“They shot the crap out of the ball, everybody
on the floor... Sometimes you’re like
‘Man they must have a cheat code or something.’”
Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats rookie, on the Sonics
■ In my opinion
• .3a^
BRIAN SMITH
LEFTY SPECIALIST
Slick hands
let wins slip
for women's
basketball
I’m sure the Oregon women’s basketball
team hates Willie Nelson.
“On the road again, just can’t wait to get
on the road again.”
Yeah, that one.
It certainly isn't playing in the team’s
headphones.
After all, the road hasn’t exactly been
kind to Oregon.
It’s almost a cliche thing to say, but the
key to the Ducks winning on the road is lit
erally in their hands — more specifically,
what they can keep in their hands.
The basketball.
The numbers speak for themselves.
Four losses, 85 turnovers.
One win, six turnovers.
Granted that win was against Oregon
State, whose defense, according to Oregon
State head coach Judy Spoelstra, wouldn’t
be able to stop a quintet of sports writers of
any age, skill or fitness level.
The other four losses were against UCLA,
USC, Arizona and Arizona State — the four
best defenses in the conference. Against Ari
zona State, the Ducks committed 25
turnovers, one less than their season-high
of 26 against Arkansas.
But if you look at the Pacific-10 Confer
ence statistics, the Ducks rank second be
hind Stanford in total turnovers this season
with 278. In conjunction, the Ducks are sec
ond in the Pac-10 in average turnovers per
conference game.
It’s a real feast or famine, drought or del
uge situation and, unfortunately, most of
the deluges happen away from Mac Court.
Aside from wearing receiving gloves or
rubbing pine tar on the ball or putting photos
of Mac Court in the player’s duffel bags, the
Ducks need to find that “something” that re
duces 25 turnovers to 15 and keeps defenders
from salivating every time the ball bounces.
“Turnovers against aggressive-minded
teams have been a problem for us,” Oregon
head coach Bev Smith said. “I just think
that we have to be aggressive ourselves
with the ball.”
But there’s a caveat. Playing aggressive
also means playing smart. Aggressive does
n’t mean wild and careless. Aggressive isn’t
making the spectacular pass or the impos
sible falling-away-one-eye-closed-shot every
single time down the floor.
Aggressive defenses give the Ducks
problems.
My advice? Have patience, young
grasshoppers.
But also play smart, aggressive basketball.
All of which Oregon can do at home
against any given team on any given night.
Which is why Thursday’s matchup against
UCLA should be different for a few reasons.
Mac Court, for one.
UCLA’s sophomore guard Noelle Quinn’s
absence, for another.
And then there’s Mac Court.
And well, yeah, Mac Court again.
SMITH, page 10
Lauren Wimer | Senior photographer
The Oregon softball team, seen here Tuesday in its scrimmage against members of the local media, gears up for
another run at the Women’s College World Series with its season beginning Feb. 3 at the Hawaii Paradise Classic.
■ Duck softball
UO softball
sets sights
on World
Series title
BY CLAYTON JONES
SPORTS EDITOR
After two years of being one game away from
the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma
City, Okla., the Ducks are ready to make anoth
er run this season with a veteran-laden line-up
and a talented freshman class.
“The first season was a Cinderella season,
everything good happened,” Oregon head
coach Kathy Arendsen said. “The second sea
son was trying to prove we weren’t a fluke the
first season.
“Now we have the taste of being in a regional
finals and being so close to the College World
Series, so we have set our expectations higher,
and we understand the public is as well. ”
Senior Ashley Richards said some of the sen
iors realize time is running out for them to
make the WCWS.
“For a lot of us, it’s our last chance to do it,”
Richards said. “We definitely have a lot of moti
vation to do it this year. ”
The Ducks will return most of their starters,
but one of their losses is a big one.
Three-year starting catcher Jen Poore has
graduated and become a volunteer assistant
for Oregon.
Taking over at catcher will be Richards. The
Richland, Wash., native started all 63 games
last season for the Ducks, 13 of them at catcher.
Arendsen said the only difference between
Richards and Poore is their personalities on
the field.
“Physically, they are very similar players —
aggressive, strong arms and can really catch the
ball well,” Arendsen said. “The biggest difference
SOFTBALL, page 10
■ Outdoor recreation review
City escape at a wilderness landscape
BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN
OUTDOOR RECREATION REPORTER
Clothing is optional — but the use of phones
and cars is not.
There aren’t many students who will give up
their means of communication or transporta
tion for a day, but the staff at Breitenbush Hot
Springs Retreat and Conference Center expects
its patrons to do just that.
Breitenbush Hot Springs is an ideal winter re
treat at the edge of the Willamette National For
est in Detroit, Ore. For Eugene residents, that
translates to about a two-and-a-half-hour drive
through Salem and onto Highway 22.
“(We’re) an escape from the city with an easy
drive to the mountains, steaming hot soaking
pools, nourishing organic vegetarian cuisine, hik
ing in the old growth forests ... we see deer every
day, bear tracks and cougar tracks,” said Hillary
Ekberg, a staff member at Breitenbush since
2001. “The forest is calm, clear and grounding. ”
Keizer resident Kathy Baldwin agrees that
Breitenbush has many draws.
“It’s funky. It was built a long time ago, and
it’s the woods,” she said. Baldwin has been go
ing to Breitenbush for many years and enjoys
the relaxing effect of soaking in the center’s
rock-lined pools.
Breitenbush is famous for its pools. It has
three rock-lined meadow pools that overlook
the Breitenbush River and have a view of the
nearby mountains. Another set of pools, called
the Medicine Wheel TUbs, consists of five tubs
with different temperatures. These are
located next to a mineral steam sauna
and adjacent to a cold tub, offering the
benefits of hot-cold therapy.
All of the tubs have 24-hour access.
In addition to the tubs, a retreat to
Breitenbush offers alternative ac
tivities. Both day
and overnight
guests can take
daily well-be
ing programs,
such as yoga or
meditation, go
for a hike in the
old-growth forest,
take a walk in the
labyrinth, get a 90
minute massage or
explore the library
and gift shop.
Day use of the
facilities is available
on a sliding scale
of $10 to $20 per
day, with an op
tion to include a
meal for $8.
Breitenb
Hot Sprin
Detroit, Oregon
The meals are de
scribed by the staff as bountiful and
organic. Guests enjoy the variety of
BREITENBUSH, page 10