SEATTLE — In an exciting showdown, DJ Davis led the Washington Huskies with 21 points, while Mekhi Mason contributed 15 points, as the team celebrated a decisive 89-73 victory against their cross-state rivals, Washington State, on Wednesday evening. This matchup marked the 300th encounter between the two teams.
This contest was particularly noteworthy, as it was the first since the Huskies joined the Big Ten Conference, leaving the Cougars as an affiliate member of the West Coast Conference amidst the ongoing restructuring of the Pac-12 Conference. Currently, the Huskies hold a commanding lead in the historical series with 189 wins compared to the Cougars’ 111.
In addition to Davis and Mason, the Huskies saw strong performances from Tyler Harris with 14 points, Great Osobor with 13, and both Tyree Ihenacho and Zoom Diallo scored 12 points each, pushing Washington’s record to 8-3. On the other hand, Nate Calmese led the Cougars (10-3) with 21 points, followed by Ethan Price who had 16, and LeJuan Watts contributed 15 points.
The Huskies displayed remarkable shooting skills, achieving 60% from the field in the second half and 50% overall for the game. They ignited a pivotal 14-2 surge early in the second half, establishing a 49-35 lead that the Cougars couldn’t recover from, resulting in Washington State never managing to shrink the margin to single digits again.
Washington State began the game strong with a 12-3 run, and a subsequent three-point play by Calmese gave them a 15-7 advantage. However, Washington responded effectively, knocking down three consecutive 3-pointers—two from Davis—during an 11-0 streak that flipped the score to 31-25 in their favor. As the first half progressed, both teams faced difficulties offensively, with Washington holding a narrow 35-31 lead at halftime.
While Washington State managed to outperform in rebounds, boasting a 26-12 advantage and converting 10 of their 11 free throw attempts, they also faced challenges with 13 turnovers. The Huskies took full advantage of these mistakes, translating them into 13 points, additionally hitting five 3-pointers out of nine attempts, in contrast to the Cougars who only made 1 out of 8.
The Cougars finished the night with a season-high 22 turnovers, whereas the Huskies matched their season-best with 10 successful three-point shots. Washington significantly capitalized on turnovers, recording a remarkable 24-4 edge in points off turnovers, despite being outrebounded 42-23.
Looking ahead, Washington State will return home to face Northern Iowa on Saturday, while Seattle is set to visit Washington for another exciting matchup on Monday.