Pac-12 Tournament: Washington Falls To Oregon 80-77
By John Chase
The Dawgs had a chance to win with the final possession and only seconds on the clock in regulation only to see C.J. Wilcox get the ball knocked away from him leading to an overtime that was all Oregon.
Wilcox had a solid game outside the final turnover. He shot exceedingly well and look much more on form with his early season efforts. Alongside the sharp shooting of Scott Suggs, the Huskies were hot early on and battled the Ducks back and forth. After going into half down 5, the Dawgs came out on a tear and worked up a sizable lead onto give it up for good in the waning minutes.
March 14, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Huskies forward Shawn Kemp Jr. (40) and Oregon Ducks center Tony Woods (55) fight for the rebound during the first half in the second round of the Pac 12 tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The game was a tale of two sides. The Huskies dominated the fast break and were weak on the interior, while the Ducks struggled to make plays in transition and received excellent contributions from their backcourt.
It was unfortunate that it took the whole season to get Suggs and Wilcox on the same page as the duo was a threat that could not be contained. Andrew Andrews tore up the Ducks with athleticism to be excited about next season. Andrews drove, passed, soared, and stole all night long with tenacity that Abdul Gaddy can only dream of.
In all reality, the season is likely over for the Dawgs lest they receive and accept a bid to the NIT. The NCAA is out of the question and the CBI would be insulting to fans.
This was a disappointing season without a doubt, but the Huskies have some decent talent returning along with a pair of transfers who could prove invaluable. Along with incoming McDonald’s All-American Nigel Williams-Goss and, hopefully, Aaron Gordon the Dawgs could prove a more skillful team come next November. A better non-conference could help the Huskies in securing an NCAA berth in 2013-2014.
Go Dawgs!