CORVALLIS, Ore. — The Pac-12, in all its craziness, claimed another victim.
It was just a week ago when Washington hit a game-winning 3-pointer to beat then-No. 9 Arizona. This week it was Oregon State hitting the crucial shot in a 97-94 double overtime win.
Washington (17-8, 7-5 Pac-12) was once up by 12 points only to see its latest road trip fall to pieces when Beavers guard Stephen Thompson Jr. hit a game-winning 3 with less than one second remaining.
Freshman guard Jaylen Nowell threw the first punch in double overtime with a dunk. OSU countered with a Drew Eubanks layup for a 89-89 tie with 3:09 to go.
Beavers forward Tres Tinkle appeared trapped between two defenders but actually had a clean look at the net for a short shot and a 92-90 lead with 1:28 remaining.
Nowell went inside again only to throw an errant pass that allowed the Beavers to regain possession. It appeared Matisse Thybulle tipped the pass from Thompson Jr., but the ball had enough force that Eubanks grabbed it and dunked for a 94-90 lead with 39 seconds to go.
Thybulle, on the following play, drained a 3-pointer and it was 94-93 with 31.0 seconds left. UW forced a steal and after a few missed shots, Dominic Green recovered the loose ball but was fouled while going up for a shot.
Green, who hit the game-winning 3 in the win over then-No. 9 Arizona, missed the first foul shot but hit the second.
Then came Thompson’s shot and the realization the Huskies, after winning four straight, have now lost two in a row.
UW ends the trip south with consecutive losses that could, at least in the interim, impact its NCAA Tournament hopes.
The Huskies had a chance to take the lead in regulation when Nowell took a short jumper that rimmed out and the Beavers recovered.
OSU had a look at basket but Thompson Jr.’s jumper went off the rim. Forward Drew Eubanks grabbed the rebound and even though his put back went in, time already expired.
Layups from Tinkle and a a 3-pointer from Thompson Jr. gave the Beavers a 87-83 edge with 2:49 remaining in the first overtime.
Junior forward Noah Dickerson, with 1:35 left, drew a foul and a chorus of boos from the thousands of fans at Gill. He converted both shots to make it 87-85.
OSU, on its next trip, took the ball down court with Gill silenced. Dickerson forced a block that put the Huskies in transition but they could not get a bucket.
Thompson Jr, with less than 50 seconds left, ran down the clock only to have the possession end on a missed shot.
UW went down the floor and Dickerson drew another foul with 24.4 seconds to go. He hit both free throws to tie the game at 87-87.
Washington, after calling a timeout, fouled OSU with 14.8 seconds to go in the first overtime. Thompson Jr. drove inside and collided with Sam Timmins for a foul with 3.3 seconds to go.
Thompson Jr. missed both free throws to set up a second overtime.
Dickerson bullied his way down low to 28 points and 12 rebounds, while Nowell added 23 points for the Huskies.
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