Senior Leaders Have Ducks In Big Dance

DURHAM, N.C. — Two Oregon seniors took to the podium for a press conference Thursday, prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament. And while both are highly decorated in many of the same ways, one line on their respective résumés is significantly different.

One of the Ducks featured in Thursday's press conference at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium was Deja Kelly, who leads the UO women into an NCAA Tournament matchup with Vanderbilt on Friday (2:30 p.m. PT, ESPNews). To her left sat Peyton Scott, another senior transfer playing her first and only full season with the Ducks, and a fellow member of the 2,000-point club in her collegiate career.

Kelly, though, is making her fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, after four at North Carolina. For Scott, a sixth-year senior who played just one game for the Ducks a year ago before being sidelined with an injury, Friday's game will be her debut in the Big Dance.

Kelly and Scott met with media on site at Duke following morning film review, and prior to practice on the hallowed Cameron court, where Sabrina Ionescu and Ruthy Hebard helped Oregon upset the Blue Devils as freshmen in 2017 and advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The venue was replete with the blue "March Madness" logo, and Scott's excitement was palpable.

"It's felt like a different butterfly building in my stomach," said Scott, who played four seasons with Miami (Ohio) before joining the Ducks last season, and suffering a knee injury just minutes into the first game of the year. "Growing up, idolizing March Madness, it's super special. I left film today just super grateful, super blessed to be here, knowing not every team gets to make it.

"And I've been part of those teams that are watching from the outside. So I'm just extremely grateful to be here with my team, with this team, and just finish on a high note."

On many points regarding their respective collegiate careers, Kelly can relate to Scott. But Kelly's tournament experience is vastly different.

She helped the Tar Heels reach each of the last four NCAA Tournaments. That included a Sweet Sixteen run in 2022.

"We've already relied on Deja a lot with that experience," said UO coach Kelly Graves, who has his program back in the Big Dance for the first time since 2022. "She's had a lot of success in this tournament."

Kelly has led Oregon in all sorts of ways this season, from her 11.6 points per game to her 102 assists to numerous clutch shots. Some of her most important contributions have been less tangible, including the sense of calm she can help provide as a veteran of multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.

"The biggest thing I wanted to do when I chose to go to Oregon was just grow in a bunch of different ways," Kelly said. "Of course on the basketball court, but also as a person. I think they tie together. On the basketball court, I've grown as a better leader, better player, a better teammate. Overall it's just been such an eye-opening experience for me, and again that's all I could have asked for in my last year as well."

Right behind Kelly in the scoring column this year has been Scott, averaging 10.1 points per game. Each surpassed 2,000 career points this season, making this the first UO team with a pair of 2,000-point scorers since Ionescu and Hebard in 2020.

For Oregon this season, post Phillipina Kyei may be the team's biggest 'X' factor. Scott and Kelly are the Ducks' foundation.

"Those two have been kind of our heart and soul all year," Graves said. "We're going to rely on them a ton.

"For Scotty's sake, I'm hoping she has a really great tournament. She's earned it. She's had a tough journey — couple of ACLs, and the transfer and everything — and I'm just happy for her."