Washington 69, Oregon 51
Date: March 11, 2011
Venue: Staples Center
City: Los Angeles
Attendance: 13,190
LOS ANGELES — After an emotional win against Washington State in the quarterfinals, Washington handled Oregon from the opening tip to advance to the Pac-10 championship game against top-seed Arizona. Isaiah Thomas put together another double-double and a variety of role players contributed. The win virtually assures Washington an NCAA Tournament berth and places them in the Pac-10 tournament title game for the second consecutive year.
Star of the game
Darnell Gant Gant played excellent rotating defense, plus added eight points and 10 rebounds. He helped slow Oregon forward Joevan Catron, scored with jump shots and in the paint. A big contribution off the bench as part of a balanced team effort.
Play of the game
Isaiah Thomas hit a deep three-pointer with three seconds left on the shot clock to push Washington’s lead back to 47-40. Oregon had been creeping back into the game thanks to stagnant Washington offense prior to the shot.
Highlights
- Terrence Ross finished an alley-oop, one of three dunks on the night for the freshman.
- C.J. Wilcox hit a three-pointer and was fouled to extend Washington’s lead to 60-47. He made the free throw to complete the four-point play.
Lowlights
- Isaiah Thomas and Matthew Bryan-Amaming combined to go 4-for-20 from the field.
Notable
- Aziz NDiaye Did not start, but collected five rebounds in 13 minutes on the floor.
- Antoine Hosley Played one minute to close the game.
- Terrence Ross Started and scored 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Also added three rebounds and three assists.
- C.J. Wilcox Started and scored 14 points.
- Brendan Sherrer Played one minute in late appearance at the end of the game.
- Darnell Gant Had an excellent game scoring eight points and pulling in 10 rebounds.
- Scott Suggs Came off the bench to score 10 points.
- Justin Holiday Scored seven points, added six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Also committed four turnovers.
- Matthew Bryan-Amaning Struggled from the field, just 2-for-9, but had seven rebounds and two blocks.
- Isaiah Thomas Produced second consecutive double-double, finishing with 10 points and 12 assists.
Said
- “They got us last time and we want some revenge. They’re a great team and we’ll be ready for them.” Isaiah Thomas, Washington point guard, on facing Arizona for the Pac-10 tournament title
- “My teammates stepped up. I found them and they were knocking down shots when when we really needed it. It just goes out to my teammates. Without them, I can’t get no assists.” Isaiah Thomas, Washington point guard, on his 12-assist night
- “Our freshmen came out and didn’t play like freshmen. They played like they were upperclassmen. They hit big shots and they did a lot of good things for us,” Lorenzo Romar, Washington coach, speaking of Terrence Ross and C.J. Wilcox
Numbers
- 12. Number of assists from Isaiah Thomas, tying the Pac-10 tournament record.
- 2, Washington players with back-to-back games of 10 assists or more. Isaiah Thomas and Raphael Stone.
- -0.8. Oregon’s assist-to-turnover ratio against Washington in the semifinal game.
- 2. Consecutive appearances for Washington in the Pac-10 tournament title game.
4 Comments
Column sounds a little snarky there, Art.
Here’s the deal: You win, you get to control your destiny. You’re on a team that wins 9 out of 32 of the games that count over two years, NOBODY controls their destiny and almost everybody’s going to get fired.
I’d rather lose while going in a positive direction than lose sticking with once-great players whose skills are clearly in decline, as if “continuity” could overcome lack of talent, durability and physical strength.
And frankly, after years of watching Ruskell’s “little, high-motor” guys on the defensive line look like the French Army refereeing a damned track meet in second half after second half after second half — after the elephants they were playing against simply wore them out and overpowered them — I’m amazed Timmy can find a job in pro football where they let him anywhere NEAR talent evaluation.
I love what PC and JS are doing with the Hawks even if it takes a while to get back to the Super Bowl. Bigger, faster, stronger, younger works just fine for me, plus give me two guys with a clear vision of what they want to do — and the cred that says they know what they’re doing — and I’ll gladly indulge them and follow.
Junior Siavii, Pep Levingston, Jeff Reed and David Vobora were all cut as four players were added – by the time I finish posting this a half a dozen other transactions will have probably taken place.
Fletcher Jenkins was a Tacoma native and went to Lake. I played against him in little league and junior high. Holmes went to Timberline.