Thursday
Best Bet
NCAA Basketball: Kansas vs. UCLA
3:30 p.m., ESPN 2
SPORTS EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com
National picture
clouded by East
Coast programs
TWO MINUTES FOR
, ^CROSSCHECKING
PETER HOCKADAY
People say that Oregon complains too much about not
getting enough respect on a national stage.
You know what I say? Hey, it’s true. The Ducks don’t
get enough respect on a national stage, people!
And I can prove it with a dose of common sense and a lit
tle level-headedness.
This week the Ducks moved from seventh to sixth in the
Associated Press poll, from eighth to seventh in the USA To
day/ESPN Coaches poll and stayed seventh in the Bowl
Championship Series Rankings, as Virginia Tech tumbled in
all three polls.
But realistically, a few more teams are going to have to
tumble before Oregon can start thinking about the national
championship.
The Ducks will need to move up to second in the BCS
rankings in order to play in the Orange Bowl, where the na
tional champion will be determined.
But why aren’t the Ducks ranked higher? Why is the title
game so far in the distance, when Oregon should be tailgat
ing the top spot?
There are two teams that undoubtedly should be ranked
higher than Oregon. One is undefeated Oklahoma. The
undisputed top team in the country, Oklahoma proved
themselves with wins over Kansas State and Nebraska.
The second team is Miami. Although they have one loss,
the Hurricanes have picked off Florida State and Virginia
Tech, when both teams were undefeated. A pathetic loss in
Seattle to the Huskies weakens the ‘Canes a bit, but overall
they are a good team. Oregon fans should pray on Friday
night that the upset bus rolls Miami’s way, with “Pittsburgh”
scrawled across the side.
Beyond Oklahoma and Miami, the field thins out. First,
let me point out that Oregon has beaten two ranked teams —
Washington and UCLA — when they were both ranked sixth
in the nation. The Ducks will make it three top-10 victories
if Oregon State beats Arizona and holds on to its No. 10
ranking, and then Oregon beats the Beavers. Don’t forget
that Oregon handled Arizona when the Wildcats were 21st,
and the Ducks’ one loss was to the No. 6 team in the coun
Turn to East Coast, page 8A
Senior Michael Kasahun has been successful at every level of competition from high school to NCAA Division I. 8
■ Senior Michael Kasahun
escaped war-torn Ethiopia to
have a successful running
career in America
By Robbie McCallum
Oregon Daily Emera.d
Today, senior Michael Kasahun
prepares for his fifth cross country
meet of the season. The Ethiopia na
tive leads the lOth-ranked Oregon
cross country team into Saturday’s
NCAA Western Regional meet.
Twelve years ago, Kasahun was
traveling by the light of the moon, es
caping from his war-torn homeland.
Kasahun’s life has taken many
turns during those 12 years. He has
gone from refugee to immigrant to
running star. The journey has been a
long one, with many bumps in the
road, but Kasahun has found solace at
Oregon in running.
Kasahun was born in the northern
Ethiopian town of Adwa. The small
village was in the middle of a civil
war that took place from 1976 to
1993. The rebel states of Eritrea and
Tigrai sought independence from
Ethiopia and waged war for more
than 17 years.
The fighting that occurred in north
ern Ethiopia took the lives of
Kasahun’s mother and brother.
“Everyday life was a struggle.”
Kasahun said. “We were segregated
by the government. We just didn’t
have a say in things.”
A handful of Adwa residents de
cided to flee Ethiopia for neighboring
Turn to Kasahun, page 12A
Senior Ducks hope to cap home careers with a
Seniors Halie Mazza (17) and Amy Banducci (11) play their final two matches at McArthur Court tonight and Friday. A
conference victory would be the Ducks’ first at home this season.
■ The Oregon volleyball squad hosts Washington
tonight to start the season's last home stand
By Adam Jude
Oregon Daily Emerald
This is the final stand.
The Oregon volleyball team is not going to back down —
especially on its home floor.
Seniors Amy Banducci and Halie Mazza are not going to
end their careers at McArthur Court with another disap
pointing weekend.
And the Ducks are not going to be satis
fied with another season in the Pacific-10
Conference cellar.
“This is very important to us,” said Ban
ducci, a four-year letter winner at Oregon.
“It’s going to 'be sad and hard, but I’d like
nothing more than to win my final games
at Mac Court.”
In matches that could decide who finish
es at the bottom of the Pac-10 standings, the Ducks (9-14
overall, 1-13 Pac-10) host Washington tonight and Washing
ton State Friday. Both matches will begin at 7 p.m.
“I think this is going to be a positive change in Oregon vol
leyball, Mazza said of this weekend. “We’re just going to
Turn to Volleyball, page 12A
On tap
Who: Oregon
volleyball vs.
Washington and
Washington
State
When: Tonight
and Friday, 7
p.m.
Where:
McArthur Court