Davis leads Ducks, heads hot night for reserves
Tim Kupsick Freelance Photographer
Oregon junior Brandi Davis (21) hit the game-winning shot with 4.9 seconds remaining.
Brandi Davis came off the
bench to lead the Ducks with
16 points, including the game
winner in the last minute
By Mindi Rice
Senior Sports Reporter
The last time Chelsea Wagner at
tempted a two-point basket, she was
practicing with her teammates.
The redshirt sophomore guard
was on the court for 25 minutes Sat
urday against Oregon State — as
many or more minutes than four of
Oregon's starters — and attempted
11 three-point shots.
Five of them went in as Wagner
scored 15 points off the bench in
Oregon's 56-54 victory against Ore
gon State.
"We think we have some very
good (three-point) shooters," head
coach Bev Smith said. "Obviously,
Chelsea's a great shooter, Brandi
(Davis) is a good shooter. We need
to get them into a rhythm and find
those opportunities. I think you saw
Brandi's athleticism tonight. She was
very hot and she was in the zone."
Davis came off the bench to lead
the Ducks with 16 points. She
scored 12 of those in the last nine
minutes of the game, including a
jumper just inside the three-point
line to give Oregon the lead with 4.9
seconds left.
"I felt a lot of confidence after the
first shot," Davis said. "I was just re
ally determined to go out there and
hit some key baskets for us.
"We have a team that anyone can
have a great night; anyone can come
off the bench. Ashley Allen, she had
one of those key assists to Carolyn
(Ganes) and that really got the team
going. We're all little spark plugs,
there's just certain nights when it
happens for each of us."
Allen played for two minutes in
the first half. Her only number in
the statistical line is one assist — a
pass to Ganes with 47 seconds re
maining in the first half for a layup
that cut the Beavers' lead to 26-23.
Ganes, Yadili Okwumabua and
Kayla Steen contributed from the
bench. The three averaged 18 min
utes, with each adding their specialty
to the mix.
Steen had two points and four as
sists while primarily sharing point
guard duties with starter Corrie
Mizusawa. Okwumabua pulled
down three rebounds.
"(The bench was) absolutely the
key to the game," Smith said. "It was
a great team effort. I think everybody
really gave us just a strong feel that
we've got a great team and we can
play that way."
Ganes, playing on a sprained ankle,
hadn't practiced since Wednesday.
The sophomore was on the court
for 18 minutes, grabbing five re
bounds and six points while playing
on an ankle that Smith called "the
color of my Christmas tree.
"The doctors and our physiothera
py staff were veiy impressed that she
was even able to play," Smith said.
"She's tough as nails and she knew
this was an important game for us."
Wagner and Okwumabua both
credited the bench with playing just
as important a role off the court, en
couraging their teammates from the
sidelines.
"From the five starters to the last
person off the bench, it's important
because everyone has to be in the
game," Okwumabua said. "When
the game starts, the five people on
the court have to get the energy go
ing and it's so important that the
bench players keep that going."
Contact the senior sports reporter
at mindirice@dailyemerald.com.
FIRST WIN
continued from page 7
the Ducks overcome a 45-37 deficit.
Along with the late game heroics of
Davis was an impressive shooting dis
play by Wagner. Each of Wagner's five
three-pointers was a momentum
swinger. The Ducks fell behind 36-29
five minutes into the second half when
Wagner drilled three-pointers on con
secutive possessions to pull Oregon
within one. Her final three came with
6:49 remaining and was part of a 19-9
Duck ran over the final 10 minutes.
"Chelsea Wagner and Brandi Davis
— that's the difference in the ball
game right there," Oregon State head
coach Judy Spoelstra said. "We told
our kids all week that those two can go
off and get hot."
Wagner finished with 15 points
without attempting a two-point field
goal. Andrea Bills added 11 points and
a team-high six rebounds.
Oregon State was in control for
most of the game and didn't trail from
the 17:33 mark of the first half until
6:14 remained in the contest. The
Beavers were previously 6-0 when
leading at the half.
Entering the game, there were three
areas of concern for Oregon. The
Ducks had been struggling against
pressure defense, falling behind early
and not grabbing a rebound when
they needed one Oregon improved on
the first two Saturday, but its rebound
ing struggles continued.
Oregon State dominated inside,
out-rebounding the Ducks 39-27.
Beaver center Brina Chaney was
Oregon's main nemesis under the
basket, grabbing a game-high 13 re
bounds. The 6-foot-5 center added
14 points for her second double
double of the season.
Shannon Howell once again had a
productive night offensively for the
Beavers, finishing with a game-high 24
points on 9 of 20 shooting. It was the
fourth consecutive 20-point game for
the junior transfer from Nebraska.
Smith was quick to point out the
quality defensive job Wagner did
against Howell.
"Chelsea did a great job defensively,"
Smith said. "She really made Shannon
Howell work tonight. Howell is a great
player, but she had to earn every single
one of her points tonight."
The Oregon defense also held Esta
van in check. The senior guard was held
scoreless for the first time in 83 games,
dating back to Feb. 15,2001.
Contact the sports reporter
atjonroetman@dailyemerald.com.
DRAFT
continued from page 7
Bowl, he had four tackles and a fum
ble recovery.
"Igor has come a long way in all
respects," Bellotti said. "His under
standing of the game and his
understanding of what team play
and competition was. He's a tremen
dous worker, and in the NFL, where
numbers are important, his num
bers will be awesome, in terms of his
strength, his speed and his explosive
abilities. He brought that to the
table immediately."
Olshansky declined to say whether
he had signed with an agent yet. He did
say that he will be training in Southern
California and that "there's no guaran
tees and there's probably no validity in
my expectations, so my job is to just
train my best and perform up to my
abilities. I realize that I could only do so
much and whatever falls into place,
falls into place"
The Ducks now will be left with one
starter from the defensive line in 2004,
end Devan Long. Overall, Oregon
returns five defensive starters, not in
cluding Ngata. Bellotti said the Ducks
were ready to sign six defensive line
man for the 2004 recruiting class and
that number may reach seven because
of Olshansky's departure.
That, however, is not set, Bellotti
added.
"Last year's defensive line was the
best defensive line in Oregon's
history," Long said. "To top that, it's
going to be hard, but it's definitely
not out of our limits because the tal
ent level on the defensive line is very
high again. It's just a matter of who
wants it more. If we're going to work
hard like we did last year to improve
more, then it's very possible."
Contact the sports editor
at hankhageii@dailyemerald.com.
OFFENSE
continued from page 7
Davis had a solid night with five
three-pointers, helping him to 17
points. His other numbers are iden
tical to Lincoln's with two assists
and two turnovers.
Oregon had a season-low 10
assists on the night. Coming into the
matchup, the Ducks averaged a little
more than 18 assists per game.
"It was definitely an adjustment,"
Davis said. 'I think it's something
we're going to overcome It's someone
we're definitely going to miss. We're
praying he gets better every day.
"Me and Brandon are going to
have to step up and carry the load a
lot better than we did tonight."
When Lincoln and Davis weren't
bringing the ball up, Jackson took
over the point guard duties. More of
ten than not down the stretch, Jack
son had the ball in his hands com
ing up the court.
"I was just bringing the ball up for a
different offensive look," Jackson said.
"I kind of like bringing the ball up. I
did it in high school. I'm used to it."
Lincoln said he'll be better pre
pared for the next game and for now
it is time to go back to the drawing
board and put in the work. Lincoln
is averaging 5.8 points, 1.6 rebounds
and 1.6 assists per game, including
Saturday's contest.
It was apparent in Gill Coliseum
on Saturday night that Oregon still
has some kinks to work out in the
point guard spot. Oregon needs to
find a way to maneuver the ball like
they once did.
Contact the sports reporter
at jessethomas@dailyemerald.com.
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