Preview:
Oregon squeaked by Washington in the play-in game in one of those low scoring defensive battles that we associate with teams like Washington, Colorado, and USC. PaoPao, who had been on fire (after a long slump) the last few games had a solid but non stratospheric 13 points. But Rogers exploded for 28 points, all the more remarkable considering how low scoring the game was. Our defense will need to control both Rogers and PaoPao, who have both shown their mettle in recent games.
Oregon has suffered through one of its worst seasons in years, not least because of the unexpected loss of Sedona Prince who was to have been a centerpiece of the team after the graduation of Nyara Sabally. But I don't think anyone expected that when we beat them back in January that PaoPao would slump and the team would lose 7 conference games in a row.
https://thecardboard.org/board/showthrea...#pid380525
https://gostanford.com/sports/womens-bas...core/38001
That game against Oregon was not exactly a showcase for our offense, however. Only Brink and Jump were in double digits, and it was Demetre coming in and hitting three treys that gave us the smallest of cushions. Oregon had Grey, Kyei, and VanSlooten in double figures, with PaoPao and Rogers at only 6 and 5 points. I expect tomorrow's game to be radically different, on the basis of PaoPao and Rogers both scoring prolifically of late. Graves said about their game with Washington that Oregon absolutely had to make their threes to win, and Rogers and PaoPao were collectively 5/13 from range. In our first meeting they were 1/7.
Oregon is 16/13 overall, 7/11 in conference, unranked, but somehow Massey has them at 32, and NET at a whopping 18. Hard to believe a team with 13 losses and barely a winning record is 18th, but Oregon has played a lot of very good teams. Bracketology has them as "the first team out" and thus they have a great deal to play for. If they beat us, they probably make it into the big dance.
Oregon presents a challenge to our defense, given that the three scorers who were in double digits against us last time are not the two scorers who have dramatically improved since. In short, they put 5 players on the court who can all score. Pretty obviously the first order of business is to control their three outstanding guards who shoot 42%, 39%, and 36% from three point range, but VanSlooten and Kyei give them an inside presence and competent rebounding.
Oregon flustered the Washington offense in their first quarter by playing a zone, before switching to man for most of the rest of the game. I expect we will see a mix of defenses from them to force us to prepare and to read defense. In their many losses, Oregon's defense was not usually the culprit--except giving up 100 to Utah. Their conference opponents otherwise beat them with scores in the 50s and low 60s, for the most part--as did we when we won by scoring 62.
In short, since our own offense has been suspect of late, and given that we only managed to score 62 against Oregon the first time, it makes it even more important that our defense be very solid and hold Oregon's surging Rogers and PaoPao in check. If we don't then we had better hope for a breakout game on offense unlike anything we have seen since our successful Arizona trip. Getting someone going other than our big three--maybe Demetre, maybe Betts, maybe Lepolo or Nivar or Emma-Nnopu--someone else will need to score in double digits if the Oregon guards continue to do what they have been doing in recent games.
finis
Oregon squeaked by Washington in the play-in game in one of those low scoring defensive battles that we associate with teams like Washington, Colorado, and USC. PaoPao, who had been on fire (after a long slump) the last few games had a solid but non stratospheric 13 points. But Rogers exploded for 28 points, all the more remarkable considering how low scoring the game was. Our defense will need to control both Rogers and PaoPao, who have both shown their mettle in recent games.
Oregon has suffered through one of its worst seasons in years, not least because of the unexpected loss of Sedona Prince who was to have been a centerpiece of the team after the graduation of Nyara Sabally. But I don't think anyone expected that when we beat them back in January that PaoPao would slump and the team would lose 7 conference games in a row.
https://thecardboard.org/board/showthrea...#pid380525
https://gostanford.com/sports/womens-bas...core/38001
That game against Oregon was not exactly a showcase for our offense, however. Only Brink and Jump were in double digits, and it was Demetre coming in and hitting three treys that gave us the smallest of cushions. Oregon had Grey, Kyei, and VanSlooten in double figures, with PaoPao and Rogers at only 6 and 5 points. I expect tomorrow's game to be radically different, on the basis of PaoPao and Rogers both scoring prolifically of late. Graves said about their game with Washington that Oregon absolutely had to make their threes to win, and Rogers and PaoPao were collectively 5/13 from range. In our first meeting they were 1/7.
Oregon is 16/13 overall, 7/11 in conference, unranked, but somehow Massey has them at 32, and NET at a whopping 18. Hard to believe a team with 13 losses and barely a winning record is 18th, but Oregon has played a lot of very good teams. Bracketology has them as "the first team out" and thus they have a great deal to play for. If they beat us, they probably make it into the big dance.
Oregon presents a challenge to our defense, given that the three scorers who were in double digits against us last time are not the two scorers who have dramatically improved since. In short, they put 5 players on the court who can all score. Pretty obviously the first order of business is to control their three outstanding guards who shoot 42%, 39%, and 36% from three point range, but VanSlooten and Kyei give them an inside presence and competent rebounding.
Oregon flustered the Washington offense in their first quarter by playing a zone, before switching to man for most of the rest of the game. I expect we will see a mix of defenses from them to force us to prepare and to read defense. In their many losses, Oregon's defense was not usually the culprit--except giving up 100 to Utah. Their conference opponents otherwise beat them with scores in the 50s and low 60s, for the most part--as did we when we won by scoring 62.
In short, since our own offense has been suspect of late, and given that we only managed to score 62 against Oregon the first time, it makes it even more important that our defense be very solid and hold Oregon's surging Rogers and PaoPao in check. If we don't then we had better hope for a breakout game on offense unlike anything we have seen since our successful Arizona trip. Getting someone going other than our big three--maybe Demetre, maybe Betts, maybe Lepolo or Nivar or Emma-Nnopu--someone else will need to score in double digits if the Oregon guards continue to do what they have been doing in recent games.
finis
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![[Image: 200w.gif?cid=82a1493bwezrcvevtqkt0ejv1cf...w.gif&ct=g]](https://media2.giphy.com/media/3orieTfp1MeFLiBQR2/200w.gif?cid=82a1493bwezrcvevtqkt0ejv1cf1eocj6pf7b246n22okyz6&rid=200w.gif&ct=g)