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Ducks'' run ends UCLA upset bid.

Article Excerpt
Byline: BOB RODMAN The Register-Guard

The UCLA Bruins, who were left in ruins by a 41-point loss at Oregon State some 48 hours earlier, losers of four straight games, and owners of just five victories all season, were draining the Ducks' pond on Saturday night.

UCLA led at the break, trailed by only a point seven minutes into the second half and was just four points behind Oregon at 49-45 with 10 minutes to play in the Pac-10 Conference women's basketball game.

The McArthur Court scoreboard could take it no longer. It malfunctioned, and the delay seemed to give the Ducks the nudge they needed.

Once the scoreboard began operating, so did Oregon, which used a 15-5 run to spark a 76-54 victory over the Bruins.

"I think we came out just a little too relaxed," said Cathrine Kraayeveld, a UO sophomore who threw in 16 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out four assists and blocked two shots.

"We just can't look past anyone," said Kraayeveld, whose team got the big second-half lift from junior guard Shaquala Williams, who threw in 16 of her game-high 23 points in the final 20 minutes.

Struggle though it was - and the Mac Court crowd of 5,142 was painfully aware of the potholed road the Ducks were traveling - Oregon advanced its Pac-10 record to 7-4 and moved into a four-way tie for second place with Arizona State, Oregon State and USC.

But...