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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 2000)
Friday “I felt horrible for the seniors after that [1998] game, and I don’t want that same feeling.” - UO senior linebacker Garett Sabol “Regard less of what might be at stake, it’s the Civil Best Bet war. ” NCAA Basketball: Villanova vs. Duke - OSU head coach Dennis Erickson 4 pm., espn SPORTS EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com Women s hoops about to get first dose of reality The Ducks try their hand against a ranked opponent after two exhibition wins By Scott Pesznecker Oregon Daily Emerald On the brink of opening its 2000-01 season, the Oregon women’s basketball team has an early progress report as it eyes this weekend’s tournament in North Carolina. And the Ducks’ grade? Incomplete, according to senior for ward Angelina Wolvert. “There are still a lot of improvements to be made,” Wolvert said Wednesday af ter her team beat the National Women’s Basketball League Elite 76-43 at McArthur Court. “I’m afraid we’re going to get complacent.” The scoreboard made it hard to see what Oregon could do better. However, the Ducks clearly looked out of synch late in the second half. On the outside, point guard Kourtney Shreve shot 3 of 9 from the field, and her three assists matched her turnovers. In the paint, cen ter Jenny Mowe never got into the flow of the offense and was 1 for 4 from the floor. Ndidi Unaka, whom teammates claim is unstoppable in practice, made 1 of 5 attempts. There’s no doubt that Oregon must play a more complete game when it faces No. 18 Wisconsin at noon Satur day in the first round of the Glaxo Well come Invitational at Raleigh, N.C. The winner of that game plays the victor of the game between No. 19 North Carolina State, the host school, and Elon at noon Sunday. The consolation game will be at 10 a.m. Sunday. “We’re excited to head out on the road,” head coach Jody Runge said. “It’s going to be nice to get out there and test this team. “If you’re a great team, it doesn’t mat ter who you play. You have to always play with great intensity.” The Ducks’ depth at the guard posi tions may be tested more this weekend Turn to Women’s, page 6A Always-improving Ducks look to dominate opener The Oregon men’s basketball team will try to shed the memory of an exhibition loss to Athletes in Action when they open the regular season at home tonight BASKETBALL By Peter Hockaday Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon men’s basket ball team was pegged. Run and gun, they thought. Let the talented freshmen and a little dose of team chemistry guide the team to wins. But heading into tonight’s season opener against Mis sissippi Valley State at 7 p.m. on McArthur Court, Oregon has become unpegged. The Ducks’ defensive problems overwhelmed them Tuesday in their final exhibition game against Ath letes in Action. Freshman Luke Ridnour carried Ore gon on his back in the sec ond half, but the Ducks still couldn’t overcome the older, wiser traveling team. “Mentally, we didn’t get it done,” Ridnour said. Tonight, Oregon will face a team that could actually be softer than the Ducks’ final exhibition opponent. Missis sippi Valley State will cer tainly not provide the mental challenge that the veteran Athletes in Action team did. The Delta Devils play in the Southwestern Athletic Con ference, along with perenni al underdogs Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern and Jackson State, among others. Oregon head coach Ernie Kent believes his team will work out its kinks against Mississippi Valley State tonight and against other pre-Pacific-10 Conference foes. “Going into [Tuesday’s game] I was concerned about our on-ball defense. I’m still concerned about that,’’ Kent said. “But those are negative things. It’s early in the year, and some of those things are going to be there, but it gives us something to work on. ” Kent also took some posi tives from Tuesday’s game. “I was pleased with the group of guys on the floor that gave themselves a Turn to Men’s, page 6A Catharine Kendall Emerald Oregon forward Bryan Bracey (42) and the Ducks will open their season tonight at home against Mississippi Valley State. Oregon swept by Stanford, plays Cal in Pac-10 finale ■ Oregon falls 3-0 to the 21 st-ranked Cardinal and looks to finish conference play with a win tonight By Adam |ude Oregon Daily Emerald Olympian Logan Tom overpowered the Oregon volleyball team Thursday night to lead the Stanford Cardinal to a 3-0 sweep in Palo Alto, Calif. •x\ In the losing effort, jun mm ' ior hitter Monique Tobba gi led Oregon (10-16 over all, 2-15 Pacific-10 Conference) with nine kills, seven digs and three blocks. In the final road trip of her four-year ca reer, senior Amy Banducci aided the Ducks with eight kills. Heading into Thursday’s game, Banducci and the Ducks wanted to avenge a loss in the season’s first match on Sept. 14. In that first game, Banducci “could taste” an upset in a five-game loss to the then-llth ranked team. The Ducks, however, could taste nothing Thursday night — except the bitterness of defeat. Tom, who missed the beginning of the season while she competed in the Olympics in Sydney, notched a match-high 17 kills and a .636 attack percentage. No. 21 Stanford (16-11, 9-8) hit .372 on the night and outblocked Oregon 8-4. The Ducks were held to a .183 hitting percentage in game one after Stanford jumped out to a quick 9-3 lead. Two con secutive scores brought Oregon within five points at 8-13, but that’s the closest it got as the Cardinal rolled, 15-8. In game two, Oregon showed its tenacity against a team that it has not beaten since 1989. Stanford took a commanding 7-0 lead and appeared to have secured an easy win with a 14-3 lead — but the Ducks didn’t give up. Fighting off six game points, head coach Carl Ferreira’s squad came within two points at 12-14. Stanford, however, would not give up its seventh opportunity, closing the door at 15-12. Overall, the Ducks hit .250 in the game. Following intermission, the Cardinal didn’t mess around. Taking advantage of Oregon errors and some timely blocking, Turn to Volleyball, page 6A Oregon set for tournament ■ Oregon gets a taste of tournament action for the first time this season in Southern Oregon By Robbie McCailum Oregon Daily Emerald Eighteen teams, 300 wrestlers, 10 weight classes and one day. That pretty much sums up the Oregon wrestling team’s first tournament of the sea son, the Southern Oregon Open. The Ducks take to the mat for the second time this season Saturday in Ashland. Oregon wrestlers will get a different style of competition at the Open than they did in their season opener, a dual match against UC Davis. Instead of head-to head competition with one opponent, wrestlers will face up to five matches in just one day. The Ducks will get a good look at their .season rivals, as five other Pacific-10 Con ference teams are entered, llth-ranked Boise State, the defending conference champion, and No. 24 Oregon State will be on hand. Top individuals entered in the field in clude Boise State’s fourth-ranked Kirk White at 165 pounds and No. 8 Rusty Cook at 197 pounds. Oregon State’s Eric Jorgensen is ranked fifth at 157 pounds. The rest of the field includes Division II schools and junior colleges. Host Southern Oregon is ranked sixth in the NAIA, while San Francisco State is 17th. Oregon will be represented in every weight class, with the possible exception of senior Doug Lee, who is questionable with an injury. The All-American sat out Ore gon’s season opener as well. Senior Jake Leair is second on the depth chart at 184 pounds. The Ducks are two deep in every other weight class except 133 pounds and at heavyweight. Sophomores Brian Watson and Tony Overstake both placed second at last year’s Open. Both will try for the championships this year at 133 and 149 pounds, respec tively. Junior Eugene Harris is also a return ing placer at 157 pounds. Senior Chael Sonnen is the top Duck at the Open. The All-American is ranked fifth by Intermat.com at 197 pounds. Against UC Davis, Sonnen pinned Brandon Arsenault in one minute, 47 seconds to earn his first col legiate victory since 1998. The Ducks return home for a one-week break before their home opener against Stanford Nov. 26.
