In last year’s dismal 9-21 season, the Oregon women’s basketball team lost six straight games twice, including the final six of the season. The Ducks’ last game, in the Pacific-10 Conference tournament, was a 69-43 loss to Washington — the first-ever loss by a seventh-seeded team to a 10th-seeded team.
This season, Oregon finds itself in the sixth-seed with a bye for the Thursday games — staring down third-seeded USC on Friday. The Ducks beat the Women of Troy in Los Angeles on January 30 but lost to them at McArthur Court on Feb. 25 — the third game of their current six-game losing streak.
“We need to get back playing the basketball we’re capable of,” senior guard Micaela Cocks said.
What’s gone wrong for the Ducks? Many things, if an informal poll of team members is any indication.
“Our defense (has been frustrating),” Cocks said. “I think we’re just a bit too flat at the moment and we’re not putting the pressure on them that we know we can do. We know what it is, we just have to go out there and do it.”
Oregon has allowed 81.7 points per game over the past six, including 104 to Stanford and 91 to UCLA. The Ducks have also watched a second-half lead of 16 points (to UCLA) and first-half leads of 15 (Washington State) and nine (Washington) evaporate within that span.
“I think it’s our rebounding that’s really frustrating,” forward Lindsey Saffold said. “Like, we’ve given up a lot of offensive rebounds. I know we’re trying; the effort’s there. We just need to push a little bit harder. We’re not keeping them out (of the path of the ball) all the way; they’re running around us.”
The Ducks rank fifth in the Pac-10 in rebounding (39.2 per game) but have allowed opponents 44.3 rebounds per game, second only to Washington State among the conference’s worst marks. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Oregon was outrebounded in all six games, allowing a season-high 60 to Washington State last Saturday.
“I just feel like, on our fast break, we’re not getting out as fast as we can every single time,” senior guard Taylor Lilley said. “We’re kind of going away from our game plan.”
The fast break has sputtered over the past six games, and the offense has suffered. Oregon averaged 66.3 points per game during its losing streak, well off its current average of 81.5 points per game. The 53 points scored against Washington and Washington State were the lowest point totals of the season.
“We’re a good offensive team, so I can’t imagine that this is going to linger,” head coach Paul Westhead said. “If it does linger, I can’t imagine it’s going to linger that long.”
The Ducks took Monday off and practiced at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, before leaving for Los Angeles and the Pac-10 Tournament. Over the past three weeks, seemingly every facet of the Oregon game plan has broken down; the tournament offers a unique opportunity for the Ducks to build themselves back up.
“We’re going to treat this like it’s a brand new season,” Westhead said. “The regular season is over.”
Flynn sprains ankle
Junior guard Candyce Flynn limped off the court during Tuesday’s practice with an apparent ankle injury. The severity at press time was unknown.
Flynn, a transfer from Rend Lake College in Ina, Ill., has appeared in 10 games thus far for the Ducks. She is averaging 1.0 points in 2.9 minutes per game this season.
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