We are getting close to tip off at Staples Center in Los Angeles. California is beating Oregon St 58-46 with five minutes left in the first game of the evening. Looks like the Beavers are going to exit early as predicted. Cal finished off OSU 71-50, so the Bear's live to play another day.
Washington is off to it's typical slow start on the road trailing Arizona State 19-10 with 9:53 to go in the first half. Tough to say why Washington doesn't get it going away from home with so much on the line this late in the season. Crowd noise isn't a factor on a neutral court. ASU is fiesty and dangerous, like UW they started to come together, but with far less talent on the roster than UW.
5:53 left in the first half and Washington has started a mini run closing the ASU lead to 22-17. The key is Washington is getting the ball inside to Brockman, and Hawes who the Sun Devils really don't have an answer for. The officials are calling the game pretty close right now, lots of ticky tack fouls.
24-2o with 4:29 left in the half after Pondexter complete a 3 point play after he was fouled. Pondexter missed the foul shot, UW isn't shooting very well from the line tonight. Appleby misses badly on a three but Hawes outs in the rebound, 24-22 with 3:40 remaining. 24-24 after Hawes puts back another offensive rebound in the hole. The Huskies switched from zone to man, and it has tightened up the game after a slow start. One thing in the Huskies favor is it looks like our big guys will dominate if we can get them the ball inside.
1:10 left and Brockman, and Hawes are creating havoc inside. The Huskies have moved out to a 29-24 lead after a couple of Pondexter free throws. ASU has certainly cooled down as UW has gone on a 22 -3 run to take a 32-24 lead at the intermission.
The Huskies at the half are led by Brockman with 12 points, and 7 rebounds, followed by Hawes with 7 points, and 8 boards. I like the new Spencer. Not a great half shooting for either team, the difference so far is at the free throw line for UW.
15:27 left in the game and Washington is up 36-29. Brockman is still a best on the inside. The Huskies can put this one away if they start hitting from the outside. ASU has tightened up their defense. Hawes is out right now, and ASU is making a run at UW with 14:06 left 36-33. ASU is getting right back in it after a 9-4 run. Hawes just made a great look off move as he drove the lane for two, but ASU answers with 3, 38-36 UW.
Appleby is pretty cold tonight (1-8), and Brockman is on the bench with three fouls. It is different team when one of the big men is on the bench. ASU just hit another 3, then Appleby turn it over Devils up by one, and the Huskies are stalling again on offense. Dentmon hits one from outside and the Huskies go up 41-39.
Brockman is coming back in with 10:01 left and ASU up 43-41. The Huskies are not hanling the ball well making one bad pass after another in the second half, lots of unforced errors. Brockman just drew is 4th foul....yikes, we are in trouble now. time for someone else to step up and fillt he void. The officials are really calling this one close, and it is really an ugly game because the teams can't get into any type of rythym. 45-41 ASU with 8:03 remaining. the Huskies are only shooting 34% on the night.
Appleby finally hits after going 1-9, Huskies down by one, 45-44. ASU turns the ball over on the other side of the floor, maybe UW can go on a abit of a run now before Brockman returns. Pondexter gets a dunk after a scramble, UW 46-45 with 6:00 remaining. Expect Brockman to return within the next ninety seconds. Hopefully he can avoid drawing that 5th foul.
Artem Wallace gets beat badly inside, ASU up by one, 47-46. Hawes loses the ball on offense while trying to do too much, you can't dribble through three people. Brockman is back in the game with 4:20 left after Dentmon draws an offensive foul.
Dentmon just made a nice drive for 2 and the Huskies are back up by one. Arizona State's extended zone is clamping down at the point. ASU just turned the ball over, so UW has a chance to eat some clock and extend the lead. Hawes drops one in with 2:45 left, UW 50-47. Brockman hits one with 4 seconds left on the shot clock, 52-48 UW with 1:41 to go. 16 points and 9 rebounds to night in limited duty for Brockman.
UW just had a great defensive sequence where they didn't let ASU get a shot off before the shot clock expired. ASU is in fouling mode right now as ASU is trying to get into the penalty. Dentmon goes to the line, and misses so it pays off, UW needs to convert at the line tonght to win this one. Appleby gets fouled on the next possession, heads to the line and hits both of them to give UW a 54-48 lead with 53 seconds remaining, that should be enough to put this one away since ASU has been attrocious from outside tonight.
With 34 seconds left Appleby picks up a loose ball and his fouled again, he hits one, UW 55-48, and this one is about over. Brockman picks up a charge on the other end. UW responds by not being able to get the ball in play. They make up for it by making a steal. Appleby at the line one more time. He hits both and UW is up 57-48 with 20 seconds to play. ASU responds by hitting a, 57-51 UW.
Hawes hit 2 from the line, and Washington wins 59-51 to stay alive another day.
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4 comments:
Nice finish to the half! Too bad I have to be at work to comment though and now I know how my afternoon will be spent.
They ratcheted up the defense and went inside to take control of the game. If they go on to win this evening, and it looks like ASU doesn't have an answer unless they start hitting from outside, they will have a very tall order getting by WSU with a sluggish start.
Looks like a lot of fouls early in the second half.
I don't like the way the ref's are calling it. We are a different team with the big men out. ASU's run coincided with Brockman's stay on the bench.
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