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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1999)
daB Oregon vs. Arizona Watch out for those Wildcat socks Fans will be talking about more than socks as Jason Terry, the Pac-lO’s leading scorer, bits McArthur Court tonight By Rob Moseley Oregon Daily Emerald The first thing you will notice are the socks. They are knee-high numbers with the ‘Cats logo emblazoned down the side. With invisible ankle socks the fad in college hoops these days, it takes a con fident player to take the court night after On Tap ■ WHO: No. 9 Arizona (12-2,4 1) at Oregon (10 5,2-4) ■ WHERE: McArthur Court ■ WHEN: 7:05 p.m. mgni wun sucn a garish look. Jason Terry is that player. “I just feel like I’m an impact player when I come into the game,” says Ter ry, who leads No. 9 Arizona (12-2 overall, 4-1 Pacif ic-10 Conference) into McArthur Court to face the Ducks (10-5, 2-4) at 7:05 tonight. “I try to do so many things it just creates a spark. I get noticed by that. I just love that idea of being the underdog and getting points.” Terry has been getting points as well as anyone thus far this season. The 6 foot-2, 172-pound senior leads the Pa cific-10 Conference in scoring with 20.6 points per game, and is first in assists and steals, with 5.86 and 2.64 per game, respectively, as the Wildcats’ point guard. Terry has scored 20 or more seven times this season, four more than he had in his three previous seasons combined. “We never anticipated him scoring like this,” says Arizona head coach Lute Olson. “He didn’t even score like this in high school.” To his credit, Terry did average 17 points per game in his senior year of high school, when he was named the tournament’s most valuable player after leading Seattle’s Franklin High to its second straight state title. Although he was “the man” at Franklin, the role of go-to guy as a colle Turn to TERRY, Page 12 Nick Medley/Ememld Senior Jason Terry has made the transformation from key bench player for Arizona last season to starting point guard and Pacific-10 Conference leader in points, assists and steals for the No. 9 Wildcats. Women break top 25 The Ducks cannot lose to the Wildcats as they did when they were ranked three years ago By Allison Ross Oregon Daily Emerald For the first time since 1995, the Oregon women’s basketball team has broken into the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, debuting at No. 25 on Monday. Tonight the Ducks (14-3 overall, 5-1 Pa cific-10 Conference) find themselves in a similar situation as the 1995 team, which, after a fast start, headed to Tucson to face the Arizona Wildcats (7-7, 2-3). “The last time we were ranked, we went to Arizona and lost both games,” Oregon guard Nicole Strange said. “We have to take it one game at a time and know that we have to win every game and not think, “Well, we lost one, we’ll get the next one.” This season, Oregon has managed to win every conference game except for a four-point loss on the road against No. 10 UCLA earlier this month. The Ducks led the Bruins by seven points with two minutes remaining before letting the game slip away. Tonight, Oregon will have to play solid for 40 minutes because both Wildcats’ Pac 10 victories have come on their home court. Also, a win against Oregon would put them back to the .500 mark. “We’re in a position where every team is crucial for us,” Arizona head coach Joan Bonvicini said. “Not only to get back in the Pac-10 race, but just overall wins. 1 think the key is you’ve got to win your home games." Although Arizona ranks fourth in the conference in scoring and has offensive threats Felicity Willis, Angela Lackey and Elizabeth Pickney, the Wildcats face the conference’s top team in scoring defense. The Ducks are allowing just 55 points per game, and that’s without guard Lisa Bowyer, who’s widely considered Oregon’s best defender. Bowyer, who broke a finger against Portland on Dec. 29, could be used against Arizona if needed, Runge said. The Ducks are also preparing for Ari zona's pressure defense. After Washington State shut down Oregon’s offense for more than five minutes on Sunday, other teams may have taken notice. Turn to WOMEN, Page 8 When a loss is not a loss: UO wrestling team forfeits points Wrestling Notes Scott Pesznecker After starting off its season with victories against UC Davis, Southern Oregon and Stanford, the Oregon wrestling team has slid to three consecutive defeats. The Ducks deserved to lose at Cal-State Bakersfield on Jan. 9. The Road Runners’ 39-3 blowout was the worst loss by an Oregon wrestling team in 14 years. However, the other two losses — Cal Poly SLO on Jan. 8 and Oregon State on Jan. 16 — were lost by just one point. For the past four meets, the Ducks have had to forfeit at the 133-pound weight class, giving their opponents an automatic six points without even having to wrestle. Unless Oregon suffered a pinning at that weight class, it would have been able to pull off wins in both those dual meets. Head coach Chuck Kearney addressed the problem, but said there is nothing the team can do about it at this time, because the Ducks do not have a certified wrestler at 133 pounds. “We had some kids who came back from summer break who were just bigger," Kearney said. "We had one wrestler that we brought in [freshman Tony Overstake] and his initial certification was 133, but he grew two-and-a-half inches from Oct. 1 through Dec. 14. With guys either coming back bigger or just growing during the process, we just don’t have anyone to wrestle there.” Kenny Cox, who started the season at 133 pounds, moved down to 125 where he said he is more “weight efficient.” Cox has found success in the move, with the ex ception of his recent pin at the hands of Oregon State. Sonnen: focusing, yet out of focus Chael Sonnen, who started the season No. 4 in the country at 197 pounds, slipped to No. 9 as he endured some early season disappointments. Four of his losses this season have been by two points or less, two of which were decided in over time. But Sonnen has picked up the pace in recent weeks. He avenged his overtime loss to Shane Zajac of Oregon State last November by beating him at the dual meet against the Beavers last Saturday. In the last four meets, Sonnen is 3-1. One thing about Sonnen that has been consistent throughout the season is his re laxed nature, regardless of how his season is going. Turn to WRESTLING, Page 8 (( We bad one wrestler that we brought in and his initial certification was 133, but he grew two and-a-half inches. » Chuck Kearney Wrestling coach