Published: Saturday, February 11, 2012
Beavers' turnaround shows rebuilding UW women's team what's possible
SEATTLE -- Proof that the University of Washington women's basketball team is beginning to take some steps in the right direction comes from a two-game winning streak and a 5-4 record since the turn of the calendar year.
Evidence that the Huskies might be incrementally better this time next year? Well, that could be found in the team standing on the opposite end of the Hec Edmondson Pavilion floor during today's national anthem.
It could be said that UW will find both competition and inspiration from today's opponent.
"It's a hard process, and they're doing a good job in Year 2," said Kevin McGuff, UW's first-year coach. "They've got their kids playing really well. They've done a very good job."
The Oregon State Beavers (16-7 overall, 7-5 in the Pacific-12 Conference) are not only the most impressive rebuilding project in the Pac-12, they may be among the best stories in women's basketball this season. Just a little over one year ago, OSU was going into a game at UW with an 0-10 conference record and about as much hope as a clawless kitten in a lion's cage. The Beavers had been crippled by a coaching change and a slew of transfers that left them with only one player with NCAA Division I experience.
After shocking the Huskies at Hec Ed early last February, the Beavers earned what would end up being one of just two conference wins under first-year head coach Scott Rueck.
Fast forward a year and the Beavers are in third place in the Pac-12 and trying to fight their way to the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 1995-96.
"They're a great team," UW senior Regina Rogers said of the Beavers. "Last year, they got it started. They got some pretty good players, and this year they're just building on what they did last year. I'm looking forward to playing them."
Rueck said Friday night that the key to OSU's quick turnaround has been the character and resilience of his players. He has seven transfers on this year's team -- five of them from junior colleges -- as well as a true freshman in Ali Gibson who leads the team in scoring.
"We were picked 12th (in the Pac-12) this year, and that's by all the coaches -- all 11 of them picked us 12th, which I can't argue with," said Rueck, who led George Fox University to an NCAA Division III national title before taking over at OSU last season. "When you surround yourself with good people, and you make things enjoyable, that's how you prove people wrong."
Rueck added that last year's win over UW, and a home victory over rival Oregon two weeks later, helped push the program in the right direction.
"I was confident that we were doing the right things, and I think people around the program could see by our play that we were respectable, but it was just about getting over the hump," Rueck said Friday night, recalling last year's game at UW. "That game was not only a relief, but it was also a source of encouragement."
With a December win over the Huskies in Corvallis, OSU has now beaten UW twice in a row. The Beavers will go for a third today, and they hope to stay in the hunt for an NCAA tournament bid in the process.
The Huskies, meanwhile, will just keep trying to move their own rebuilding project in the right direction.
"They've done a nice job, and those kids have totally bought in to what they're doing," McGuff said of the Beavers, "so we'll have our hands full."
Evidence that the Huskies might be incrementally better this time next year? Well, that could be found in the team standing on the opposite end of the Hec Edmondson Pavilion floor during today's national anthem.
It could be said that UW will find both competition and inspiration from today's opponent.
"It's a hard process, and they're doing a good job in Year 2," said Kevin McGuff, UW's first-year coach. "They've got their kids playing really well. They've done a very good job."
The Oregon State Beavers (16-7 overall, 7-5 in the Pacific-12 Conference) are not only the most impressive rebuilding project in the Pac-12, they may be among the best stories in women's basketball this season. Just a little over one year ago, OSU was going into a game at UW with an 0-10 conference record and about as much hope as a clawless kitten in a lion's cage. The Beavers had been crippled by a coaching change and a slew of transfers that left them with only one player with NCAA Division I experience.
After shocking the Huskies at Hec Ed early last February, the Beavers earned what would end up being one of just two conference wins under first-year head coach Scott Rueck.
Fast forward a year and the Beavers are in third place in the Pac-12 and trying to fight their way to the program's first NCAA tournament appearance since 1995-96.
"They're a great team," UW senior Regina Rogers said of the Beavers. "Last year, they got it started. They got some pretty good players, and this year they're just building on what they did last year. I'm looking forward to playing them."
Rueck said Friday night that the key to OSU's quick turnaround has been the character and resilience of his players. He has seven transfers on this year's team -- five of them from junior colleges -- as well as a true freshman in Ali Gibson who leads the team in scoring.
"We were picked 12th (in the Pac-12) this year, and that's by all the coaches -- all 11 of them picked us 12th, which I can't argue with," said Rueck, who led George Fox University to an NCAA Division III national title before taking over at OSU last season. "When you surround yourself with good people, and you make things enjoyable, that's how you prove people wrong."
Rueck added that last year's win over UW, and a home victory over rival Oregon two weeks later, helped push the program in the right direction.
"I was confident that we were doing the right things, and I think people around the program could see by our play that we were respectable, but it was just about getting over the hump," Rueck said Friday night, recalling last year's game at UW. "That game was not only a relief, but it was also a source of encouragement."
With a December win over the Huskies in Corvallis, OSU has now beaten UW twice in a row. The Beavers will go for a third today, and they hope to stay in the hunt for an NCAA tournament bid in the process.
The Huskies, meanwhile, will just keep trying to move their own rebuilding project in the right direction.
"They've done a nice job, and those kids have totally bought in to what they're doing," McGuff said of the Beavers, "so we'll have our hands full."
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