With only six games remaining in its regular season schedule, the Oregon women’s basketball team is sitting better than it was last season.
The Ducks (15-6 overall, 8-4 Pacific-10 Conference) eclipsed last season’s win total of 14 with a victory against Oregon State last week. Head coach Bev Smith has only coached one Oregon team to a winning record, which occurred during her first season in 2001-02 when the Ducks finished 22-13 overall and 10-8 in the conference.
This week, Oregon heads to the Evergreen State in search of two road wins against squads that are resting in the lower half of the Pac-10 standings.
“It’s very important for us to get two wins up there and on the road,” Kirkland, Wash., native Cathrine Kraayeveld said. “We haven’t played well on the road, but that’s something we can change and something that we have control of.”
At 1-4 away from home, the Ducks have not been able to win outside Oregon, as their only win came against the Beavers. However, they have yet to lose against a Northwest team this season.
Oregon begins its road trip against Washington State (5-17, 1-12), and the Ducks realize it will be a challenge to obtain their second road win against a team looking for just its second total conference win.
“Washington State has been playing really well,” Kraayeveld said. “They have a lot of confidence, and they’re at home, so we have to come in and play our game.”
But the Ducks have a confidence booster: They currently have a seven-game winning streak against the Cougars. And Kraayeveld should have plenty of confidence after a 17-point performance against Oregon State and a double-double effort in her last game against the Cougars.
Smith said her team has to focus on scoring, offensive rebounding and transition defense with Washington State forward Kate Benz lurking in the paint — she leads the conference with 9.6 rebounds per game.
The Cougars are playing well coming into their final homestand of the season, losing by single digits to UCLA and USC.
“Coach (Sherri) Murrell has played a lot of people this year, and it looks like she’s getting different starting lineups that are starting to produce for her,” Smith said.

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