The Washington Huskies secured a significant triumph against the Northwestern Wildcats with a close 76-71 victory, ending their frustrating four-game home losing streak on Saturday night in Seattle. Tyler Harris led the Huskies with an impressive 18 points, while Great Osobor contributed significantly with 16 points and nine rebounds. This victory marks a turning point as Washington's current standing is 12-11 with a conference record of 3-9 in the Big Ten.
The game started positively for Washington, maintaining a consistent lead until an unexpected turn of events in the second half. Despite initially holding a 14-point advantage, they saw their lead shrink as Northwestern rallied to seize control. A key moment occurred when Nick Martinelli of Northwestern went on a scoring spree, netting seven consecutive points, giving his team a 66-62 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the game.
However, Washington's resilience shone through in the last minutes. A three-point play by Great Osobor restored their lead, which was further solidified by DJ Davis hitting a crucial three-pointer, widening the gap to 71-66 just over a minute before the final buzzer. DJ Davis finished with a commendable 15 points, while Zoom Diallo added 10 to the tally.
Northwestern, now with a record of 13-11, 4-9 in conference play, had a notable performance from Nick Martinelli, who notched a game-high of 23 points along with ten rebounds. Support came from Ty Berry with 14 points and Justin Mullins scoring 13. Early in the game, Justin Mullins set the pace with a 3-pointer that initiated a scoring burst, although a scoreless drought followed, allowing Washington to take the lead momentarily.
The Wildcats faced early challenges as they went scoreless for over six minutes with three turnovers, enabling Washington to score ten straight points. Highlights for Washington included DJ Davis's three-pointer late in the first half, sparking an 18-6 run that gave them a double-digit lead heading towards halftime.
Adding to the complexity of the game, Northwestern dealt with the absence of Luis Kortright, who was suspended indefinitely due to not meeting program standards. Despite this setback, Kortright, previously averaging 4.9 points per game, remains just eight points away from reaching the 1,000-point milestone in his collegiate career.
Looking forward, Northwestern is set to play against Oregon on Tuesday, aiming to bounce back from this close defeat. Meanwhile, Washington will travel to face Ohio State on Wednesday, hoping to build on their recent success. As teams continue to vie for position in the highly competitive Big Ten Conference, these matchups are crucial for their season's outcomes.
For ongoing updates and alerts related to college basketball, keep an eye on the official AP Top 25 and other dedicated sports news outlets to stay informed throughout the season.