Sports Editor:
Hank Hager
hank hager@dailyemerald.com
-Oregon Daily Emerald
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Monday, January 12,2004
Olshansky announces early entry into draft
The defensive lineman leaves after
146 career tackles in an Oregon uniform
By Hank Hager
Sports Editor
After being ranked in the top 20 in the nation for
most of the season in rush defense, Oregon was
looking at 2004 as possibly an,even better season.
_ That was until Igor Olshansky
1 1 announced Friday he is leaving
UP school early for the 2004 NFL
FOOTBALL »«•.
-—- He became the fourth player
in the program's history — fol
lowing Kenny Wheaton in 1997 and Ontario Smith
and George Wrighster last season — to leave after their
junior season.
"I feel I am ready for the next challenge," Olshansky
said at a press confaence at the Casanova Center. "These
last four years at Oregon have been the greatest experi
ence of my life I have so many people to thank for that I
am really going to miss Oregon."
Olshansky helped lead a defensive line that was
decimated early on by the loss of sophomore Haloti
Ngata. The Salt Lake City native went down with a
torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral liga
ments during the Ducks' first game of the season, a
42-34 defeat of Mississippi State.
Oregon also was without the services of Quinn
Dorsey for the first five games of the season after he
was suspended for illegally exchanging game tickets
prior to the 2002 season.
"(Olshansky) took on an even greater role this
year as a verbal and vocal leader on the team," Ore
gon head coach Mike Bellotti said. "I think arguably
he was one of the best defensive linemen, not just
in (the Pacific-10) conference, but in the nation. I
think he is passing up the opportunity to be a first
round draft choice next year, but I'm sure he will
make it this year."
Olshansky ends his career at Oregon with 146
tackles, 11 1/2 sacks and three fumble recoveries. In
Oregon's 31-30 loss to Minnesota in the 2003 Sun
Turn to DRAFT, page 9
Erik Bishoff Photographer
Igor Olshansky (right) became the fourth player in Oregon’s history to leave early for the NFL Draft.
Beavers spoil Jackson’s 39 in upset
The Beavers defeated Oregon
on Saturday for the first time
in 10 tries, forcing both teams
into 1-2 records in Pac-10 play
By Hank Hager
Sports Editor
CORVALLIS — Luke Jackson scored
a career-high 39 points and grabbed a
personal-best 16 rebounds.
The Ducks still lost. It was that kind
of a night for Oregon.
Oregon State allowed its fans a
_ chance to witness
the first victory
against the Ducks
since 1999. The
Beavers outlasted
* Oregon, scoring
the game's final 13 points for the 90
81 victory.
MEN’S
BASKETBALL
"We got outplayed," Oregon for
ward Ian Crosswhite said. "We made
some key mistakes down the stretch."
Oregon State's win ruined a 39
point night by Jackson, the most
points in a single game by a Duck
since Orlando Williams scored 40
against Washington State on Feb. 12,
1994. The forward scored 23 points in
the second half and was perfect from
the free-throw line at 14 of 14.
It just wasn't enough against the
Beavers.
"I thought my teammates were
looking to me to make plays," said
Turn to UPSET, page 10
Danielle Hickey Photo Editor
Oregon State players Vic Remmers (left) and Angelo Tsagarakis (right) celebrate their Civil War win after Oregon had won the
last nine meetings. It was the Beavers’ first Pac-10 victory of the season.
Ducks start off slow with Brooks on bench
Oregon's season-low 10 assists was
just one statistic that proved Oregon
missed Aaron Brooks against OSU
By Jesse Thomas
Sports Reporter
CORVALLIS — He was missed.
Freshman point guard Aaron Brooks sat at
the end of the Oregon bench in his warmups
Saturday night. His right wrist fully encased in a
cast, Brooks could do nothing to help his Ore
gon team as it lost 90-81 to Oregon State.
"We miss Aaron," senior Luke Jackson said.
"We miss his quickness and the energy that he
brings. At the same time, we've got to move on
past that. We're just going to have to learn how
to play without him."
Oregon's first taste of a Brook-less offense
was no stunning accomplishment.
Sophomore Brandon Lincoln earned his first
career start for Oregon, and he is expected to
continue as the starting point guard with
Brooks out six to eight weeks.
"Coming out it was kind of an adjustment
for me," Lincoln said. "I'm used to coming out
and getting a feel for the game by seeing how
it's going from the bench."
Lincoln struggled early. In the first half, he
had no rebounds, no points, one assist and two
turnovers in his 12 minutes.
"It took me until the second half to shake all
that stuff off," Lincoln said.
Lincoln found his game in the second half.
Three minutes in, Lincoln drove up under the
hoop and scored his first two points on a re
verse layup.
Lincoln scored six points and earned two
steals in the second half. All his points were
from close range; he went 0 for 3 from the
three-point line. But Lincoln did not turn the
ball over in the second half.
"With Aaron going down last week every
body knew they had to step up," Lincoln said.
"They just have to make the adjustment and
this game we didn't make the adjustment."
Senior James Davis alternated on the point
with Lincoln. When Oregon kept to a small
lineup — which was often — both were in the
game.
Turn to OFFENSE, page 9
Final shot
lands UO
victory
over OSU
The Ducks win their first Pac-10
game of the season; Oregon
breaks a five-game losing streak
as Brandi Davis sinks a final shot
By Jon Roetman
Sports Reporter
Brandi Davis and Chelsea Wagner
gave the Oregon women’s basketball
team the offensive boost it so desperate
ly needed Saturday.
The duo came off the bench to corn
win over Oregon State at McArthur Court.
After the Ducks (9-6 overall, 1-4 Pacif
ic- 10 Conference) ran more than 20 sec
onds off the dock during their final pos
session, Davis ran around several screens
and buried the long two-pointer as she
faded to her right. The Mac Court crowd
empted as the Beavers called a time out.
"I can't believe it went in, honesdy,"
Davis said. "I was really off-balance."
Oregon State (9-5, 3-2) had one final
chance, but Leilani Estavan's jumper at
the buzzer was no good.
The win was Oregon's first in Pac-10 play
and snapped a five-game losing streak.
"We didn't spend much time talking
about the game because I think our play
ers basically said it on the court," Oregon
head coach Bev Smith said. "We had a
tough week with all the ice, the snow and
the big freeze. Hopefully we lifted the big
freeze in the Pac-10 standings."
Both teams struggled offensively as nei
ther team managed to shoot 40 percent
for the game. It was the timeliness of Ore
gon’s baskets that helped the Ducks pull
out the much-needed win.
After being relegated to the bench for
most of the season, Davis experienced an
offensive explosion over the final nine
minutes. The junior guard scored 12 of
her 16 points down the stretch to help
WOMEN'S
BASKETBALL
bine for 31 points,
including a 19-foot
jumper by Davis
with 4.9 seconds
remaining, lifting
Oregon to a 56-54
Turn to FIRST WIN, page 9