Sports Editor:
Adam Jude
adamjude@dailyemerald. com
Assistant Sports Editor:
Jeff Smith
jeffsmith@dailyemerald.com
Tliursdayjanuary 17,2002
Oregon Daily Emerald
Best Bet
NCAA basketball
USC at Arizona
7:30 p.m., FSN
Expansion of Autzen proceeding as planned
■ Construction crews are working
steadily to complete the stadium
renovation, which expects to add
12,000 seats for next season
By Chris Cabot
Oregon Daily Emerald
Even though the football season has
ended, the dust is still flying at Autzen
Stadium.
The University Athletic Department,
with help from state bonds and private
donations, is funding an $89.7 million
renovation of the home of the Ducks,
which will increase the capacity of the
stadium from 41,698 to approximately
53,800 seats.
The day after the Dec. 1 Civil War game,
demolition crews began the work, which
included the removal of the press and
coaches boxes, adjoining canopy and all of
the seats on the south side of the stadium.
To design the new look of Autzen, the
University hired the architectural firm
Ellerbe Becket, a company that has de
signed sports complexes around the
world, including the Rose Garden in
Portland and the Fleet Center in Boston.
The project manager for the design
team, John Poston, has maintained the
single continuous-seating bowl design
that Autzen has always had, but the
“new” Autzen will include 32 luxury
suites (which will each be leased for
$30,000 per year) in a three-story luxury
suite/press box area that will sit on top
of the south rim. The new structure will
actually look down at what is now the
taller north side.
The 12,000 new seats will include 3,000
“Club Section” seats, most of which are
underneath a canopy, and 2,000 “Sideline
Preferred” seats — both sections will be
theater style seats as opposed to the bench
style in the remainder of the stadium.
The viewers in the club seats will
have access to the Club at Autzen, a
Turn to Autzen, page 10
Thomas Patterson Emerald
Construction crews work on the east side of Autzen Stadium on Wednesday. In two weeks, two cranes will be brought in to accompany the crane already at the site.
With day off, Ducks
keep eye on Pac-10
■ Oregon doesn’t play tonight but has an interest
in several games that could shake up the standings
By Jeff Smith
Oregon Daily Emerald
The birthday party for McArthur Court has come and gone.
After having Wednesday off to regroup from the festivi
ties, the Oregon men’s basketball team returns to practice
today and shifts its attention back to the
Pacific-10 Conference.
And tonight, with eight Pac-10 teams
in action, the Ducks will be keen
observers while they await Saturday’s
Civil War in Corvallis.
Oregon (12-4) is currently in second
place in the Pac-10 with a 5-1 league
record, trailing only the 5-0 USC Trojans.
Behind the Ducks are 4-1 UCLA and 4-2 Arizona.
This promises two big games down in the desert tonight
as the Trojans visit the Wildcats, and the Bruins tangle with
the Sun Devils.
“Certainly we’ll have an eyeball on who wins those
games, because depending on who wins or loses, Saturday’s
game (against the Beavers) could even get bigger with what’s
on the line,” Oregon head coach Ernie Kent said. “Poten
tially, it could be a share of first, first place all by yourself or
maintaining second place.”
Usually during Civil War week, the Ducks have plenty of
Turn to Men’s, page 12
Women make most
of Mac Court edge
■ Historically, the women’s hoops team
has fared extremely well at McArthur Court
By Adam Jude
Oregon Daily Emerald
With so much attention this week banking on the men’s
program and the 75th anniversary of McArthur Court, it’s
understandable if the women’s basketball team is feeling a
bit unappreciated.
Come Saturday, though, that will all
change.
The year’s first Civil War meeting is
scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, a game that
has always been a hot sell for all Oregon
sports, including women’s hoops.
There’s no “Pit Crew” for women’s
games, but the home-court advantage is
historically evident — especially against Oregon State. The
four largest crowds to attend women’s games at the Pit have
been against the Beavers, with the biggest support coming
in Oregon’s 69-60 Civil War victory on March 8,1996, when
9,738 fans attended the game.
“Traditionally, this has been one of the biggest drawing
games for the women’s program. And this year should be no
different,” first-year Oregon head coach Bev Smith said. “I
really hope that we get a good crowd because regardless of
who wins the game, women’s basketball wins, and that’s
what’s really important.”
Turn to Women’s, page 12
Adam Amato Emerald
Senior Jamie Craighead and the Ducks are 5-3 this season at McArthur
Court with Oregon State coming to town Saturday.