Pac-10 basketball: Washington defeats Oregon State, 59-52, to advance
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With his team trailing by nine points at halftime, Washington guard Isaiah Thomas found his touch from long range and led the third-seeded Huskies to a 59-52 victory over sixth-seeded Oregon State in the Pacific Life Pac-10 men’s basketball tournament Thursday night at Staples Center.
Thomas scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half, nine coming on three-point shots that helped the Huskies tie the score and then pull ahead for a victory that puts them in the semifinals Friday night against Stanford.
UCLA plays California in the other semifinal.
On a night when Washington forward Quincy Pondexter had only nine points, the Huskies came back from a 31-22 deficit at the break. Consecutive three-pointers by Thomas, Elston Turner and Thomas gave Washington a 43-37 lead with about 10 minutes left.
Oregon State, which made only eight of 21 shots in the second half, pulled to within 49-47 with about five minutes remaining. But Thomas’ three-pointer increased the lead and the Huskies held off the Beavers.
Center Roeland Schaftenaar scored 17 points for Oregon State (14-17).
-- Gary Klein