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UW men fall to Montana for 1st time since 1994

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Washington's Nate Roberts, right, stumbles and loses his defensive posture on Montana's Kyle Owens in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. (Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times via AP)
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Washington's Nate Roberts, right, stumbles and loses his defensive posture on Montana's Kyle Owens in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. (Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times via AP)
Washington’s Nate Roberts (right) stumbles while defending Montana’s Kyle Owens in the first half of a game on Dec. 16, 2020, at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. (Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times via AP)

Associated Press

SEATTLE — Kyle Owens scored 13 points despite struggling with his shot, Josh Vazquez scored seven of his 12 points in the final 3½ minutes, and Montana stunned Washington 66-58 on Wednesday night.

Montana beat the Huskies for the first time since Nov. 28, 1994, closing the game on a 15-5 run. It was Montana’s first win over a Power Five conference team since beating Pittsburgh in November 2017 and its first win over a Pac-12 opponent since beating Oregon State in December 2010.

Montana (2-4) finished with five players in double figures. Owens was just 4-of-18 shooting, but had plenty of help. Josh Bannan had 12 points, Michael Steadman added 11 and Brandon Whitney scored 10.

Nate Pryor and Nate Roberts each scored 13 points to lead Washington (1-5), but the Huskies could not overcome an awful first half where they trailed 33-21 at the break. Riley Sorn added 10 points all in the second half for the Huskies, but the biggest problem was a quiet night from leading scorer Quade Green.

Green, who was averaging 17 points per game, finished with just four points on 1-of-11 shooting and fouled out in the closing seconds.

Despite trailing much of the night, Washington took its first lead since it was 5-4 on Jamal Bey’s free throw with 4:26 left. Green’s two free throws with 3:50 left gave the Huskies a 53-51 lead, but that’s when Montana took over.

Vazquez knocked down his second 3-pointer of the game to put the Grizzlies back in front. He added a pair of free throws after Hameir Wright missed a pair for Washington and after another empty trip by the Huskies, Whitney’s 3 put the Grizzlies in front 59-53 with 2:12 left. Vazquez added another basket for a 61-53 lead and the Grizzlies made enough free throws in the closing minutes.

Washington finished just 8 of 19 at the free throw line and missed all five 3-point attempts in the second half.

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