Ganes
continued from page 11
determination and ambition that I
think are very important,” Oregon
head coach Bev Smith said. “Her bas
ketball-playing ability is very good and
it is because of those two qualities.”
Fellow teammate and roommate
Okwumabua has had the chance to
become good friends with Ganes and
watch her game grow over time.
“She has a really beautiful shot,”
Okwumabua said. “She is getting bet
ter every day and she just has the abil
ity to pound people on the inside. She
has only good stuff to come and her
whole game has been developing.”
Ganes knows that there is still
room for improvement, and, despite
her success thus far, it hasn’t been an
easy road to travel.
She finished her high school career
as a four-year letterwinner and helped
lead her team to a 30-0 record and the
Saskatchewan Glass 4A provincial
championship.
Ganes’ move from Canada to Ore
gon has required adjustments, but has
been enjoyable and interesting for
her, from culture to basketball.
“Americans are so outspoken and
they will just tell you exactly what is
file
Born: Carolyn Joyce Ganes, April 10,1984 In
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
High School; Averaged 2 5 points and 10
rebounds per game as a four-year letterwinner
at Aden Bowman High School in Saskatoon. Led
team to 30-0 record in senior season. Youngest
member of Canadian National Team in 2001.
Oregon: Has assumed starting center role with
Cathrine Kraayeveid out because of injury.
Averaging almost 12 points per game, she
should set the highest freshman points-average
since the 1997-98 season.
\, % * S'Afai' &&&
Carolyn Ganes
Ganes
on their mind,” Ganes said. “I love it
down here, and of all the places I have
been in the States, (Oregon) is the
most like Canada. ”
Yet despite being from out of town,
Ganes brings a familiar presence to
the team. She fits in well, and her style
and attitude resemble Oregon’s cen
ter from the 2000-01 season.
“Everybody says I remind them of
Jenny Mowe,” Ganes said.
Ganes has her own individual char
acteristics, though, and her own nick
name. Around the dorms and the
locker room, Ganes is known as “Big
Red,” because on occasions of nerv
ousness or embarrassment, her face
turns beet red.
Through all the experiences, and
the redness, Ganes says she is having
a blast and feels very much at home
here at Oregon. If Ganes can continue
her scoring spree, she will set the high
est average for an Oregon freshman
since the 1997-98 season.
And Ganes is well on her way, given
that she has scored in double figures
in five straight games, and eight of the
past nine. But she has quite the dis
tance to set Oregon’s all-time average
for a freshman, 15.2 points per game,
held by head coach Smith.
Ganes’ quest continues tonight, as
Oregon faces off with Arizona State
(12-6, 4-5 Pac-10). Even though the
Sun Devils have won the last four of
the series, the Ducks have confidence
being at home tonight.
Adam Amato Emerald
Ganes has been a rebounding force for the Ducks this season, leading some to
compare her to former Oregon center Jenny Mowe, who went on to the WNBA.
“They have controlled us over the
past couple of years, but now is our
opportunity to make a difference,”
Smith said. “If we play better defen
sively, we have a very good chance.
Arizona State says they love playing
here, and we are going to have to
change that statement a little bit.”
Contact the sports reporter
at jessethomas@dailyemerald.com.
Men's
continued from page 11
even trying to step up. They’re not even
stepping sideways.
UCLA started the Pac-10 season with
wins over Washington State and Wash
ington, but has lost six straight games by
an average of 13 points per contest. The
Bruins are 4-11 overall on the season, in
cluding a 2-7 record at the hallowed
Pauley Pavilion gym.
Of course, the Ducks won’t take lightly
a team that is one of the most successful
in college basketball history.
“I went through it my freshman year;
it’s not fun,” Ridnour said of losing. “But
they’re a dangerous team, they’ve got the
capability to turn it around.”
USG, as well, has struggled this season,
though not to the extent that UCLA has
stumbled. USC is 3-4 in Pac-10 play and
7-8 overall.
“SC has been in every ballgame,
they could easily be 7-0 right now,”
Kent said. “With UCLA, something’s
going to happen down there.
“You don’t look at these as struggling
programs. It’s more about us and how we
handle ourselves in that environment.”
And then there’s the revenge thing. Ore
gon sealed its Pac-10 tide by sweeping the
Los Angeles schools in Los Angeles last
season, and the two squads are likely to
have their Duck-hunting gear on.
“Both of these games, these teams, are
going to be fired up to play us,” Kent said.
“When we go down there, it’s going to be
the same thing. We’re the team that won
the championship down there last season
—we’re the ranked team coming in.”
But the Ducks know they have a
golden opportunity to win their first
two road games of the Pac-10 season,
which would likely move them into sec
ond in the conference at the midseason
point. But, according to Kent, they
need to do it themselves.
And they need someone to step up.
Contact the sports editor
atpeterhockaday@dailyemerald.com.
Adam Amato Emerald
Ian Crosswhite (11) and the Ducks will face a seemingly down-trodden
UCLA team tonight, but won't take the Bruins lightly.
Softball
continued from page 11
ton State and USC do not field teams.
For the fourth consecutive season,
four of the Pac-10 schools that went
to the NCAA tournament went on to
the College World Series, including
2002 National Champion California.
At the end of last season, seven Pac
10 programs were ranked in the USA
Today/NFCA Top 25.
After the Ducks finish their six pre
season tournaments, they host Port
land State in Oregon’s home opener
March 13. Four weeks later, the Ducks
host their first Pac-10 games against
Washington and UCLA.
Oregon returns seven starters and
11 letterwinners from last year’s
squad, while only losing three players,
including a four-year starting pitcher.
Mindi Rice is a freelance writer
for the Emerald.
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