seniors, Kraayeveld, Mizusawa and Andrea Bills. Time and time again, the trio put the season on its shoulders and continued to
press forward.
Or the midseason play of Brandi Davis, who provided the Ducks with a dangerous shooter to compliment an Oregon offense that started from the inside?
Or how about the freshmen? How about Kaela Chapdelaine or Eleanor Haring or Chelsea Wagner?
So congrats, Smith and Co.
‘Drink’ up this tournament experience and enjoy.

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