In total, Oregon’s five starters have just three years of Civil War experience. But that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t understand the implications of this weekend’s two games versus No. 11 Oregon State.
“Coach [Kelly] Graves was saying how he hasn’t beaten Oregon State since he’s been here,” said Ruthy Hebard, the Pac-12 reigning freshman of the week. “I’m really excited to hopefully change that.”
Oregon State, which has just one loss in conference play, visits Matthew Knight Arena on Friday (8 p.m., Pac-12 Network). The Ducks travel to Corvallis on Sunday (11 a.m., ESPNU).
Graves called the No. 11-ranked Beavers one of the conference’s elite teams. They’re currently in a three-way tie for the first place in the Pac-12 with Washington and Stanford.
“I think they’re the most disciplined team in the conference,” Graves said.
After the Beavers graduated Ruth Hambin and Jamie Weisner last year, many nationally thought the program would experience a bit of a drop off. That hasn’t been the case this year, though. The Beavers, who advanced to the Final Four last year, have lost to Marquette and UCLA this year.
Graves credited senior guard Sydney Wiese’s playmaking ability as an X-factor for Oregon State, which ranks No. 2 in the Pac-12 in scoring defense. Marie Gulich averages 10.8 points for the Beavers in the post with 8.5 rebounds.
“I think the one that’s made that group click is Sydney Wiese,” Graves said. “She’s the most valuable player in our conference. Everything runs through her. She shoots it so well.”
Wiese, averaging 15.2 points a game, broke the Pac-12’s 3-point shooting record earlier this year. Lexi Bando — the lone Oregon native in the Ducks’ starting five — said she’s admired Wiese throughout the years.
The Head Coaches greet each other after the game. The Oregon Ducks face the No. 11 Oregon State Beavers in the 96th Civil War at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. on Jan. 10, 2016. (Samuel Marshall/Emerald)
“She’s incredible. I don’t play point guard, but I definitely look up to her,” Bando said. “She’s not only a great player, she’s an even better person off the court. She’s going to be a tough battle for us. We’re going to have to find a way to contain her.”
Graves said his young team isn’t focused on the series’ past. Since he took over in 2014, the Ducks have lost by an average margin of 25.75 points to their in-state rivals.
“This team’s never lost to them,” Graves said. “That’s all you can say. They’re not concerned about the past, I don’t think. We know it as coaches. Our fans do. We’re all hungry for a win.”
In the past two years under Graves, the Ducks have begun the Civil War weekend in Corvallis. This year, the Beavers come to Eugene to kickoff the weekend.
“We’ve always gone up there first,” Graves said. “Sometimes psychologically it might be a little better.”
Though the Ducks don’t have many Oregon natives on their roster, upperclassmen like Bando and Mar’Shay Moore have imparted the importance of the rivalry on underclassmen. They’re driven to be the first team to beat the Beavers in six years.
“They hear that and they get motivated,” Bando said. “They want to be the first team to knock ’em down.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
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