Oregon
USC women’s basketball takes care of business against Oregon
USC women’s basketball (12-1, 2-1 Pac-12) completed the weekend sweep of two Oregon universities to begin the New Year with a 68-54 victory over the Oregon Ducks (9-7, 0-3) on Sunday at Galen Center. In the win, USC tied a season high with 25 assists and committed just six turnovers.
USC freshman guard JuJu Watkins had a team-high 17 points, along with nine rebounds and six assists in 37 minutes. Watkins’ point total was a season low, yet her impact was felt beyond just scoring.
“She’s a winner more than anything else,” head coach Lindsey Gottlieb said. “She can hurt you in a number of ways. And we’re just glad she’s a part of our team, because it’s leading to a lot of winning along with her teammates.”
Oregon sophomore forward Grace VanSlooten had a game-high 18 points, plus six rebounds.
USC junior center Rayah Marshall and graduate guard McKenzie Forbes added 16 points each.
The Trojans came into the game undersized compared to the Ducks — who started 6-foot-8 junior center Phillipina Kyei and 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Kennedy Basham — forcing USC to find different ways of neutralizing the Ducks’ bigs.
At the start of the game, the size was an apparent problem for the Trojans. Marshall had no answer for Kyei, who had eight early points and dominated the paint with her height advantage.
The Ducks had the lead for most of the first quarter, but a three from USC redshirt sophomore guard Taylor Bigby (a transfer from Oregon prior to last season) allowed USC to take a one-point lead into the second quarter.
Gottlieb turned to 6-foot-6 junior center Clarice Akunwafo over Marshall to begin the second quarter, rejuvenating the Trojans’ defense. Akunwafo’s impact was instantly felt, making two blocks in her first three minutes of play.
“I think we just have to figure out the best way for us to be the most effective basketball team we can be,” Gottlieb said. “We have a lot of depth and versatility options.”
The Trojans’ defense held the Ducks to only ten points in the second quarter, closing out the first half with a 30-23 lead.
The third quarter became a back-and-forth between both offenses as Oregon regained a presence in the paint, outscoring the Trojans 10 to four in the area. However, USC still ended the quarter with a six-point lead.
The Trojans broke away in the fourth quarter with significant scoring contributions from Marshall in the post and Forbes’ shooting, closing the game with a double-digit win at home.
After slow starts, Marshall and Forbes found their rhythm, with both of them scoring double digits in the second half, and offering another option on offense beyond Watkins. Marshall came alive in the paint, providing her strong rebounding ability; she grabbed six of her nine rebounds in the second half.
“I am proud of my teammate Clarice. When I came into the locker room for halftime, she told me to play better defense,” Marshall said. “I did that when I came out, made that [defensive] adjustment. I was like, wow.”
USC is back in action next Sunday in a rematch versus the No. 2 UCLA Bruins (14-0, 3-0) at 2 p.m. at Galen Center. The Trojans suffered their first-season loss against the Bruins just a week ago.
“The game plan doesn’t change: box the heck out, go be the tougher team, and try to keep them off the boards. That’s what we have to do,” Gottlieb said ahead of the rematch. “There’s no way to beat UCLA unless you’re willing to do the dirty work on the boards.”
Oregon
Who was the 2024 Transfer of the Year in Oregon high school football?
Dozens of Oregon high school football players transferred from one school to another during the 2023-24 offseason. SBLive Oregon combed through those transfers and selected 16 of the best to highlight. Vote for your top choice in the poll at the bottom of the page.
Earlier: Is transfer culture ruining high school football? Oregon coaches weigh in
Aguilar dominated at the 4A level for Milwaukie last season, and that performance translated to the 6A Mt. Hood Conference, where Aguilar was voted to the all-conference second team.
Ayers moved north from Roseburg and led the resurgent Wolverines with 1,074 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 173 carries.
The transfer from Springfield had a major impact on the Lancers’ Midwestern League title march, winning league defensive player of the year honors and earning second-team all-league honors as a backup tailback.
Buzzard was a two-time wrestling state champion and top linebacker for Harrisburg. He made an instant impact with the Spartans, leading them with 85 tackles and making the all-Oregon West Conference first team.
Brasfield moved across town from Corvallis and teamed with freshman quarterback Zeke Thomas as one of the most potent passing combos in the state, catching 90 passes for 1,335 yards and 19 touchdowns.
The ex-Crescent Valley standout helped lead the Titans to the 6A playoffs, earning first-team all-South Central Football Conference honors.
Craigwell came from Sunset and was a first-team all-Three Rivers League inside linebacker (34 tackles, three for loss) for the league champions.
The University of Oregon commit was as good as advertised coming to the Willamette Valley from the Arizona desert, leading the team in tackles for loss.
Eddleman joined older brother Treyson in coming from Sherwood and shined during his first season with the Pacers, recording a team-best 62 tackles and two sacks and making the all-Three Rivers League first team.
Hoffert arrived from Central Catholic and was one of the top players on the Generals defense, making the all-PIL first team.
Ingle returned to the Lions after spending his junior season at Wilsonville and fit right back in on defense, making the all-Three Rivers League first team with 40 tackles (five for loss) and a team-high three sacks. He rushed for six touchdowns.
Kurland arrived from Sunset and quickly took over the starting job, throwing for 1,143 yards and 11 touchdowns with one interception and completing 67.6% of his passes (71 of 105). He led the Lakers to the No. 1 seed in the 6A Open playoffs and was voted to the all-Three Rivers League second team.
Martin joined the program after starring at Gaston last year and has shined in all three phases (1,417 all-purpose yards, 17 touchdowns, 24 tackles, four interceptions).
Martirano was a 6A all-state selection at West Salem, and after winning Mid-Willamette Conference offensive player of the year honors (2,150 passing yards, 18 touchdowns; 417 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns), he’ll likely make the 5A all-state team this fall.
The late arrival from Riverside County in California quickly melded with his teammates, showing why he’s a rising prospect and finishing with 1,503 passing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Smith was already well-known as a standout receiver at Central Catholic, but with the Timberwolves, he became a two-way all-Three Rivers League first-team selection, catching 33 passes for 609 yards and seven touchdowns and making 22 tackles at safety.
To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App
Oregon
High wind watch issued for Oregon for Friday
On Thursday at 3:35 a.m. a high wind watch was issued by the National Weather Service valid for Friday between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. for Clatsop County Coast, Tillamook County Coast and Central Coast of Oregon.
The weather service describes, “South winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible for beaches and headlands.”
“Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” explains the weather service.
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
Oregon
Northwest Oregon Conference boys soccer 2024: All-league teams, coach and player of the year
Northwest Oregon Conference boys soccer all-league selections and individual awards for the 2024 season, as determined by a vote of the league’s coaches
Vance Sheffield, La Salle Prep
Jared Rojas, Canby
Al Lara, Hood River Valley
F Vance Sheffield, La Salle Prep, senior
F Alex Aguiar, Wilsonville, senior
F Andro Mendez, Hood River Valley, senior
M Quentin Torbert, La Salle Prep, senior
M Sergio Day, Wilsonville, senior
M Julian Lara, Hood River Valley, senior
M Ruben Velazquez, Wilsonville, senior
M Javier Martinez, Centennial, senior
D Connor Garvey, La Salle Prep, senior
D Andrew McDougal, Wilsonville, senior
D Oscar Moline, Hood River Valley, senior
D Fabian Gonzales, Centennial, senior
GK Jared Rojas, Canby, senior
GK Adam Clem, La Salle Prep, senior
F Aran Garcia, Hood River Valley, senior
F Francisco Sanchez, Canby, junior
F Alex Fulgencio, Centennial, sophomore
M River Nichols, La Salle Prep, junior
M Cooper Eldon, La Salle Prep, junior
M Matt Tamimi, Canby, senior
M Christopher Marcial-Cruz, Parkrose, senior
M Daniel Aseive, Milwaukie, senior
D Declan O’Brien, La Salle Prep, junior
D Devyn Kinzie, Canby, junior
D Braxton Nava, Canby, freshman
D Eric Gudino, Milwaukie, freshman
GK Emmanuel Galindo, Hood River Valley, junior
F Hugo Cortes Cruz, La Salle Prep, sophomore
F Geovanni Macias, Hood River Valley, junior
F Jordan Lopez, Canby, junior
F Kevin Jimenez, Hillsboro, senior
F Noah Martin, Putnam, senior
F Jonathan Alcantar, Milwaukie, senior
M Solomon Parson, Hood River Valley, junior
M Derek Garcia, Wilsonville, senior
M Anthony Ledesma, Canby, junior
M Natnaiel Kindie, Parkrose, junior
M Cohen Biddle, Hillsboro, sophomore
M Caleb Hillard, Putnam, senior
M Abraham Andrade Ayala, Milwaukie, senior
M Jeffrey Boknecht, La Salle Prep, senior
D Rylan De Souza, La Salle Prep, senior
D John Olson, Hood River Valley, senior
D Javier Juarez-Pedraza, Wilsonville, senior
D Sebastion Zayago-Enciso, Wilsonville, senior
D Matt Young, Canby, senior
D Edgar Garcia, Centennial, senior
D Maximino Flores Ramirez, Parkrose, senior
D Eddie Larson, Hillsboro, junior
D Jimmy Thielman, Putnam, senior
D Erowyn Stovall, Milwaukie, senior
D Uriel Chacon-Alvarado, Parkrose, senior
GK Eamon Anslinger, Hood River Valley, senior
To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App
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