Originally published January 3, 2009 at 4:45 PM | Page modified January 3, 2009 at 5:33 PM

UW Basketball | Husky men down the Cougars 68-48

Isaiah Thomas scored 19 points as Washington beat Washington State 68-48 on Saturday in the Pac-10 opener for both teams. The win broke the Huskies' seven-game losing streak to their cross-state rivals.

By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

The Associated Press

PREV of NEXT

The Associated Press

Isaiah Thomas (2) celebrates with teammate Matthew Bryan-Amaning, left, near the end of the second half the Huskies' 68-48 win over the Cougars.

PULLMAN — Freshman Isaiah Thomas scored 19 points as Washington beat Washington State 68-48 on Saturday in the Pac-10 opener for both teams. The win broke the Huskies' seven-game losing streak to their cross-state rivals.

Justin Dentmon added 17 points and Quincy Pondexter 16 for Washington (10-3, 1-0 Pac-10), which has won eight games in a row.

Taylor Rochestie scored 12 points for Washington State (8-5, 0-1), which had one of its poorest offensive efforts of the season.

Washington State, the nation's stingiest defense, was allowing only 49 points per game. But the Huskies made 6-of-11 3-pointers in the game and blew the contest open in the second half.

After WSU tied the game at 30 with the first basket of the second half, Thomas' 3-pointer sparked a 9-0 Washington run for a 39-30 lead, at that point the largest of a close game.

Dentmon's 3-pointer gave Washington a 44-34 lead, as the Huskies made 5-of-7 field goals to open the second half. WSU was making just 2-of-6 to fall behind, and lacked the offensive firepower to make up the deficit.

Rochestie scored two baskets as the Cougars closed to 46-41, but Dentmon's long 3-pointer rebuilt the UW lead.

Consecutive baskets by Pondexter gave Washington a 55-43 lead with less than 5 minutes left, and deflated the Cougars.

The game opened at the deliberate pace the Cougars favor, and was tied just 6-6 with nearly 8 minutes gone.

A pair of 3-pointers by Dentmon and a short jumper by Jon Brockman lifted the Huskies to a 24-19 lead with 3:05 left in the first half.

DeAngelo Casto and Aron Baynes each sank a pair of free throws for WSU in the closing 39 seconds to tie the score at 28. Pondexter was fouled on an inbounds play with less than 1 second left and made both free throws for a 30-28 Washington lead at halftime.

Brockman, Washington's leading scorer and rebounder, was held to 10 points and 3 rebounds.

This was the Huskies' first road game in more than a month.

WSU coach Tony Bennett suffered his first loss to the Huskies after five wins.

None of the current Huskies had ever beaten the Cougars.

More Huskies headlines...

Print Share: Digg Newsvine