The Civil War is not the only Oregon athletic event happening this weekend.
Hoping to come back strong after a 72-65 loss to Texas Tech at McArthur Court on Monday, Oregon women’s basketball takes to the road for the first time this season, traveling to Lawrence, Kan., to compete in the Holiday Inn Jayhawk Classic. In the opening game, the Ducks (2-3 overall) will take on St. John’s (1-4) today at 3 p.m.
Against the No. 9 Raiders, Oregon surrendered 48 rebounds and shot just 3-of-14 from beyond the three-point line. With a new coach and four new starters, the team is still learning how to play with each other.
“We were disappointed that we lost,” sophomore forward Cathrine Kraayeveld said. “But we know we’ve come a long way, and we’re starting to really pick it up and play well with each other.”
Oregon’s opponent tonight, St. John’s, defeated St. Francis on Wednesday for its first win of the season. In its previous four games, the team had lost each by at least 13 points.
But the Ducks are not overlooking anybody. Against Texas Tech, the team was void of its ability to shoot from beyond the three-point line and was pushed around inside the paint by the more active Raiders offense.
“If we allow them to get 20 offensive rebounds, it’s tough to win,” head coach Bev Smith said. “But I thought we played very good defense.”
Because the Ducks have never played St. John’s, they really don’t know what to expect. For that reason, Oregon needs to enter Kansas Fieldhouse and give it everything it has.
“We have to go in and play hard,” Kraayeveld said. “We have to get the little things done, especially on the road.”
Key to the Ducks’ offense this weekend will be the play of their guards, junior Shaquala Williams and senior Edniesha Curry. Curry is averaging 13.6 points per game, while Williams leads the team with 17.6.
The duo combined for a below-average 27 points against the Lady Raiders, but each played for more than 30 minutes in the loss.
“Regardless of whether they score 40 points a game between them, we still need to get some balanced scoring from the inside,” Smith said.
The Ducks will need to establish their inside early and often, mostly because the team is not as big in the past. But forcing the Red Storm to focus on the paint will give Williams, Curry and senior Jamie Craighead some open looks.
“We have some team goals, and it is not only important to reach those goals, but also in how we strive for them,” Smith said.
The Ducks will play against either Kansas or Alabama State Saturday, depending on Friday’s results.