Ragland on a roll as Oregon State eyes tournament ■ OSU s Felicia Ragland has brought her team to the brink of an at-large NCAA berth By Scott Pesznecker Oregon Daily Emerald When Oregon State comes to McArthur Court Saturday, the Ore gon women’s basketball team’s much-improved guards will face a superior test of skill. Beaver guard Felicia Ragland will enter the game as the Pacific 10 Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week. Ragland, from Tulare, Calif., av eraged 22 points and 8.5 rebounds last weekend as Oregon State swept the Ari zona schools, a feat shared by the Ducks. However, no one Duck can lay claim to the same mon strous numbers that Ragland col lected against Arizona State: a ca reer-high 32 points, a game-high nine rebounds — including her 500th career board — and 6-for-7 shooting from behind the three point line. “We were really excited to play the No. 1 team in the Pac-10,” Ragland told the Associated Press after Saturday’s ASU game. “It was our time to show that we are the No. 1 team in the pack, and we came out and did that.” This is Ragland’s first Player of the Week honor, and that’s almost hard to believe. The junior guard leads the Pac 10 in scoring with 19.8 points per game, and is averaging 21.8 points per outing in conference play. Her Beavers have won five straight games. Beaver head coach Judy Spoel stra credits much of Oregon State’s success to Ragland. “We’ve been able to prove that were just not all about relicia Ragland, but this is where Felicia has taken this team,” Spoelstra said. “It’s just taken time for our other players to emulate her work, her mental toughness. “I think the NCAA is a definite possibility. I don’t know how the committee can’t look at Oregon State. We’re the hottest team in the conference right now.” Oregon forward Angelina Wolvert was nominated for Player of the Week honors. Third is better than sixth Not long ago, it seemed that Ore gon was buried in the conference standings with almost no chance of making the NCAA Tournament. Amazing how so soon, things can change. While an NCAA berth remains at a distance, Oregon can finish as high as third place in the Pacific 10 Conference when the season ends this weekend. A third-place finish is somewhat unlikely, but it would happen if the Ducks beat the Beavers and Stanford drops a pair of games in the desert to the Arizona schools. Such a finish would leave the Ducks and Cardinal tied for third. Better for Oregon would be if Arizona lost to California, which would prevent a three-way tie for third between Oregon, Stanford and the Wildcats. Arizona and Cal are currently tied for fifth. But Duck players said they are less focused on the standings and more focused on the upcoming Civil War. “We think of all the different scenarios that could happen, but we really have nothing to lose,” senior forward Brianne Meharry said after Oregon’s win against Ari zona Saturday. “[Oregon State] is our last game, we want to enjoy playing basketball, enjoy being at Mac Court for the first time. I think that’s what we’ll focus on.” HHT ' ~ ” 11 ) February 28.aWF^ March 1-3 & j 7-10 B—4m Tickets: UoP=^ Ticket Office- !•*« aii «**<< »*■; 112681 I|bw York basod Free! Hands-on Workshop **»'*<» Stop By for 15 minutes or 4 hours and create an object of the spirit Juesdati Match 6,2001 Vattt-3pm Ut(0 tmU JMmil Presented by Students of Oregon Hillel 1059 Hilyard, Eugene OR (541) 343-8920 Visit Tobi Kahn's exhibit of 58 ritual objects for Jewish ceremonies at the Oregon Jewish Museum in Portland: 310 NW Davis Street, Portland, Oregon (541) 2263600 2/1/81 through 4/6/01 Conscious Productions presents flJutUftoon forty Fri. Mar. 9th also featuring MM Professor mWwSRStl at the Hollywood Jaxi 535 Main Street, Springfield Tickets $20 /Idv. - $23 door Hollywood Taxi • House of Records • Lazar’s Bazaar • All Fred Meyer Fastixx Outlets lor Information s Call 747-0307 or 1-800-992-TIXX ^ 21 and over • Door open 8pm r Students, UO Staff & Faculty Earn $10 Cash! Take 25 minutes to fill out two surveys for a study funded by the National Science Foundation. Need 4-5 people at each session. 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