Jillian Alleyne becomes Oregon’s all-time leading rebounder in 86-51 win over Hampton
Oregon release:
Senior Jillian Alleyne posted her 71st career double-double and moved past Bev Smith into first place all-time on the Ducks’ leading rebounder list. Her 14 points helped pace a balanced offensive attack and the Oregon women’s basketball team cruised past Hampton, 86-51, Thursday night at Matthew Knight Arena.
ALLEYNE BREAKS RECORD: At the 3:35 mark in the second quarter, Alleyne blocked a shot by Kaylah Lupoe and collected the board. It was her sixth rebound of the game and it moved her into first place past Bev Smith on the Ducks’ all-time leading rebounder list with 1,363 boards. Smith’s record was set in 1981
“Bev Smith was a great player,” Alleyne said. “She paved the way for athletes such as myself and my teammates so it was great to break the record and it’s a good feeling to get a good win for the team.”
“It’s pretty neat for Jillian to break the record,” head coach Kelly Graves added. “Bev and Jillian are two classy women and I think any program would be happy to have them as the faces of the program, so it’s quite an accomplishment.”
HOW IT HAPPENED: After holding a four-point lead at the end of the first quarter, the Ducks (2-0) outscored the Lady Pirates 20-4 in the second to take control of the game going into halftime.
The change in intensity was sparked late in the first quarter when Kat Cooper and Liz Brenner checked into the game. Brenner scored a lay-up to end the quarter and then Cooper opened up the second by draining a three. Their play boosted the Ducks as they went on a 16-2 run.
“Kat has been terrific so far,” Graves said. “Those two (Cooper and Brenner) together work really well and it’s been a nice combination.”
“We’ve got a lot of depth,” Alleyne added. “It speaks to our personality when players like Kat can come off the bench and give us 16 points. Everywhere we have someone who can fill in.”
Even with a 20-point lead, Oregon came out of halftime on a mission to get the ball down low. The high-low combination of Jacinta Vandenberg and Alleyne was basically unstoppable as the duo combined for six of the Ducks’ first nine points of the quarter. Alleyne ended the game with 14 points while Vandenberg contributed 12. The duo also combined for 10 assists.
The Ducks continued to keep the offensive pressure on, outscoring Hampton, 48-33, in the second half. On the defensive end, UO kept Malia Tate-DeFreitas in check as the Lady Pirates’ leading scorer went 6-of-21 from the field.
THE STAT SHEET: UO had four players score in double-digits. Cooper led the way with 16 while Alleyne added 14. Vandenberg contributed 12 and Maite Cazorla had 10. The Ducks were also a force to be reckoned with on the boards, out-rebounding Hampton, 47-26. Oregon logged an assist on 24 of its 32 made field goals. Alleyne, Vandenberg and Carzola each had five while Lexi Bando dished out three.
POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Alleyne had five assists for the second straight game, matching her career high both times…Freshman point guard Maite Cazorla has 14 assists and just three turnovers through her first two collegiate games…Fifth-year Boston College transfer Kat Cooper is 7-of-11 from three-point range through her first two games with the Ducks.
UP NEXT: The Ducks continue their home stand when they host UC Santa Barbara at noon Sunday afternoon at Matthew Knight Arena.
