When then-interim head coach Jill Pizzotti concluded her postgame press conference after the penultimate home game on Feb. 23, she told the media on her way out to make sure we’re back for next Sunday’s matchup vs. St. John’s.
Why?
It was Jorie Allen’s Senior Day.
“We need to get more people here, Jorie (Allen) deserves it,” Pizzotti said.
Graduate forward Jorie Allen has officially exhausted her collegiate eligibility. Allen played 113 games as a Blue Demon — she concluded her career averaging 11.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. She is also the single-season record holder for free throw attempts (253) and free throws made (213).
But the impact Allen had on the program is something that cannot be measured by statistics.
DePaul took down St. John’s in an overtime thriller in the final home game of the regular season on “Jorie Allen Appreciation Day.” Even though DePaul won, the focus was all on Allen postgame.
“I just want to be able to talk about Jorie Allen and what she’s done for this program over the course of her career, but really specifically for this year,” Pizzotti said. “How she has led this team with sheer will and determination, that has been the reason this team has experienced success.”
Allen was honored before the game for her contributions to the program. All of her teammates, coaches, support staff and members of DePaul athletics donned black Jorie Allen shirts and sweaters with her picture, name and number on them.
“God doesn’t make a lot of people like Jorie Allen,” DePaul assistant coach Ashton Millender said. “She’s special.”
The love and admiration from people around the program was reciprocated by Allen, who was overwhelmed by the support that she felt.
“It was a lot. A lot of people love me,” Allen said. “I’m an extremely emotional person, so I knew there was gonna be some tears on my part today no matter what. I’m just so grateful to everybody who took time to come and share this moment with me.
As her emotions started to swell, Allen reflected on why it was such an emotional time for her.
“My teammates and my coaches today made me feel so incredibly special,” Allen said. “My time at DePaul has been a time that I’m always going to look back and be fond of, and I could go on and on.”
Former head coach Doug Bruno, who had been away from the team due to a medical incident since September, met Allen at half-court during the ceremony and the two shared an embrace.
“He was like a dad to me in a lot of ways, I just love him so much,” Allen said as she cried. “He’s the reason I came to DePaul. To be able to share a moment with him the last time I played on this floor, that was everything.”
When junior guard Kate Clarke was looking for a new program after her freshman year at Michigan, she stepped onto the Lincoln Park campus, met Allen for the first time and knew there was something different about DePaul.
“When I came on my visit here after my freshman year, I remember having a conversation with her, and it just felt like a breath of fresh air,” Clarke said. “I’m extremely lucky to have been a part of her leadership and just witnessed that. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever been a part of and experienced.”
Clarke then leaned to her right and looked directly at Allen, as they both started to get emotional, and said, “I just want to thank you. You’re the best. I love you.”
Allen fouled out in her final game at Wintrust Arena at the end of regulation, leading to a standing ovation as she left the court for the final time.
Even though her final home game didn’t end the way she had envisioned, she knew her team had her back.
“I didn’t tell them anything. They told me, we got it,” Allen said. “They found a way to get it done.”
Down 64-63, with four seconds remaining in overtime versus St. John’s, DePaul guard Taylor Johnson-Matthews was fouled, leading to two free throws. She converted both, giving the Blue Demons the 65-64 victory. But at the charity stripe, it was bigger than one game for Johnson-Matthews.
“Jorie Allen — that’s about it,” Johnson-Matthews said when asked what was on her mind at the free-throw line. “I mean, it’s Jorie’s day, I felt like this is the time to step up. We did this for Jorie.”
Related stories:
- Pizzotti named next women’s basketball head coach
- Five DePaul women’s basketball players enter the transfer portal
- DePaul women’s basketball reflects on shocking Xavier defeat
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