UO looks to end drought Oregon hopes to end athnee game losing streak against Portland at Mac Court tonight Women’s basketball Jesse Thomas Sports Reporter It’s home sweet home for the Ducks, as the Oregon women’s bas ketball team gets to return to the gentle confines and shiny hardwood of McArthur Court. It will be homecoming much needed, after the Ducks lost three straight away from Eugene, includ ing one at Wisconsin-Green Bay and two at the Paradise Jam. The Ducks host Portland tonight at 7 p.m. in hopes of improving their 1-3 start. Luckily for Oregon, the Pi lots must defy history as they have never won in Eugene in 10 tries. And overall, Oregon leads the series 16-2 with its regional rival. Yet, the past still haunts the Ducks, as they fell 77-73 to the Pilots in their last meet ing at the Chiles Center in 2001. Oregon shot a season-low 38 per cent from the floor last year and found itself trailing 66-56 with 3:30 left in the game. Even with a late game 17-8 run, which cut the Pilot lead to 74-73 with just 21 seconds left, Oregon couldn’t finish the comeback. “One of our problems last year was we went up there thinking the outcome was determined,” Oregon head coach Bev Smith said. “We have some not-so-great histo ry with them and we hope to change that.” Now-junior forward Cathrine Kraayeveld helped Oregon barely win the battle of the boards that night with a team-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore Kedzie Gunderson was also a spark, as she scored eight points and pulled down three re bounds in 17 minutes of floor time. Oregon needs to change more than just the past. The Ducks have scored less than 50 points in two straight games for the first time since 1976. Rebounding has also caused is sues for the Ducks, and if Oregon can’t win the battle of the boards, it usually struggles to win the game. “If we just settle down and be ag gressive and play hard without hesi tation, then the process will deter mine the outcome,” Smith said. “We just need to get back to being aggres Adam Amato Emerald Sophomore Kedzie Gunderson goes head-over-heels for a loose ball against Gonzaga earlierthis season. Gunderson and the Ducks face Portland tonight. sive offensively, and solve the defen sive rebounding part of it, we will be right back on track.” And with the Ducks failing lately on their own expectations, getting back on the right track is exactly what Oregon needs. Oregon has not started 1-3 since the 1985-86 season and has not lost four in a row since a five-game drought last February. But the adversity hasn’t fazed the Ducks. “It’s important for us to get a win after losing three games,” Kraayeveld said. “We just need to have fun and go out there and play the way we know we can play and then we’ll be fine.” Oregon will enter tonight’s game in search of that second win, but without star point guard Shaquala Williams. It was announced Wednes day that Williams has been suspend ed indefinitely from the team be cause of disciplinary reasons. Smith said she wasn’t worried about Williams’ suspension, despite the team’s losing streak. “This is not about wins and losses, this is about standards of behavior that we have on our team and re gardless of if we won or we lost, they are decisions 1 have to make as a head coach,” Smith said. “It’s just something that had to be done, re gardless of the situation at hand, and now we go forward.” Contact the sports reporter at jessethomas@dailyemerald.com. Oregon daily emerald worldwide www.dailyemerald.com rkJUat da 9 kncuAj^ about me? dnee IsUtii ocmt/usl, du^opiieil cutd do/uUce/L to Utoie adio (^uodA^. 16 70 > on cnmpu/ >> on the /treet ulttiA tt,S iviil I i > | » | ; •% 4 4-. *; \ 4 i > We refuse to be enemies!' EUGENE MIDDLE EAST PEACE GROUP re be upon „ Invites the community to our third annual Festival of Light and Renewal An all-family event celebrating Chanukah and Eid el Fitr* Saturday, December 7 at 5 PM in the LCC cafeteria (Main Campus) Hafla (feast). Speakers, Music & Folk Dancing, Holiday Crafts for Kids Sliding Scale Donation: $5 - $25 A benefit for Wmdows-Channels for Communication, Palestinian/lsraeli youth magazine & dialogue group To make a contribution, help or for further information, call 345-2682