University of Washington
Oregon
Thrilling Rally Allows Huskies To Steal OT Win From Ducks
February 03, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2011
Postgame Press Conferences: Kingma, Argens, Rogers & Jackson | Jackson Part II
SEATTLE - As she wrapped up the jubilant postgame fete, Tia Jackson offered her team a quick reminder - this was Husky basketball.
Despite trailing by 18 points in the second half, and by six with 1:20 remaining in the game, the Huskies simply refused to quit. In the end, the final result was a 90-76 overtime win over Oregon that reminded the team of the rewards that come with effort and execution.
Even better, the Huskies (9-10, 4-6) beat the fast-breaking Ducks (12-9, 3-7) at their own game.
"I felt like more than anything, our true style of play showed in that second half," Jackson said.
Kristi Kingma led the way with a team-high 20 points. None were bigger than the 3-pointer she hit with five seconds remaining that put the Huskies up 74-73. The shot came after Regina Rogers snared a loose ball, and then flung a jump pass to the corner, where Kingma then up-faked her defender and rattled in the go-ahead shot.
"(Rogers) was diving to the floor and we made eye contact for a split second and she just threw it up and I caught it and it went in," Kingma said.
Yet Oregon had an answer. After advancing the ball across the half-court line and calling a timeout, the Ducks had 4.8 seconds left. UO coach Paul Westhead drew up a play to isolate star point guard Nia Jackson up high, and she drove the lane and was fouled with one second remaining. The crowd of 1,811 hissed at the call, knowing Jackson could deflate Alaska Airlines Arena with a pair of free throws. But the Seattle native clanged the first one off the rim before hitting the second to force overtime.
Those foul shots came at a price. On the drive, Jackson collided with Marjorie Heard and crumpled to the ground, apparently re-injuring her leg. Her pain was evident in the overtime session, as Jackson hobbled around the court before she was subbed off.
That's when the Huskies went to work. Oregon scored the first basket of the extra session before the Huskies reeled off 16 straight points, mostly on the back of Rogers. The junior post finished with a double-double: 18 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Overall, the Huskies had a season-best five players score in double figures.
But none had the impact of Rogers, who had her way against the Oregon frontcourt. Rogers scored eight points in the bonus period, including one stretch where she corralled her own free throw miss and then spun inside for a layup.
Both Heard and Argens had monster games of their own inside. Argens recorded her second career double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Heard piggybacked the effort with 13 points and seven rebounds, and both players showcased outstanding defense in limiting the go-go offense of the Ducks.
After the game, when asked what spurred the team's comeback (UW trailed 53-35 early in the second half), both players and coaches pointed to defense and particularly rebounding. "I would say our offensive rebounds," Rogers said. "In the first half we didn't have any, and then our second half we had 15. I would say that was big for us."
Down by 18, the Huskies called a timeout. Undaunted by the margin, the Huskies recorded a steal right out of the timeout, which led to an Argens jumper. From there, the Huskies would reel off 15 more unanswered points, capping the run with a Kingma 3-pointer from the wing. That cut the Oregon lead to one, and the Huskies would later retake the lead on a pair of Heard FTs.
Oregon quickly answered on the strength of Jackson, who asserted claim to the notion that she's one of the Pac-10's best players. The speedy guard knifed into the lane for layups, was unstoppable in transition and found open teammates for uncontested jumpers. This was the rally Oregon used to take a six-point lead, 72-66, with 1:39 remaining.
That's when Washington went to work on the boards. After Sarah Morton missed a 3-pointer, Rogers snared the rebound and worked the ball to Heard, who cashed in on a three-point play. Jackson then missed a layup, which led to another score from Heard, trimming the Oregon lead to 72-71 with 30 seconds to go. Now Washington had to foul. Morton alertly grabbed Deanna Weaver before the inbounds, sending the freshman forward to the line. Weaver split her free throws, but the Huskies did not have timeouts to set up a play.
Rogers wanted to joke after the game that she and Kingma practice this play all the time. But the chemistry between the two was evident as the post found her teammate in the corner. The two players were instrumental in the overtime session as well, scoring on back-to-back three-point plays to take the air out of Oregon's sails. All part of the Husky basketball brand, right?
"We are just a solid, solid defensive team," Jackson said. "To be able to capitalize and compliment that, with some offensive scoring attack, is just absolutely amazing."
