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Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu dedicates NCAA records to Kobe Bryant

Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu became the first player (men's or women's) in NCAA basketball history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists during a win against Stanford.

Ionescu -- who grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant -- set the records on Monday -- 2/24/20 -- after speaking at the memorial service for Bryant and his daughter Gianna at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Gianna wore No. 2 and was an emerging basketball talent. Kobe wore No. 24 and No. 8 during his decorated NBA tenure. Ionescu wears No. 20 for the Ducks.

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Ionescu had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in the 74-66 triumph Monday in Stanford, Calif.

"It was for him", Ionescu told ESPN after the win, referring to Kobe Bryant. "To do it on 2/24/20 is huge. We had talked about it in the preseason. I can't really put that into words. He's looking down and really proud of me and just really happy for this moment with my team."

Ionescu previously passed the 2,000-point and 1,000-assist marks. She was nine rebounds short of 1,000 entering Monday's game. She now has has 2,467 points, 1,041 assists and 1,003 rebounds during her collegiate career.

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"I tried to do everything I could to hold it together tonight, and my team helped me a lot," Ionescu said.

The Ducks host Washington state at 11 p.m. EST Friday at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore.

"In true Sabrina fashion, she goes out on the biggest day in the biggest moment and shines bright," Ducks coach Kelly Graves said. "It was really neat to see how hard she competed tonight. Gave it everything she had."

Kobe and Gianna Bryant were two of nine people killed in a Jan. 26 helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif.

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