Eugene, Ore., has long been the unofficial “running capital” of the country. The Ducks leave Tracktown USA for their Friday night contest at Haas Pavilion against Cal women’s basketball ready to run with the No. 6 team in the country.
While the Bears look for their recording-setting 12th-straight conference victory, they are preparing for a marathon match.
“Oregon wants to play fast,” Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “We will just have to lace up our track shoes.”
The Ducks (4-22, 2-12 in Pac-12) play a run-and-gun style of game, using their speed to earn easy transition looks. Unfortunately for Oregon, their strategy plays right into Cal’s strengths. The Bears (23-2, 13-1) suit up athletic guards and bigs who can run the floor, players who can more than handle the speedy Ducks.
Oregon, which currently sits in the cellar of the Pac-12 standings, has little chance of pulling off the monumental upset.
The Ducks are looking to win back-to-back conference games for the first time this season after defeating Washington State, 65-60, last Sunday. While the Ducks struggle to pick up Pac-12 victories, the Bears continue to steamroll through conference play.
Last weekend, the Bears downed both Los Angeles schools, beating UCLA, 79-51, and USC, 71-64, to keep pace with Stanford for the first in the Pac-12.
The last time the two teams met in Oregon on Feb. 13, Cal stomped the Ducks, 72-45. Behind double-doubles from forward Gennifer Brandon and center Talia Caldwell, the Bears cruised to Gottlieb’s 100th career victory.
“Our pace was great,” Gottlieb said. “We came out trying to beat them down the floor. We were in attack mode, limiting them with our transition defense.”
Brandon and Caldwell will once again look to enforce their will against the overmatched Ducks’ frontcourt. Oregon’s top and only post presence is a newcomer, freshman Jillian Alleyne, who averages 13.4 points and 12.3 rebounds for the offensive machines.
“I think we have an advantage in the post,” Gottlieb said. “Our guards will set the pace, but if I had to point to another position to dominate the game, it would be our inside.”
Guard Brittany Boyd will also likely have a field day against the Ducks defensively. Boyd has been on fire, coming off her most impressive double-double of the season, recording 14 points and 10 steals at UCLA on Friday.
Oregon’s offense, though fast-paced, is a turnover machine, ranking last in the Pac-12 with a -7.35 turnover margin. Boyd’s quick hands will create issues all over the floor for the Ducks, either in the full-court press or in the half-court defense set.
Boyd’s defense will focus on guard Ariel Thomas, the leader of the Ducks’ offense. Last time against the Ducks, Boyd had an efficient game on both sides of the ball, recording 13 points, eight assists and zero turnovers to go along with three steals.
Boyd and the guards can hang with the Ducks, who will try and run all over the Bears. After this Friday, Oregon may be running back home after what is looking like another beatdown.
Austin Crochetiere covers women’s basketball. Contact him at [email protected].