By John Sleeper
Herald Writer
While the whole mystery surrounding Oregon State as it relates to the Washington men’s basketball team is nearly unfathomable, it’s a mystery that the Huskies simply have to solve.
In order for Washington (3-12 Pacific-10 Conference, 9-16 overall) to gain an inside track on the Beavers (3-11, 11-14) for the eighth and final berth in the Pac-10 tournament, the Huskies have to buck a puzzling trend.
Despite apparently having superior personnel, despite apparently playing well at the time and despite being on the same court with a struggling team, the Huskies haven’t beaten the Beavers in five games, dating back to Feb. 11, 1999.
The losses in that span have come despite the fact that Washington has played sizzlingly well against Oregon two days before or after. Example: In late January in Seattle, Washington outplayed the then-19th-ranked Ducks for a 97-92 victory, but went into the tank against the Beavers two nights later in a 68-53 loss. The Huskies have beaten Oregon – over the years a far superior team to OSU – three of the last five meetings. Yet, Oregon State holds the hex.
“Oregon State’s flat-out beat us,” UW coach Bob Bender said. “They’ve played harder than we have. They’ve executed. When you look at what has happened in the games that have been played, we’ve just played at a higher level against Oregon and not matched that against Oregon State.”
Considering the ramifications this time, Washington has no excuses to come in fat and satisfied.
A win over the Beavers in Corvallis, Ore., tonight would do much for the Huskies’ chances to crash the Pac-10 tournament with games against Oregon and Washington State left on the regular-season schedule. By virtue of Washington’s win over Oregon, the Huskies would win the tiebreaker with the Beavers. – the teams’ records against the highest position in the final standings.
Then, too, is the cloud hanging over the team as it relates to Bender’s job status. A berth in the Pac-10 tournament would give athletic director Barbara Hedges reason to keep Bender on, despite growing dissatisfaction from alums and media.
On the other hand, OSU coach Ritchie McKay needs the victory just as much. “(The tournament) would be a very important step for our program,” McKay said.
Grumbling about OSU’s lack of improvement has started, and McKay could shut much of that up with a tournament berth. But the sudden departure this week of two top players make the Beavers vulnerable.
Junior forward Brian Jackson, the team’s second-leading scorer at 11.7 points per game, quit the Beavers Wednesday. Starting guard Jimmie Haywood, OSU’s third-leading scorer, left earlier in the week for what’s been termed “personal reasons.”
Jackson told his coach he was leaving “because he felt there was too much pressure being put on him by the fans, and he desired more of a heightened role in our offensive scheme,” McKay said.
From a purely X’s and O’s standpoint, Washington’s thrust seems clear.
Given OSU’s preference to run a patient, methodical half-court offense, Washington’s wings would do well to pay attention to pass direction, step into passing lanes and create turnovers that way. The Beavers will whittle the shot clock down as much as they can in order to get great looks at the basket. Washington needs to disrupt, then take advantage in transition.
“We’ve got to be aggressive,” Bender said. “If you can create turnovers, you don’t have to play that long of a portion of the clock.”
Also, Washington center David Dixon will be crucial in Washington’s attempt to limit OSU center Philip Ricci, the Beavers’ most consistent player, who averages 15.6 points and 5.9 rebounds a game.
The trick is to keep Dixon relatively foul-free and in the game. Dixon, who’s fouled out of five games and has been in foul trouble many more times, is the only true center the Huskies have and the only one who gives the Huskies an at-par matchup with OSU’s rugged post.
“David has to move his feet and can’t leave his feet when Ricci tries to shot-fake him,” Bender said. “That’s where he’s going to pick up fouls.”
Others teams have tried to front Ricci when he doesn’t have the ball, then double-team him when he does. That strategy, however, leaves someone else open, and Ricci has been astute in passing off to OSU’s leading 3-point shooters – Adam Masten, Joe See and Haywood.
“You always give up something when you double,” Bender said. You just hope that what you give up is either a guy that maybe doesn’t look to shoot it at all or has a tough time shooting it.”
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