(Editor's note: Oregon sophomore guard Shaquala Williams will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season. For more information on the Ducks, visit Oregon's official athletic site.)

Feb. 2, 2000

	Williams

This week was good for our team, despite the loss at USC. I think we learned a lot of valuable lessons and I think we all -- especially me -- have finally learned to trust in each other.

This weekend I had to do a lot of soul-searching and have the courage to open up to those around me. I realize now more than ever that my team needs me and I need them for us to be successful. UCLA was a great example of that. I did not shoot the ball well that day, but everyone around me stepped up and picked up the slack. Everyone on the bench did a great job of coming into the game and not allowing anything to drop off. That win was a true team effort.

	THE FULL DOSE OF DIARIES
	Notre Dame's Ruth Riley: On any given night
	Jackie Stiles of SMS: A successful week
	UCLA's Maylana Martin: Getting sentimental

Our next two games might be the toughest back-to-back games that we have had or will have all season in the Pac-10. Arizona, which we play first, is always tough. The Wildcats have a great press that will really force us to take care of the basketball. Their team is also very good, so their quickness will really challenge us.

Arizona State, which we play Saturday, is the same type of team, but maybe is not as good from top to bottom as Arizona. We can beat both teams, but we will have to play with the same intensity and effort that we played with at UCLA.

This will be another week when I get to play against former teammates: Liz Paulson from Arizona State and Lisa Griffith from Arizona. Liz and I talk all the time and we have been anticipating this matchup for a while. I don't talk to Lisa much, but since she's a senior, this will be her last time playing at home here in Oregon, so she'll want to play well.

It's funny how things have changed since high school. My freshman year, when Lisa was a senior, she used to always pick on me in practice because she was bigger and stronger. Well, I remember that and I went home a lot of nights whining to my mom about it. Now I'm a little bigger and just as strong, so it should be an interesting matchup.