SEATTLE — David Crisp scored a season-high 23 points and Jaylen Nowell added 20 as Washington defeated Washington State 85-67 in the Pac-12 Conference opener for both teams Saturday night.
The Cougars (7-7) opened the second half on an 8-2 run to take a 46-45 lead, their only advantage of the night, before the Huskies (10-4) answered with 12 straight, and 16 of the next 19 points, to build their lead back up to double digits before holding on for their third consecutive victory and third straight over WSU.
Following slow starts in their final two nonconference games, the Huskies came out firing in the opening minutes Saturday, knocking down their first four shots, including three 3-pointers, as they jumped to a 10-3 lead.
But the two teams would trade runs before the Huskies took a 43-38 advantage in to the break. After the Cougars cut the UW lead to 16-13 following a C.J. Elleby jumper with 15:30 remaining, the Huskies scored the next 10 points to build their largest lead of the period. The Cougars answered by knocking down four 3-pointers as part of a 16-7 run to cut their deficit back down to one, at 33-32, before Nowell poured in eight of Washington’s final 10 first-half points, capped by a floater in traffic with one second remaining.
Playing without leading scorer Robert Franks for the second straight game, Elleby carried the load for the Cougars offensively, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. The Seattle native and graduate of nearby Cleveland High School has scored in double figures in 10 straight.
Matisse Thybulle added 17 points for the Huskies converting all four of his field goals, including three 3-pointers, and making 6 of 6 from the free-throw line.
Jervae Robinson added 14 for the Cougars, who dropped their fourth straight.
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The Huskies play at Utah on Thursday.
–AP
