While riding in the car before USC hosted Oregon, Duck seniors Jillian Alleyne and Katie Gruys came to a conclusion: Oregon’s 2016 senior class connects the past with the future.
Two years into head coach Kelly Graves’ rebuild of the program, things have begun to move in the right direction.
“We’ve been here through a coach switch and the different teammates,” Alleyne said. “I think our class is a big deal because we connect the two (past and future).”
Alleyne said that was evident seeing former players like Katelyn Loper and Amanda Delgado courtside for the game. The program’s future glowed as freshman guard Maite Cazorla had 26 points.
The senior class — the last of former coach Paul Westhead’s recruits — was treated to a 69-60 win over USC in the final regular season game at Matthew Knight Arena. The win gives Oregon its 20th of the season and keeps the program’s NCAA Tournament chances alive.
Alleyne, the school-record-holder in rebounds, had another standout performance on Sunday: 23 points and 18 rebounds.
“We still hope to have a lot of games left, but I hope the fans appreciate what they’ve seen the last four years with her,” Graves said of Alleyne. “It’s incredible what she does night in and night out.”
All six seniors — Alleyne, Liz Brenner, Jordan Loera, Lexi Petersen, Kat Cooper and Gruys — played for the Ducks against USC. Gruys has played in limited minutes this year, but Graves subbed her in with 17 seconds left.
“With the win and the 20th win, it’s amazing,” Alleyne said. “… There’s really not one word to categorize my experience here. …. I’m at a loss for words, to be honest.”
Oregon’s 20 wins are the most since the 2004-05 season, the same season the Ducks last reached the NCAA Tournament. Alleyne and the Ducks have sent off plenty of senior classes before, but none have had the same opportunity for the postseason late into the year.
USC came into the game ranked No. 40 in the NCAA’s RPI, and the Ducks were on the bubble in the latest ESPN brackets released.
Even so, Sunday gave the seniors a chance to reflect.
All six players addressed the crowd after the game. Fans gave them candy leis and they stood at center court with their teammates behind them. Many of the 2,425 people in attendance stuck around to hear from Graves and the seniors.
Graves talked about each senior down the line. Just after praising Petersen’s leadership and contributions and right before praising Alleyne’s, he joked, “I guess that’s it.”
The crowd laughed.
“Oh … 14. If they made a poster for the consummate student-athlete, citizen, or human being, it would have Jillian’s picture on it,” Graves told the fans. “She’s amazing in every sense of the word.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne