When Oregon head coach Kelly Graves put together his nonconference schedule for the 2015-2016 season, he hoped it would bring confidence riding in to Pac-12 play.
Oregon (7-0) continues its 10-game home stand Saturday against Portland (2 p.m., Pac-12 live stream). Oregon’s perfect mark is the program’s best start since the 2004-2005 season, when Oregon last made the NCAA Tournmanet.
“We want to continue to clean up our offense a little bit,” Graves said before practice on Thursday. “We’re turning the ball over a little more than I’d like. We want good spacing and balance… Portland is going to be a unique challenge because they like to spread you out and beat you off the dribble.”
Jillian Alleyne, who leads the team in points (17.7) and rebounds (14.4), said the nonconference slate is key for building momentum and defending the Ducks’ home court.
“It’s really important to our community as well,” Alleyne said. “The home games have really built everyone’s confidence.”
So far this season, Oregon ranks second in the NCAA in field goal percentage (53 percent) and ninth in 3-point percentage (41 percent). In comparison, Portland is averaging 38 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range.
The Ducks have two other players averaging double-digits in scoring so far: Lexi Bando (13.7 ppg) and Lexi Petersen (12.7). Freshman Maite Cazorla ranks 16th in the NCAA with an average of 6.6 assists per game.
“The difference this year is that everyone we’re in practice, everyone’s competing,” Alleyne said. ‘There’s never a day where someone’s slacking. If they are, we hold everybody accountable.”
The last time the Ducks played at home, Oregon beat Utah Valley 79-68. Alleyne had her 23rd straight double-double.
Against Portland, the program will also take the time to recognize the athletic department’s Women in Flight fundraising initiative. Now in its second year, the program has been key for increasing funding and awareness for Oregon’s women student-athletes.
“I think it’s great because we have a lot of donors that have given to the women’s sports,” Oregon forward Katie Gruys said. “The more we can be advocates for younger girls is awesome.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne