The Washington Huskies fell to the Oregon State Beavers 66-65 on Thursday night. With their 7-1 center, Braxton Meah on the Washington bench in street clothes the Huskies struggled to find any offense in the first half.
Up 9-6 the Huskies went cold as the Beavers went on a 20-0. PJ Fuller finally put an end to the Huskies’ misery when steal and a lob to Keion Brooks, ending the scoring drought. Brooks second consecutive dunk conjured memories of Gary Payton to Shawn Kemp for both Beavers and Seattle Supersonics fans with his own above the rim acrobatics.
Once trailing by 18 on a the back of an 18-0 run Cole Bajema got the Huskies within 12 with a gentle kiss off the glass on a layup to cut the deficit to a manageable 12 points, 38-26 going into the break.
As happened a few times in the game, the Huskies held the Beavers scoreless in the first 3 minutes of the game as both teams traded miscues.
PJ Fuller used an and-1 reduce the deficit to single digits as the Husky D began turning the screws holding the Beavers scoreless from the field for a couple of long stretches.
Brooks dropped in a 3-point bucket from Brooks with 2:34 gone in the second half to pull UW within 6, 40-34. The teams again traded miscues before Kepnang sank two free throws to get Washington within 4. After a Beaver basket, Koren Johnson dropped in a three as the Huskies pulled within 3.
As they did against Seattle University on Monday, Washington hit their first 11 free throws to keep the score respectable in the first half.
With Meah already sidelined Ralph Miller Court went silent when Frank Kepnana went down with an non-contact injury to his right knee at 11:03 remaining in the game. The Oregon transfer did not return to the game, finishing with 8 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.
Without Kepnang on the court the Beavers and Braxton Meah in street clothes, PJ Fuller drew his 4th personal foul and headed to the bench as OSU rebuilt an 11-point lead. The shorthanded Huskies went cold from the floor going 0-10 from the field before Johnson stopped the Huskies 6-minute dry spell with an NBA 3-pointer.
The Huskies chipped away at and reduced the deficit to 5 and several chances to get within 3 but missed back-to-back-to-back layups (one turnover, one missed, one steal) as the Beavers reclaimed an 8-point lead.
Fuller fouled out with 5:16 left in the game but Washington’s second unit made a game of it with a Bajema putback on a missed free throw and a 3 from the corner to get the visitors within 1 with just under 3 minutes.
Johnson hit a layup off of a steal for the Huskies first lead since the 14:07 mark of the first half, 62-61. Bey’s first bucket of the night with 40 seconds left to give the Huskies a 3-point lead.
As the Huskies heated up down the stretch on a 10-0 run the Beavers went scoreless 4:21 before OSU’s Taylor hit two free throws.
Brooks had a chance to put the Huskies up by 2 but missed the backend of a two free throws. At the other end of the court Akanno cut through the Washington D scoring a layup to tie it at 55. A questionable call on a foul on Bajema put Akanno at the line with 8.2 seconds left in regulation. The freshman hit and-1 free throw to give the Beavers a 1-point lead, 66-65.
The Huskies were unable to hit a game-winning 3-pointer from Brooks who finished with 21 points going 6-10 from the field and 8 for 11 from the line. Bajema chipped in 12 and Johnson hat 11 points. The Huskies next play Colorado Sunday at home with a noon tipoff on the Pac-12 Network
