University of Washington
Denver
Huskies Escape Denver With 64-61 Win
December 06, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2004
DENVER, Colo. - Kristen O'Neill and Kayla Burt each scored 11 points as Washington held off a furious Denver rally for a 64-61 win in the Mile High City.
Pioneers freshman Brooke Meyer, one of just seven players in uniform for Denver (0-5), scored a career-high 18 points, leading the Pioneers back from 17 points down in the second half.
The Huskies (4-3) appeared to have the game in hand with just over eight minutes remaining, when Maggie O'Hara laid in a no-look assist from Breanne Watson to give Washington its largest lead of the game, at 58-41.
That was the last basket the Huskies would make for the next seven minutes, with three turnovers and eight-straight missed shots providing Denver the opening it needed to get back into the game. The Pioneers - who committed 26 turnovers in the first 34 minutes of play - were nearly flawless in the final six minutes, holding the Huskies to just two field goals and committing zero turnovers to mount a 20-6 run.
Unfortunately for Denver, however, it was a matter of too little, too late, as the Pioneers could not cut the lead closer than the final margin. Washington was outrebounded by a 51-37 margin, hit just two of its final 10 shots and missed its last four free throws. Despite 7-for-17 (.412) shooting from three-point range, the Huskies shot just 38 percent overall from the field, marking the sixth game in as many tries this season that Washington has failed to connect on more than 40 percent of its field-goal attempts.
For the first 32 minutes, it appeared Washington would cruise to its first road victory in three tries this season. Watson was outstanding in the first half, tallying eight points and five rebounds, including six points in an 11-0 UW run that put the Huskies ahead, 12-3, just six minutes in. Washington led by 11 at halftime, at 37-26, and twice extended its lead to 17 in the second half.
Held to matching 56-point totals in consecutive losses to Alabama and Utah, the Huskies narrowly avoided being held under 60 points in three-straight games for the first time since 1979.
Washington will complete a three-game road swing Saturday at Notre Dame before returning home for four-straight, including Pac-10 openers against Arizona (Dec. 27) and Arizona State (Dec. 29).
