Notebook | Blazers' Roy drops by to pep up his former team

CORVALLIS, Ore. — Shortly after Brandon Roy arrived with about six minutes to go in the first half, Washington coach Lorenzo Romar glanced his way, giving a familiar look Roy saw often the last four years.

"I thought he was going to put me in the game," laughed Roy, now a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Huskies fans undoubtedly wish he could have as Oregon State handed Washington its most crushing defeat of the season, a 73-65 loss that dealt UW's NCAA hopes a likely fatal blow.

Roy made the drive down from Portland but arrived late after an early afternoon Blazers practice and an appearance at a local Ford dealership. He showed up with about six minutes left in the first half and sat behind the Huskies bench, the first time he has seen his old team in person this season.

By then, UW was already in deep trouble.

That Roy is doing a lot better than his former team, however, was immediately apparent as he signed a few autographs, then got a loud ovation from the Blazers fans in attendance as he walked across the court for a TV interview.

"They were throwing stuff at me a year ago," Roy joked.

But Roy wore a glum look the second half as UW's hopes faded.

Roy spent a lot of the summer working out with the team and, like most Huskies fans, had high hopes.

"I still think it's a talented group," he said. "They just show a lot of inexperience and they are inconsistent with their guard play. Hopefully they will stay together depending on what Spencer [Hawes] does. They will be a good group. They remind me of our [2003-04] team that started out 0-5. We were able to turn it around a lot quicker, but I think they are the same kind of team."

After the game, Roy spent time in the locker room with the Huskies, trying to buoy a few shattered spirits.

"It's disappointing, but they can't fold up the tent," he said. "They have to play with pride. There's still a chance to make a run and finish strong."

Dentmon vows

to persevere

Huskies sophomore point guard Justin Dentmon had another rough game, losing six turnovers and scoring just five points on 2-of-8 shooting.

Afterward, he said, "I'll take the blame. I played horrible and didn't do anything to help the team." He said he was a little too "lackadaisical."

Romar said he thinks Dentmon "isn't playing with a lot of confidence right now."

Dentmon spent a lot of time afterward huddled with assistant coach Cameron Dollar, admitting that this season has been "real, real frustrating. But I'll be back. I'm always going to bounce back."

NOTES

• There is no live TV for UW's game against USC next Thursday. But FSN will tape the game for a delayed telecast at 9:30 p.m. that night following the live telecast of the WSU-UCLA game.

• Jon Brockman tied a career high with 14 rebounds. He had his 13th double-double.