(Photo: Marlee Smith/WCSN)
No. 2 Oregon (12-1, 2-0 in PAC-12) and No. 3 Oregon State (14-0, 2-0 in PAC-12) will travel to Tempe for a match up against Arizona State. They will face off against Oregon on Friday, and will then play OSU on Sunday.
The tough games will continue as ASU will play against five ranked teams in conference before the Pac-12 Tournament in March. The amount of ranked teams in the conference is a testament to the Pac-12’s dominance in women’s basketball.
The pressure of having five ranked teams within one conference will either make diamonds or bust pipes. ASU fans will hope for a season that does not end in the latter.
This weekend will provide a gauge for how the team can perform deeper into conference play and an opportunity to hop back into the AP Top 25. The team will take on the underdog mentality and could play potential spoiler to any of these teams later in the year.
The team will first have to take on arguably the best team in the nation, the Oregon Ducks. At the helm is former Gonzaga Head Coach Kelly Graves. He has impressed in Eugene over the last few years, creating a perennial powerhouse and leading the team to the 2019 Final Four.
Oregon has three elite level players that ASU needs to limit: senior forward Ruthy Hebard, senior guard Sabrina Ionescu and junior forward Satou Sabally. The talented Oregon squad overpowered Team USA in early November in an exhibition showdown.
Ruthy Hebard is leading her team in scoring, rebounding and the entire conference in field goal percentage. This all while being one of the best rim protectors in the conference. Hebard is 6 feet 4 inches and averages 17 points and 10 rebounds. She is a force inside and can score in bunches.
It will be essential for ASU head coach Charli Turner Thorne to keep the pace up and play to her team’s advantages. ASU is known for playing gritty defense combined with tenacity on the glass. Turner Thorne will most likely utilize a heavy rotation of forwards, in order to combat the duo of Hebard and Sabally down low.
This same ASU team was one possession away from upsetting number eight UCLA earlier this month. The team rebounded the ball strongly, notching 44 offensive boards. They played stifulling defense throughout, putting themselves in prime position for an upset.
If ASU can put it all together and win the time of possession, rebounding and turnovers, they will have a serious chance to compete this weekend at home.
Oregon State and Arizona State can be compared to the old biblical tale of David V. Goliath. Oregon State has nine players above 6 feet and four of those nine standing above 6 feet 6 inches. The height on the Oregon State Women’s team is comparable to heights on a D1 Men’s Team.
Arizona State’s tallest player Ja’tavia Tapley stands at 6 feet 3 inches, thus size will be a factor. ASU can turn this glaring weakness into a strength. They have a deep front court including Ja’Tavia Tapley, Bre’yanna Sanders, Eboni Walker, Jayde Van Hyfte, Iris Mbulito and Jamie Ruden.
This group may lack prototypical size but they are all good switch defenders in the pick and roll and can make plays in transition. This group plays an almost positionless lineup with bigs who can defend on the perimeter and playmake.
Oregon State has one of the best scoring backcourts in the nation with senior guard Mikayla Pivec and redshirt junior Destiny Slocum. The tandem is collectively averaging 30 points per game. Pivec is an efficient three level scorer who can heat up at any moment. Slocum is a guard with range from beyond the three point arch. She shoots a team high six threes a game at a nearly 40 percent clip and has the green light from deep.
Oregon State Head Coach Scott Rueck is one of the most decorated coaches in the PAC-12. Sunday will offer a different challenge but it will still involve another elite mind coaching against Turner Thorne.
If Turner Thorne can keep her perimeter defenders glued to the hips of Slocum and Pivec, while staying physical down low and disciplined in their halfcourt offense. The team should have a decent shot to beat Oregon State.
