Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 30, 2001)
Tuesday Best Bet NBA: Philadelphia at Toronto 5 p.m.,TBS SPORTS EDITOR: jEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com ASU still after its first win U It’s been tough, but that's life. We have to continue to battle and we'll be better for it Rob Evans head coach Arizona ■A lack of depth is a key factor to Arizona State’s 0-7 Pac-10 start By Jeff Smith Oregon Daily Emerald Life without Eddie House is taking a major toll on the Arizona State men’s basketball team. The departed sharpshooter, who cur rently plays for the NBA’s Miami Heat, carried a team with six true freshman last year to ASU’s best season since the 1994-95 season (19-13 overall, 10-8 Pa cific-10 Conference). The 2000 Pac-10 Player of the Year is sorely missed in Tempe, Ariz., these days as the Sun Devils have yet to se cure a league win in seven attempts. Arizona State will try to capture its first Pac-10 victory this week when it visits Oregon State Thursday and Oregon on Sunday. Hope was high for Arizona State as it stormed out of the gate this season with seven wins in its first nine games. “We’re ready to get into Pac-10 play,” said Arizona State head coach Rob Evans on the eve of the first league game. But looking back on the schedule, it’s seen that those wins came against schools such as Winthrop, Southern Utah, Colgate, Kent State, Mercer and Belmont. Ever since the Pac-10 slate began, it’s been one loss after another, with its closest defeat coming against Washing ton on the road (68-70, OT). And, to add salt to the wound, Ari zona State had to travel two hours to Tucson Wednesday and endure a mocking chant during its 86-75 loss to rival Arizona. The Wildcat crowd began chanting “Oh-and-seven!” after Arizona guards Jason Gardner and Gilbert Arenas drained threes to put the Wildcats up by 19 late in the second half. But, the Sun Devils didn’t go down without a fight — literally. After an Are nas three-pointer went through the net, Arizona’s 7-foot-l center Loren Woods and Arizona State’s 6-9 forward/center Chad Prewitt went after each other on the floor. The scuffle escalated when players of both teams jumped in and had to be broken up by the referees. After review ing television replays of the incident, the officials issued technical fouls to both Woods and Prewitt. Woods claimed that Prewitt pro voked him. “I kicked him right after he threw an elbow to my face and knocked me down,” Woods told the Tucson Citizen. “I don’t take anything from anybody no Turn to Basketball, page 4A Emerald Krista Warren (left) and the ‘Cats want to snap a three-game skid. Emerald Arizona State sophomore guard/forward Justin Allen is out for the season after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease last September. Sun Devils at top of Pac-10 ■ Arizona State and Oregon are tied for first after the Devils beat the Wildcats By Scott Pesznecker Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon women’s basketball team is about to embark on its toughest road trip of the season, as it heads to the desert to take on the Arizona schools. But something is different. The Wildcats — who actually jumped up two spots to No. 23 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll — have lost three straight games, the latest of which a 67-57 loss to in-state rival Ari zona State. The unranked Sun Devils, however, have won their last four. Which game will be more difficult? Wildcat head coach Joan Bonvicini has an idea of which team should be tougher, but isn’t sure if her players will rise to the occasion. “I can’t give you a reason why we’re not playing well enough,” Bonvicini told the Arizona Daily Star. “But I know that prior to two weeks ago, we played hard. We had fun. We played with a lot of confidence.” “We have such a young team, a lot of our bodies right now are breaking down,” Krista Warren told the Arizona Daily Star. “It’s affecting our attitude. And not knowing [that] when that hap pens, you need to step it up even harder and play with a lot more heart.” The Wildcats haven’t lost four straight games since the 1994-95 sea son. That streak could be broken Thurs day against Oregon. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils and Ducks are sitting atop the conference, sharing the Pac-10 lead with 4-2 records. Arizona State hadn’t beaten the Wild cats in seven years prior to Saturday’s win in Tempe, Ariz. The success of the Sun Devils has brought fans out of the woodwork, as a Wells Fargo Arena record women’s hoops crowd of 5,379 watched Arizona fall. Much of the Devils’ success is due to the play of center Melody Johnson and guard Amanda Levens, head coach Charli Turner Thorne said. Johnson and Levens sat out last season after transfer ring from Colorado and Old Dominion. “When they beat us here at home [last season], Charli pulls me and Amanda aside and says they’re not beating us here again,” Johnson told the Arizona Republic after Saturday’s win. “I said that sounds good to me. That was in the back of my mind today, so I’m glad we could fulfill that for her.” If Oregon beats Arizona and the Sun Turn to Basketball, page 4A ii We have such a young team, a lot of our bodies are breaking down. Krista Warren Arizona guard _n Duck wrestlers can’t overcome injury in road losses UO drops pair of matches after top wrestler sustains concussion By Robbie McCalium Oregon Daily Emerald Just when the big green ma chine gets rolling, a monkey wrench gets thrown into the gears. The No. 16 Oregon wrestling team went through a disastrous weekend, suffering two narrow losses in California. Things started to fall apart even before the Ducks left Eugene, as junior standout Shaun Williams was knocked out of the lineup with a concussion. The loss proved to be a major factor as both matches were decided by seven points or less. The Ducks gave up six points with the forfeit at 125 pounds. “We are a good team and did some really good things,” head coach Chuck Kearney said. “But we’re not quite good enough to wrestle without Shaun and go down 12-0.” On Friday, Oregon visited No. 22 Fresno State. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 9-0 lead on three decisions, including No. 15 Nathan Vazqeuz’ win over No. 19 Eugene Harris. The Ducks stole the lead with the bulk of their lineup from 184 pounds to heavyweight. Sopho more Eric Webb knocked off his fifth ranked opponent of the sea son with an upset over No. 2 Billy Blunt, who was penalized for mis Turn to Wrestling, page 4A KEARNEY
