Jackrabbits Outlast Cold Shooting Ducks, 67-60

The Jackrabbits’ Andrea Verdegan and Kristin Rotert scored 18 points apiece.

Freshman Ellie Manou led Oregon with 17 points and eight rebounds. Photo courtesy: goducks.com

EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon women’s basketball team is usually the squad with the sharp three-point shooting, but on Thursday night at Mac Court, it was South Dakota State’s long range buckets that proved to be the difference in the Jackrabbits’ 67-60 victory.

In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, South Dakota State’s high-pressure defense paid huge dividends as Oregon committed 25 turnovers. The Ducks also shot a cold 10.5 percent (2-of-19) from thee-point range.

“The bottom line was that we just got set back on our heels from their intensity,” head coach Bev Smith said. “We showed grit at points, but it needed to be for 40 minutes – that’s what South Dakota State did.”

Oregon is now 1-1 on its young season, while SDSU remains an undefeated 3-0.

The Jackrabbits’ Andrea Verdegan and Kristin Rotert scored 18 points apiece. Verdegan pulled down eight boards, while Rotert dropped four three-pointers.

Oregon’s Ellie Manou led the Ducks with 17 points and eight rebounds, playing 31 minutes with fellow frontcourt teammate Nicole Canepa battling foul trouble.

Canepa was a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor scoring 13 points, but was limited in just 15 minutes on the floor, picking up three fouls in the first half.

“Oregon is big inside and quick outside,” Verdegan said. “Our defense won the game. We knew we would have to pressure the outside. This was a great confidence booster, and our confidence is growing every game.”

South Dakota State advanced to the fourth round of the WNIT last year, and similar to Oregon, was eliminated by eventual-champion Wyoming.

Sophomore Micaela Cocks added 11 points for Oregon on a 5-of-10 shooting night.

The Ducks outrebounded SDSU, 37-29, but the Jackrabbits made 30 trips to the free-throw line, compared to just 12 for Oregon.

“I was disappointed with what happened, but I congratulate the other team,” Cocks said. “They outplayed us. We stepped back when we needed to get out on the floor and execute.”

Oregon will return to Mac Court for its final home game in the team’s opening three-game stretch on Tuesday, hosting 2007 NCAA participant Marquette at 7 p.m.

Source: goducks.com

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