Just because it’s the postseason doesn’t mean the Civil War is going to be any different.
The Ducks and Beavers showed the same intensity as in previous matchups on Sunday at McArthur Court. Cathrine Kraayeveld’s game-winning shot with four seconds left capped off a physical game between the in-state rivals.
The third installment of this year’s Civil War left the Ducks battered and bruised but gratified that they had just sent Oregon State home for good this season.
“There’s no better way to beat a Beaver than to say ‘You’re not going to play for the rest of the season,’” junior Shaquala Williams said.
The game was so intense, Oregon head coach Bev Smith and Oregon State’s Judy Spoelstra seemed to get into a heated conversation toward the end of the game.
After Kraayeveld’s bucket put Oregon ahead 50-48, the Beavers attempted to call a timeout before time expired. They were eventually granted that request. However, Smith said she felt there should have been less time on the clock.
The clock ended up being reset at 1.2 seconds, and both coaches denied that any negative words were exchanged.
“It’s hard to hear in (Mac Court),” Spoelstra said. “We were both trying to get our points across. I have complete respect for Bev and would never argue with another coach in that position.”
Said Smith, “It was just a difference of opinion, and maybe we were a little too animated than we should have been.”
Before the game, Smith said the contest was going to be physical and was going to bring out the best in both teams — at least in competitiveness, if not in ability. That showed, as both teams failed to shoot better than 33 percent from the field, including a 23 percent clip for Oregon State in the second half.
“They’re a good team, and it’s always going to be a good game when Oregon and Oregon State play,” Kraayeveld said.
Oregon, which has won 13 of 14 against the Beavers, will move on to the third round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Beavers, on the other hand, finish their season after losing at McArthur Court for the ninth time since 1993.
“We’ve been hearing them talk all week,” Oregon sharpshooter Jamie Craighead said. “It’s a good feeling to know they talk all week and they don’t own McArthur Court.
“It ended their season, and we’re moving on.”
The loss marks the end of a career for Oregon State senior Felicia Ragland. What has turned into a mini-rivalry on its own between Ragland and the Ducks ends in acrimonious fashion.
After drawing a traveling violation at the outset of the second half, Ragland was charged with a technical foul for arguing with a referee. She finished her career game fittingly, grabbing 14 rebounds and scoring 11 points en route to her fifth double-double in a row against Oregon.
Her technical may be what most Duck fans will remember. The 3,140 in attendance immediately jumped to their feet after the referee initiated the two shots that Oregon’s Williams took after the call and gave the Ducks what very well could have been the fuel for the win.
Spoelstra felt the Ducks didn’t truly earn that momentum. In her opinion, the officials took the game out of Oregon State’s hands.
Oregon State was visibly upset after the game. Leading by 10 at halftime, the Beavers seemed to be in control heading onto the court at halftime. However, Oregon’s defense came alive.
“We should have beat them,” Oregon State freshman Juleen Smith said. “There is no excuse for us to lose.”
With the win, Oregon now travels to Seattle on Wednesday to play fellow Pacific-10 Conference foe Washington. The Ducks and Huskies will meet for the fourth time this season.
After playing perhaps their No. 1 rival, Oregon goes on to a close second. There’s no love lost between the two schools, and it promises to be a grudge match.
But throw away the scouting reports and anything the two teams have done against each other this season. The game will be won by the players who will show they want it more.
“I think I hate UW even more because I’m from Washington,” Craighead said. “It’s going to be about the team who wants it more. I’m looking forward to it.”