STANFORD, Calif. — This was not the way Oregon wanted to finish the regular season.
The Ducks (20-9, 9-9 Pac-12) started slow and never led against No. 13 Stanford on Sunday afternoon, falling 69-42. The loss completes a weekend sweep heading into next weekend’s Pac-12 Tournament.
Stanford’s Erica McCall posted a career-high 25 points, helping the Cardinal out-rebound the Ducks 48-32 and shoot 42.6 percent from the field. Oregon shot 29.1 percent.
“It was a disappointing game on many levels,” Oregon coach Kelly Graves said.
Matie Cazorla proved to be the lone bright spot for the Ducks with 17 points. Lexi Petersen chipped in 10 points and Oti Gildon had a career-high nine points, but without Alleyne, the Ducks couldn’t establish reliable scoring down low.
“We have to get an inside presence,” Graves said. “We were 3-of-21 from our post players tonight. Some of them were right at the rim. Sorry, you have to make those.”
Oregon found itself in a big hole early. Oregon missed its first 10 shots. Stanford scored the first 15 points and led 24-4 after the first quarter. Oregon kept pace with Stanford in the second quarter, leading to a 39-18 Cardinal lead at halftime.
In the third, the Ducks opened with the first four points, but a 9-0 Stanford run cut the momentum. Oregon trailed 54-39 after three quarters after Cazorla hit a 3-pointer to close the frame. She had nine points during the third.
“We got it back under control in the second quarter for the first eight minutes or so,” Graves said. “We did a great job; got the defense back under control. Never did find an offensive rhythm for the whole game.”
Stanford had its largest lead of 29 points with 1:17 left in the game.
After the game, Graves was complimentary of McCall, who had 18 rebounds for Stanford.
“If she’s making perimeter shots like that, she’s the best player in the league,” Graves said. “… I think we’ve created a monster. She’s incredible.”
The Ducks, the nation’s No. 2-ranked 3-point shooting team coming into the week, had just two makes in eight attempts from beyond the arc. Stanford was 8-of-21 from 3-point range.
“When they’re feeling it like that and rolling, they’re difficult to defend,” Graves said. “It comes from lots of different ways.”
Oregon is still reeling from losing its best player and perhaps a candidate for Pac-12 Player of the Year in Alleyne. She tore her ACL on Tuesday and Oregon announced her injury on Friday. She remains in Eugene and didn’t travel down to the Bay Area.
“I think their team is playing very well in spite of that, which is a really tough situation,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “We’re really sad for them.”
Cazorla said without Alleyne, the Ducks still have offensive options.
“We don’t have a Jill inside, so it’s different, but we still can do different things,” Cazorla said. “The guards can attack and the posts have another chance to take a shot and work.”
The Ducks now face an uphill climb as they try to secure the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005. Graves said he believes the Ducks can still reach the postseason with two wins in the Pac-12 Tournament, which starts Thursday.
“We’ve got to get our minds right,” Graves said. “I don’t think it matters who we play right now. We have to get ourselves straight.”
Up next: The No. 6-seeded Ducks will play No. 11 Arizona in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament in Seattle on Thursday. Oregon beat the Wildcats in the teams’ only meeting this year, 76-54. Three Ducks scored in double-digits and Cazorla had a team-high 23 points.
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne