UW Hoops Can't Get Vegas Win Like Football Team, Falls Short to Colorado State

The Huskies tailed off at the end against the Rams in the Las Vegas invitational

Washington and Colorado State traded baskets like  punches in a basketball bout on Saturday afternoon in the Legends of Basketball Las Vegas Invitation, but the Huskies couldn't do what their football team did a day earlier, which was win in the Nevada city.

The basketball Huskies hung in there until a late two-minute scoring drought coming down the stretch proved too much to overcome in an 86-81 defeat to the No. 20 and unbeaten Rams at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.  

Four players finished in double figures for the UW (4-3) led by forward Moses Wood, who had a team-high 21 points; forward Keion Brooks Jr., who added an efficient 20 points; guards Paul Mulcahy, who scored 14 points in his return from a one-game absence; and Sahvir Wheeler, who put in 13. 

CSU (8-0) had five players finish double digits, topped by Joel Scott, who ended up with 17 points, three of which came with 1:10 remaining to give the Rams a three-point lead that UW ultimately couldn't overcome.

Brooks hit a 3-pointer to cut the Huskies deficit to 83-81 with 31 seconds left before Rams' guard Josiah Strong added a pair of layups to send the Huskies home with a second defeat in their past three outings. 

The 6-foot-7 Brooks was as efficient from the floor as he has been this season by making 9 of 11 shots against CSU, until his final miss followed a missed 3-point attempt by Mulcahy and the UW was done. 

Mulcahy, 6-foot-6 graduate transfer from Rutgers, played after missing the previous game against UC San Diego for an unspecified reason. He provided several crucial baskets throughout to keep UW in the game. 

Leading 44-41, the UW opened the first five minutes of the second half by converting 6 of 9 shots, with Brooks giving the Huskies a seven-point lead with 13:34 left to play when he slammed home an alley-oop pass from Wheeler.

The game got physical at times. Colorado State guard Nique Clifford received a flagrant foul and was ejected in the first half when he hit UW senior center Braxton Meah below the waist. 

The 6-foot-6 Clifford was the Rams' third-highest scorer entering the game with a 13-point average, but the Huskies couldn't take advantage.

The loss of Clifford, in fact, seemed to inspire CSU, which went on a 14-0 scoring run to grab a 21-12 lead with 9:34 remaining before halftime. Wood stopped the binge with one of his four first-half 3-pointers to jump start the UW to a quick 7-0 response.

The Huskies were hurt by fouls. Mulcahy put the Huskies ahead 67-65 with 8:06  left to play, but on the ensuing CSU possession the 6-foot-6 player picked up his fourth foul of the game.

Huskies coach Mike Hopkins elected to leave Mulcahy in the game with Wheeler on the bench. Both starting guards finished the game with four fouls along with senior center Franck Kepnang. 

The 6-foot-11 Kepnang made his fourth consecutive start at center for Hopkins but wasn't as effective as before. He had just 6 points on 3-of-4 shooting and managed only a single rebound in 21 minutes of action. 

Washington returns to the court on Dec. 5 to host Montana State at Alaska Airlines Arena. 

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