BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Oregon’s historic postseason run has brought in fans — not to mention an influx of Twitter followers — in recent weeks. But there’s a pocket of unlikely fans at Stafford Creek Correctional Facility in Aberdeen, Washington, that means the world to Oregon guard Mar’Shay Moore.
There, her father Maurice, has spent the last 10 years incarcerated. Moore doesn’t hear from him much — usually once every couple of months when he has enough funds to make a call — but Maurice called her before the Ducks took on Temple last weekend.
During the call, he told Moore that he and some other inmates could watch her game against the Owls on ESPN.
That brought a flood of emotions to Moore. Though she doesn’t play often for the Ducks, she’s a key piece of keeping the Ducks loose, which the team has depended on as the stage has grown to the Elite Eight.
“He said that he will be able to watch it,” Moore said during an interview in the Ducks locker room on Sunday. “It made me so happy that he got to see how far I’ve come.”
Moore said the time away from her father has been difficult. She’s not told many about her background but decided to tweet about it before the NCAA Tournament began.

Haven’t seen my dad in 10+ years. He called from prison and said he will be able to watch the game Tomorrow. #
— marshay moore (@MooreMarshay13) March 17, 2017

“I’m definitely a daddy’s girl so just having him be with me and being able to support me [in watching],” Moore said. “But it’s definitely been hard. I feel like I’ve been having to do a lot by myself.”
Moore, raised by her grandmother, will be the first her in family to graduate from college.
She said she’s savored Oregon’s unexpected run to the Elite Eight. The Ducks face UConn, winners of 110 consecutive games, on Monday at 4 p.m. on ESPN.

“It’s been amazing having this experience with this team,” said Moore, a senior. “They’re like family. Being able to do things that we haven’t done in past years and having my family able to watch it means a lot to me. I mean, I’m like one of the few people to come this far in my family.”
She knows that most basketball players dream of a chance to suit up for a shot at Final Four.
“Every day I wake up, it’s a great time to be here,” Moore said. “And be able to do this. A lot of people want to be here and they can’t. I’m soaking up everything that I’ve been able to see and do.”
Part of her NCAA Tournament has included a unique celebration with fellow reserve Lauren Yearwood on Oregon’s bench. After each 3-pointer dating back to the Pac-12 Tournament, Moore falls backwards into Yearwood’s arms in a sort of trust fall.
She said the routine pumps up the team’s shooters and represents the lighthearted mentality for the Ducks’ 2016-17 team.
“I just feel like being here and having the family-oriented atmosphere is great,” Moore said in looking back at her collegiate career. “It doesn’t matter if you play or not — just being able to support your teammates whatever you have to do. We play hard and play for each other.”
For head coach Kelly Graves, Moore’s contributions to the program go far beyond points, assists or 3-pointers.
“Mar’Shay has an amazing story,” Graves said during the team’s senior day celebrations. “She gets us fired up each and every day.
“She knows that she’s not going to play a lot, but she never complains. She has a great attitude. What I’m really, really most proud of Mar’Shay … is that she will be the first person [from her family] to graduate from college.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
Find all of the Emerald’s coverage from Bridgeport here.