Pac 12 Preview: Oregon

Last Season:
13-17 overall and 6-12 in Pac 12 play.

The Coaches:
Kelley Graves starts season two with the Ducks. Graves coached in the WCC first at St Mary’s then Gonzaga winning 67% of his game over 17 seasons. He started at Gonzaga going 5-23 then three years later won his first of 10 straight WCC Championships.
Jodie Berry is in her 2nd season at Oregon as an assistant after coaching with Graves at Gonzaga for 11 years.
Stanford Hall of Famer Nicole Powell is in her 2nd year as an assistant and her 3rd year coaching with Graves. Powell played Pro Basketball for 11 years.
Mark Campbell is in his 2nd year at Oregon after 4 seasons as an assistant at Oregon State.


Losses:
Drea Tolar a 5-5 Guard who transferred to Long Beach State. Tolar averaged 20 minutes a game and 4 points. Tolar started 12 games.
Marie Berthuel a 5-3 Guard who played just 7 games.
Amando Delgado a 5-7 Guard who started 18 games averaging 5 points.
Chloe Stiles a 5-8 Guard who played just 4 games.
Katelyn Loper a 5-11 Guard who was the # 4 scorer on the team at 9 points per game. Loper was 2nd on the team making 50 threes.
Janitah Iamaleava a 6-2 Center left the team in mid -January after playing in just 3 games
Megan Carpenter a 6-4 Center who started 20 games but averaged just 13 minutes, 3 points and 2 rebounds.
Tatum Neubert a 6-2 Forward received her release from Oregon in April, but I don’t know where she transferred to. Tatum played 23 games, starting 3 and averaging 2 points and 2 rebounds per game.



Additions:
Liz Brenner is a 6-1 Sr Post player. Brenner is an All American in Volleyball and in T&F throwing the javelin. She played basketball as a Frosh and Soph joining the team after Volleyball. As a Frosh she started 8 games averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds. As a Soph she started 18 games averaging 8 points and 7 rebounds.

Matie Cazorla is a 5-10 Frosh Guard from Spain who played on 4 of her country’s youth National Teams. A year ago for her 17U team she averaged 11 points in the 17U World Championships. Graves calls her the best point guard in her class in all of Europe.

Kat Cooper is a 6-0 5th year Sr Guard. Cooper is from Tacoma but just graduated from Boston College and will be in an Oregon Grad school playing her 5th year. This past season Cooper 4 points in 13 minutes, however as a Jr she averaged 9 points with 21 against Duke with 5 threes.

Oti Gildon is a 6-1 Frosh Forward. Gildon is from Gonzaga Prep in Spokane and was the # 38 recruit in the US per ESPN.

Mar’Shay Moore is a 5-8 Jr Guard. Moore played HS basketball in Vancouver Washington and had a game where she scored 47 points. She has played the past two seasons at Blue Mountain JC in Vancouver. As a JC Frosh she averaged 18 points per game and as a JC Soph she averaged 24 points and 8 rebounds.

Megan Trinder is a 5-7 Jr Guard. Trinder is from Australia but comes to Oregon from Northeast JC in Norfork Nebraska. As a JC Frosh she averaged 10 points and 6 assists per game with a high of 16 assists. As a JC Soph she averaged 12 points and 7 assists and was 3rd team JC All American.

Jacinta Vandenberg is a 6-5 Redshirt Jr Center who transferred a year ago from Fresno State. Jacinta is from Australia. As a Frosh at Fresno State she averaged just 4 points and 3 rebounds in her 10 starts but had highs of 24 points and 15 rebounds. As a Soph she started every game averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds.

Lauren Yearwood is a 6-3 Frosh Post from British Columbia. Yearwood has played on 4 Canadian National teams and had a fine summer on this year’s 19U team in the World Tournament averaging 8 points and 8 rebounds.
Yes 8 newcomers although Brenner has played two years and Vandenberg has practiced a year with the Ducks. The Ducks have just 5 returning players.



The Schedule:
Preseason games start at North Carolina then the other 10 all at home. Toughest might be Clemson, then North Dakota. The Ducks will have an excellent preseason record. They play the Washington and Arizona schools just once each. This is the easiest Pac 12 Non conference schedule



The Team:
One has to start with All Pac 12 and 3rd Team All American 6-3 Post Jillian Alleyne. Jillian averaged 18 points and 15 rebounds per game this past season.

Lexi Bando is a 5-9 Sr Guard who was 3rd on the team in scoring at 10 points and also hit 55 threes at 44%.

Lexi Peterson is a 5-11 Sr Guard who led the team in assists at almost 4 per game and was 2nd on the team in scoring at 11 points per game.

Jordan Loera is a 5-9 5th year Sr Guard who averaged 4 points last season. She also hit 44% of her threes.

Katie Gruys is a 6-0 Sr Forward who saw little action.

So 4 returnees really but Oregon’s top 3 scorers and three of the four.
No question the new Big Posts Vandenberg and Yearwood will see a lot of action along with Grad transfer Cooper and the two top frosh Gildon and Cazorla.
A deep team despite their returning just 4 from last season.



Predictions:
Right now fighting for a top 4 in the conference position, but more likely to be in the middle 4.



2016 Recruiting:
Just a great class and they may not be done.
Ruby Hebard is a 6-3 Post player from Alaska ranked # 39
Mallory McGwire is a 6-4 post from Reno ranked # 49
Jade Woods is a 6-0 Wing from Californiaranked # 70
Sierra Campisano is a 6-3 Power Forward-Wing ranked # 86
Morgan Yeager is a 5-9 Guard from Australia
Lydia Giomi is a 6-5 post from Oregon