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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1983)
Sports Shaky defense worries Ducks By John Healy Of th« Emerald Oregon coach Jim Haney had been wary of the slight tremors that shook Oregon's defense after the Ducks opened Pac-10 play at home in early January against Stanford and California But Haney wasn't prepared for the full-fledged earthquake that tumbled the Ducks to a pair of losses in Los Angeles last weekend Now, with Haney frantically attempting to shore up his defense, which at one point was ranked second in the nation, it appears a Northwest version of the San Andreas fault — in the personage of the high-scoring Washington State Cougars — will ripple into Eugene tonight “Washington State is un defeated in the league and playing well," says Haney. "It will be important that we get back on defense against them." The Cougars trail only UCLA — which lit up Pauley Pavilion's scoreboard for 97 points against Oregon — in scoring offense, averaging 78.3 points per game, and in the confer ence standings with an 11-2 season record Those numbers — and the fact that the Cougars have an eight-game winning streak — have Haney worried "It will be important that we play well at both ends of the floor this weekend." he says "We have to execute the sys tern." The Ducks' "system" which emphasizes man-to-man defen sive pressure, has been porous of late "It’s been true of our club that as we plug a hole in one spot, we find a leak somewhere else," says Haney After Oregon's 50 4 points per game average had placed them near the top of the charts, they have ballooned to 58 2 after giving up an average of 76 5 points in their first four Pac-10 games Two Cougars that will be try ing to pump more air into that balloon are senior forwards Guy Williams and Steve Harriel The 6-9 Williams, who transferred from the University of San Fran cisco after his sophomore year, is averaging 19 5 points and 8 7 rebounds per game The 6-6 Harriel, the Pac-10 player of the week last weekend, is popping in 15 points and pulling down 5 1 rebounds per game The other starter on the Cougars front line will be either 6-8 Aaron Haskins or 6-8 Mike Wurm, while Washington State's backcourt will feature 6-6 Craig Ehlo (10 3 points per game) and 6-3 Chris Winkler Keith Morrison, who leads the Cougars in assists with an aver age of 4 4 per game, will spell Ehlo and Winkler at guard Haney will have only nine players to call on tonight Photo by Bob Baker The Ducks' point guard. Paul Bain, may miss this weekend's action after tearing a ligament in his thumb during practice The lone senior on the team. Bam will also be trying to extend his free throw shooting mark which now stands at 32 straight because of the loss of 7-0 center Ron Burns and starting point guard Paul Bain Burns quit the team earlier this week for per sonal reasons and Bain tore ligaments in the thumb of his right hand during practice Tuesday Ducks will be seeing new faces A new conference brings new opponents to McArthur Court as the Oregon women s basketball team meets, for the first time, the Fresno State Bulldogs. Friday night at 7;30, and the University of Pacific Tigers on Saturday at 5 30 p m The Bulldogs. 1-3 in league play, lost all but five players from an 8-17 team last year They've been tabbed as a "darkhorse” by some conference officials But it the Bulldogs are strug gling in conference play, they do carry a 10-5 overall mark into the Pit, including wins over Hawaii. Stanford and Cal-lrvine Fresno State will look inside to Karen Cooke, a junior center averaging 15 points a game Mavs whip Blazers DALLAS (AP) — Jay Vincent scored 20 of his 32 points in the second half as Dallas whipped visiting Portland 121-112 in a National Basketball Association game Thursday night Mark Aguirre added 27 as the Mavericks, now 17-22, won their fourth in five games. Calvin Natt led the Trail Blazers, who dropped to 24-16, with a season high 34 points Portland pulled to within 2 at 107-105 with 3:54 to go, but the Mavericks outscored the Trail Blazers 14-7 over the remainder of the game Both teams played short handed as Dallas' second lead ing scorer, Rolando Blackman, missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained ankle. Before the mens' clash with Washington State, the women will match up against Pacific, 8-8 overall and 2-2 in NorPac games. Pacific's roster includes six players at 6' or taller and five players averaging in double figures With nine players back from last year's 15-16 team, the Tigers seem to be at the right stage to begin pouncing on un suspecting opponents. Coach Elwin Heiny says both Pacific and Fresno started the year strong and have slipped in the past few weeks. "(Fresno is) scrappy, they're a good per centage team. UOP is big, and they're aggressive. Size is their big strength,'' Heiny says. Before the feathers start fly ing though, both Fresno and Pacific will have to stop the in side game of post Alison Lang. But when Lang's been stopped, forward Chris Metzger, lends her red-hot hand "She's played five tough games in a row, Heiny says. "She's playing like we all know she can ” Heiny points also to Mary Ann Stoican’s play last weekend "Their position (on the team) is becoming very strong," he says. Metzger has averaged nearly 17 points and 9 rebounds over the last six games, and when Metzger is scoring in double figures, the Ducks are winning at a 7-2 clip. IT’S NOT TOO LATE! EARN CLASS CREDIT for SOCIAL ACTION OSPRIG needs organizing assistants for: Petitioning Media Public Speaking and more — LEARN, GAIN EXPERIENCE & HAVE FUN WHILE EARNING INTERNSHIP CREDIT!! Oregon Public I Suite 1, EMU 686-4377. Tanya. or more information OSPIRO® For more information Student nterest ;h Group ■ ■■■■■•COUPONmam » — Not Valid With Any Other Promotion BUY ONE BREAKFAST SECOND BREAKFAST JUST .49c MON THRU FRI Remember All You Can Eat FISH & CHIPS 9" Every Sunday Evening No coupon necessary 355 E Broadway • 345-9976 COUPON Winter Term Tennis Specials at Trackside Sporting Goods $2.69 can of Penn Tennis Balls 50% OFF Stringing for tennis and racquetball racquets with Head Nylon, all Ektelon strings, Gold Star Gut and U S. Gut strings EMU Cultural Forum presents jjj WILLIE 1 NELSON McArtkur Court 8 p.m. Saturday, February 5 Reserved Seats $11.50 & $9.50 Tickets available at EMU Main Desk, Meier & Frank, Everybody’s Records - for more info call 686-4363 Tickets subject to Handling Charge. Listen to KUGN AM-FM i for more details.
