Sports
Stingy Ducks face Bears
By John Healy
Of the Emerald
Can a basketball team in the
Pac-10 conference go from the
league's defensive cellar to be
ing the stingiest defensive team
in the conference?
Yes, if you listen to the stats
that Oregon has been piling up
in its nine preseason games.
The Ducks open their confer
ence season at home tonight in
McArthur Court against the
California Golden Bears, then
get one night of rest before fac
ing Stanford on Saturday night
But don't expect Cal to put 91
points on the board, as they did
in their first game against
Oregon last winter Oregon is
giving up a paltry 50 0 points per
game this year, 31.2 points per
game less than they allowed last
winter
And, after a third-place finish
in the Far West Classic in Port
land in late December which
included a win over highly
regarded Lamar, it appears the
Ducks have not only a stingy
defense, but a truckload of
momentum to carry them into
tonight’s 7:35 p m contest with
the Bears
"After the emotional loss to
Idaho, our players went beyond
David Brantley
what they thought they were
capable of against Lamar." says
fifth-year Oregon coach Jim
Haney "They feel better about
themselves heading into the
conference season
Oregon will need that con
fidence against the Bears Cal
coach Dick Kuchen has im
proved the Bears record in
every season since he took the
Cal coaching job in 1978. guid
ing the Bears from a 6-21 mark
in his first year to a 14-13 record
last winter.
Although Kuchen welcomed
back three starters from last
year's squad when Cal opened
its season in November, he is
without the services of the
Pac-10's leading scorer last
year. Mark McNamara
The 6-11 all-Pac-10 center,
who has gone onto the NBA. led
the conference in scoring
(22 0), rebounding (12 6) and
field goal percentage (70 2)
His loss has forced the Bears
to rely heavily on their back
court, which features returning
starters Michael Chavez (15 5
points per game) and Butch
Hays (10 6 points)
The Bears aren’t completely
lacking at center, as 6-11 Mi
chael Pitts is averaging 16 0
points and 7.1 rebounds per
game after sitting out last year
because of knee surgery
But at forward, the Bears are
thin, having lost starters Wes
Howell and Sam Potter
Cal is 4-3 going into tonight's
game with Oregon
Oregon out to plunder Aztecs
An experienced San Diego State lineup will
welcome the Oregon women back to basketball
competition Thursday after a two week holiday
layoff when the Aztecs host the Ducks
The Ducks, 5-6, will be attempting to lift their
mark back to the .500 level Oregon upended
UCLA 74-59 at McArthur Court on Dec 23 in their
last outing after dropping two of three games at
the Giusti Tournament of Champions in Portland
The Aztecs, 5-5, are led by 6-3 senior center
Judy Porter who was selected a preseason first
team All-American by Women s Basketball Year
book Porter is averaging 25 1 points and 116
rebounds a game for the Aztecs
Oregon counters with its own 6-3 center in
Alison Lang, who was named Northern Pacific
Conference Athlete of the Month for her play in
December Lang leads the conference in scoring,
blocked shots and rebounding, and is in the
top-10 in field goal percentage, free throw per
centage, and assists
Her 25 3 scoring rate is the fifth best in the
nation, and she is averaging 4 6 blocked shots
and 11 6 rebounds per game
Oregon Coach Elwin Heiny is hoping that he
can use Lang, along with Helen Higgs, Chris
Metzger, and Gale Gatchell, to find success inside
against the Aztecs, who like to run.
Heiny is also concerned with the Aztecs
pressing defense. The Ducks have struggled
against the press at times this season. ‘We hope
not to let the press bother us," Heiny said before
the Ducks left on a three game road trip which
includes stops at Pepperdine Friday and Cal-lr
vine Sunday.
"We want three victories,” the coach said.
“Any game on the road is tough We are going to
have to play good basketball ”
Duck matmen
lose on road
Cal State-Bakersfield gave
Oregon a rude welcoming Wed
nesday night, drilling the Duck
matmen 36-5 in dual meet ac
tion in the California city
The Ducks managed just one
win and a draw as they watched
their dual meet record fall to 3-5,
while Bakersfield improved to
9-5. It was the Ducks’ second
loss in three outings on their
current California swing
Oregon's only winner was
junior Rick O'Shea, who
decisioned Bakersfield's Troy
Osborne 7-3 in the 150 pound
match. The only other bright
spot for the Ducks came when
sophomore Charles Nutter and
Bakersfield's Bob Dutton bat
tled to a 3-3 draw in the 167
pound contest
The Ducks started poorly with
Mike Erb, Miles Hancock, and
Tim Curtiss suffering big
defeats in the first three
matches Lorenzo West came
up with one of the better efforts,
dropping a 6-4 decision to Ba
kersfield's Jessie Reyes at 142.
Oregon Dally Emerald
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