UW Men's Basketball | Resurgent Ducks, Huskies face off

Six days ago, the Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks were being left for dead, coming off their most disspirting losses of the season, hope apparently all but gone.

They meet tonight at 5:30 p.m. in Eugene as revived teams, fresh from surprising wins that have each again thinking all their goals are still within reach.

"A lot of people play better with their backs against the wall," said Oregon senior forward Malik Hairston, quickly adding that "that's not necessarily a good thing."

Oregon has seemed to make a living of it the last few seasons, however, rising up to rip off a winning streak just about each time the season seems to have gone off the rails, causing some to call coach Ernie Kent "Lazarus."

Last weekend, for instance, the Ducks lost 72-43 at Stanford, the fewest points in Kent's 11 years in Eugene and the team's fifth loss in six games. Two days later, the Ducks won at California 92-70, setting a school record with 18 three-pointers in beating a Bears team that had won three in a row.

"I think we've always done a good job of coming back," said Kent of the Ducks, who at 14-9 overall and 5-6 in Pac-10 play can probably lose only two more conference games if they want to get an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament.

So, usually, have the Huskies during the six-year tenure of coach Lorenzo Romar, though he admits he was beginning to have some doubts last week when his team was handled easily at home by USC, 73-59, Washington's fourth straight loss. The losing streak came after one of UW's biggest wins of the season, Jan. 24 at ASU, leaving Romar somewhat befuddled.

"After the ASU game we just didn't have that belief, for whatever reason," Romar said.

Just as suddenly last Saturday, when few expected it, that feeling came back and the Huskies rebounded with a 71-61 win over No. 5 UCLA.

"During the UCLA game, it just seemed like there was a belief that if we gave everything we have and leave it all out there that we will live with the results, whatever they are," Romar said. "I didn't even get a sense that it was 'if we play hard, we can beat UCLA.' Just that we are going to play hard and let the chips fall where they may."

The Huskies are still barely on life support when it comes to postseason hopes at 13-11 overall, 4-7 in Pac-10 play and five of the last seven on the road. But the Bruins win has UW feeling confident heading into the home stretch.

"The way we played against UCLA showed us how we can play when we come to play every night," said guard Ryan Appleby. "Guys are starting to see now if they come to play every night and play that intensely and that hard that we could make some noise in the conference."

Oregon was expected to make an actual ruckus this year with four starters back from an Elite Eight team. But the one missing starter, guard Aaron Brooks of Franklin High, has proved hard to replace. "Maybe [people] understand now just how good Aaron Brooks was," Kent said.

Oregon's style remains the same — a free-wheeling offensive game centered on three-pointers. Oregon has shot 59 more three-pointers in conference games than any other team, with Hairston (46 percent), forward Maarty Leunen (45.6 percent) and guard Bryce Taylor (42.4 percent) ranked among the top 10.

Romar says when the Ducks are hitting threes "they are pretty tough to beat."

UW beat the Ducks 78-70 in Seattle on Jan. 17.

"We were right there the entire game," Hairston said. "But they made more plays down the stretch, whether it was having more energy or whatever."

Note

• Freshman guard Justin Holiday won't make the trip after spraining his knee and ankle in a fall during practice Tuesday. The team said he will have an MRI today. His loss leaves UW with 10 active players.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com