Ruthy Hebard is having a breakout year. It may very well be a record-breaking one, too.
Hebard, a freshman at the University of Oregon, is shooting 69.8 percent from the field four games into Pac-12 play. Her numbers trounce those of past shooting percentage leaders, not only at Oregon but also across the conference. The Fairbanks, Alaska, native is taking Matthew Knight Arena and the Pac-12 by storm.
She’s also drawn comparisons to the Pac-12’s reigning co-player of the year, Jillian Alleyne.
“She has so much growth potential,” head coach Kelly Graves said of Hebard following Oregon’s win over Portland. “She’s not getting Jill-type numbers yet, but if she was getting Jill-type minutes, it would probably be about the same.”
Hebard shot 8-9 shooting against the Pilots, putting up 19 points while bringing down 11 rebounds in the 81-41 win on Dec. 9.
She had a dream start to her collegiate career after her breakout game against CSU Bakersfield. Against the Roadrunners, Hebard posted a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. The freshman is part of Oregon’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class by espnW HoopGurlz.
“We have six posts, so when we get in, we have to go as hard as we can because we definitely have depth,” Hebard said.
Hebard kept the dominance going with another stellar performance against then-ranked No. 22 Michigan State where she notched another double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
She has five double-doubles this season, which is not yet at the dominant levels of Alleyne, who is arguably Oregon’s best player ever.
“I feel like I’m getting my rhythm down,” Hebard said after the Portland game. “I’m getting calmer each game and not as nervous.”
Alleyne dominated Oregon’s inside game during her career in Eugene. In her senior year, she led the Ducks with a 58.5 percent shooting percentage, which also led the Pac-12.
The only rivalling numbers in Pac-12 over the past six seasons come from Stanford’s Chiney Ogwumike, who shot at 60.1 percent in the 2013-14 season, leading the Pac-12 that year and the prior season at 58.6 percent.
Hebard earned Pac-12 freshman of the week honors in mid December and is not just impressing fans and the media, she is also surprising her teammates.
“It’s hard. It’s hard because you play against some of the biggest girls in the nation,” fellow freshman Mallory McGwire said. “She’s doing really well against them.”
Hebard put up a season high of 28 points against Portland State and scored 25 points in the Ducks’ Pac-12 opener against then-ranked No. 9 Washington. The 6-foot-4 freshman went 6-of-10, tallying 13 points and 10 rebounds in Oregon’s dramatic win over Cal on Sunday to help the Ducks win their first game of conference play.
She blocked an inbound pass and found an open Maite Cazorla for the game-tying lay-in.
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