No. 5 Arizona needed a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer to hold off Washington at home Thursday night.
The Huskies (9-7, 1-4) led by one at halftime and stretched their lead to as many as seven before the Wildcats (14-1, 3-1) started to comeback with under 12 minutes remaining.
UW struggled to overcome a 13-0 Arizona run down the stretch, ultimately falling 70-67 on the road as senior forward Keion Brooks Jr. missed a 3-pointer with :05 seconds left that would have tied the game.
Brooks Jr. finished with 16 points – same as senior guard Cole Bajema – on 8 of 18 from the floor. The Kentucky transfer missed all five of his shots from deep, including his final shot of the game.
As a team UW made 9 of 27 from 3-point territory which matched Arizona.
In the second half, however, the Wildcats converted 7 of 11 from the free throw line while the Huskies managed nearly that total in the entire game.
“We showed great fight, great resiliency,” UW head coach Mike Hopkins said after the game.
“They took a lead. We came back. We held them away for 28 minutes. Late, we just couldn’t — you gotta make a couple foul shots. That’s how these games are won.”
UW started the game strong and jumped out to an early 11-3 lead at the 16:15 mark in the first half before stretching the lead to nine with just under nine minutes left before halftime.
Senior guard PJ Fuller returned to the court after missing the previous game against UCLA and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in midway through the first half.
Arizona closed the opening period on a 14-3 run and trailed by one, 42-41, at halftime.
The Wildcats retook the lead with 9:38 left in regulation and never relinquished control.
Washington stays on the road with a trip to Tempe up next on Sunday against Arizona State, who has won only one of its last three games.
