Oregon Coach Paul Westhead Starts Swan Song with Women’s Pac-12 Tournament

Nov 20, 2013; Hartford, CT, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Paul Westhead talks to an official from the sideline as they take on the Connecticut Huskies in the first half at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Oregon Women’s Basketball team is somewhere that they have not been in four years. A place of relevancy when it comes to potential post season play. The Ducks need one more victory to be post season eligible. Of course, more than one win in the Pac-12 Tournament that begins tonight in Seattle won’t hurt. The next games, be it one or more will be the final  for Oregon Head Coach Paul Westhead, who did not have his contract, which expires at the end of March, renewed. In five seasons he was 65-90 and the team never really got going. Much of the issues were not his fault. There were several injury plagued seasons, but this year the Ducks have been relatively successful thanks to the leadership of Jillian Alleyne.

Alleyne needs just a few more victories to break the Pac-12 Conference rebounding record. The Ducks face Washington State on Thursday night in the first round of the Women’s Pac-12 Tourament. Oregon had a four game winning streak against the Cougars snapped in February with a 108-88 loss. Oregon would love to send Westhead out on a high note. Regardless of what happens the Ducks have an established working system that the Oregon Coach will leave behind. In moving forward they also have some established star power, at least for the next few years. It should make for an easy transition.

#10 seed Oregon and #7 seed Washington State tipoff in the first round of the Women’s Pac-12 Tourament Thursday night(6pm PT, Pac-12 Networks). The winner will take on #2 seed Cal on Friday  6pm PT, also on Pac-12 Networks