Oregon Ducks Prove They Can Play With UCLA, But Fall To Bruins
The Bruins would win the opening tip and also the game as errors and turnovers took their toll on the Ducks throughout the game.
The Oregon Ducks and UCLA Bruins entered the game on Friday night with equal records at 19-6, UCLA was 11-3 in the Pac-12 Conference, Oregon came in at 8-6. Kelly Graves would need his team to stand tall against UCLA.
Jillian Alleyne would make her presence felt early In the game putting up 6 points in the first 15 minutes of the First Quarter. Maite Cazorla would add a steal as the Ducks scored 8 points in the paint. Oregon would open the game hitting five of six from the floor. Graves would watch his team open the game hitting 55 percent from the floor. Lexi Bando and Lexi Petersen would hit back to back threes on consecutive possessions and UCLA would turn the ball over giving Oregon a 17-10 lead with 2:45 left in the quarter.
Oregon would win the first quarter 19-14.
Kat Cooper would start the 2nd Quarter off with a three point shot for Oregon pushing the Ducks field goal percentage for the game to 60. Oregon would go into a 4 minute scoring drought before Alleyne hit two foul shots putting the Ducks up 28-21. Ira Fields would hit back to back jump shots to pull UCLA within three of the lead. The Bruins would tie the game at 28 with 2:41 left in the second quarter off a 7-0 run that lasted nearly three minutes.
The Oregon Ducks would go on an 0-5 run as the Bruins kept scoring to take a 33-29 lead into the locker room. Oregon went cold in the last four minutes of the quarter. For the first two quarters the Ducks had 10 turnovers and the Bruins capitalized with 9 points.
Oregon would start the second half with the first points as Lexi Bando hit a three pointer to pull within 1 of the lead. UCLA would turnover the ball and Kat Cooper would hit a three pushing the Oregon lead to 3. Lexi Petersen would hit another three pushing the lead to 6 and leading to a UCLA timeout.
UCLA and Oregon would battle the rest of the quarter with UCLA taking a 56-54 lead entering the final quarter of play. Allyene led Oregon with 17 points and 7 rebounds through three quarters of play.
The Bruins would lead through most of the fourth and Oregon would have to do something with just over two minutes left. Jillian Alleyne would hit an inside basket with the Ducks down 4 points, but an Offensive foul would see Casey Swain foul out for UCLA and give Oregon the ball. Lexi Petersen would drive to the basket with 1::31 left and go to the line for one. She would complete the three point play with Oregon down one and the fans came to their feet to support the Oregon Defense.
"When you’re in the game you have to get it done and they got it done.Oregon Ducks Senior Jillian Alleyne on UCLA’s Gameplay"
Petersen would foul, the Bruins would make one foul shot, and miss the second. Jillian Alleyne would get a rebound basket to tie the game, but Jordin Canada would hit an inside basket of her own to put the Bruins up 2. UCLA would steal forcing Oregon to foul and the Bruins extended their lead to 4 points with just over 18 seconds left.
The Oregon Ducks showed fight in the end but ultimately fell to the UCLA Bruins. Jillian Alleyne finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds. The Bruins finished strong hitting six of their last eight shots. Oregon finishes the home schedule for the regular season hosting USC o Sunday at 1pm Pacific Time.