UW Erases 16-Point Deficit, Beats Seattle U in Double Overtime
The Washington Huskies erased a 16-point deficit in the second half to complete an improbable comeback against Seattle University on Sunday night at Climate Pledge Arena by proving to be the tougher team with a 100-99 win in double overtime.
To get there took considerable effort.
Kentucky transfer Sahvir Wheeler corralled a loose ball and put in a layup off glass to tie the game at 80 for the UW as the clock sounded to force overtime.
Keion Brooks, the 6-foot-7 Husky forward likewise from Kentucky, sent the game to a second overtime with an off-the-glass shot from near the free-throw line to tie the game at 92 with 21 seconds left.
In the final extra session, the UW's Moses Wood dropped in a layin with 2:22 to finally put his team ahead for good at 98-96 and stave off their cross-town rivals.
"We were just really connecting at the end," UW coach Mike Hopkins said afterward. "And that's the thing I was most proud of these guys. To see them together. How we're going to win. We're not going to lose, basically, was the mindset."
Brooks finished with a game-high 22 points, 7 of which came in the overtime periods, to lift Washington (7-3) to a difficult victory.
Wheeler provided 6 of his 19 points in overtime. The former Wildcats pair accounted for 13 of the Huskies' 20 points in the two extra periods against the Redhawks (6-5).
"I knew I had enough time," Wheeler said of his overtime-forcing tying shot. "I knew that I had a chance to make it. I didn't just throw it up hoping it went in. I shot it like a normal layup — I just it a little quicker."
Twenty-five seconds into the second half, the Huskies stared at their largest deficit, 49-33, when Brandton Chatfield dunked on them. From there, it was a matter of slowly chipping away at the deficit.
UW sophomore Koren Johnson started his third game of the season — his second at point guard in place of Wheeler— and scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor to go along with 5 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal in 37 minutes.
"I just went with a different lineup tonight," Hopkins said when asked about the change at point guard.
Senior center Franck Kepnang slammed home a thunderous dunk before coming down awkwardly and landing face first on the court with 16:53 remaining in the game.
The 6-foot-11 Kepnang was able to walk off under his own power less than a minute later and went straight to the locker room to be evaluated. He left the game with a team-high 12 points and 6 rebounds in 20 minutes of action against the Redhawks before he departed the contest.
Junior forward Wilhelm Breidenbach checked in for Kepnang and filled his scoring shoes. The 6-foot-10 transfer from Nebraska added a crucial 7 points in the second half and finished with 12 points, a UW career high.
"I thought our bench was absolutely phenomenal tonight," Hopkins added. "When Franck went down, Wilhelm came in and we ran a play for him. They stayed off him — [he] hit the 3. Gave us a great boost."
Six UW players finished the game in double figures. Wood, the Portland transfer, added 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, but made his biggest impact by grabbing 5 rebounds.
Washington returns to the court Thursday to host Eastern Washington University at 5 p.m. at Alaska Airlines Arena.
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