On the first possession of the second half of a 79-68 victory over Utah Valley, Oregon women’s basketball got exactly what it had drawn up. The Ducks ran a play that freed up sophomore shooter Lexi Bando in the corner for a wide-open look.
She just missed it.
“Most nights that’s a layup for most people,” Oregon head coach Kelly Graves said.
Even though the Ducks finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field, Graves thought they left a lot of points on the board — something that is uncharacteristic for this team.
Oregon has been one of the nation’s leaders in offensive efficiency this season. In Graves’ second year, the team has averaged 53.5 percent on field goals, vaulting them into first in the Pac-12 and third in the NCAA.
“I am glad we are being efficient,” Graves said. “It’s hard to judge now between this program and that program because everyone’s strength of schedule is a little bit different, so that will all play out in the end.”
The team has seen a huge improvement over what they shot three years ago under former head coach Paul Westhead, when they averaged 39.7 percent from the field. Two current starters, Lexi Petersen and Jillian Alleyne, are holdovers from the Westhead era, and have both seen their shooting percentages jump drastically.
This season, Alleyne is shooting 63.3 percent, up from 55.4, while Petersen has improved from 39.1 to 56.6.
Graves has instilled an offense that stresses finding the open shot. The Ducks are leading the Pac-12 in assists per game, and across the roster, players are willing to pass up shots for better looks from teammates. They work the ball around, allowing the offense to develop while wearing down the defense as it chases the shooters.
“I think we are really ahead of where I thought we would be,” Graves said. “The reality is we have eight new players we are trying to put into this offense, so we are going to make mistakes.”
Yet, the new players have fit nicely into the system, helping Oregon transition seamlessly into its new era.
“Just have great chemistry with all of the girls we are playing with,” Liz Brenner, a senior backup post, said. “Everyone works well off each other and I think the more we play together the better we are.”
The high percentage isn’t just from down in the paint. Oregon has been just as impressive from three-point land. The team is shooting 42.5 percent on three pointers, which is third in the conference and fifth in the nation. This brings a balance to the attack as a team can’t just load up in the paint to force the ball out of Alleyne’s hands.
“I think we are versatile, we have a little bit of everything,” Graves said. “They are smart kids who figured out what their roles are.”
If a bad shooting night for the Ducks is 50 percent from the field, the wins should keep coming for an undefeated squad.
Follow Christopher Keizur on Twitter @chriskeizur