University of Washington
UC Riverside
Dawgs Win Thriller At UC Riverside, 74-71
December 20, 2014 | Women's Basketball
Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Winning 10 games in a row isn't easy, but these Dawgs have something special. Trailing by 17 points in the second half, Washington came all the way back to defeat UC Riverside, 74-71. Kelsey Plum drained the winning 3-pointer with 10 second left as the Dawgs earned a big road win heading into Christmas.
The 10-game winning streak matches the longest for a Husky team since the 1997-98 squad opened the year 10-0.
Plum's 3-pointer was the first by a Husky other than Talia Walton all game, as the Dawgs uncharacteristically struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 5-18. Walton was the exception though, knocking down 4-8 from deep, including three huge ones in the second half to get Washington back in the game when things looked bleak.
Walton finished with 17 points, keying the Husky comeback. The Dawgs trailed by 17 with 15:09 to play, but rallied with a 12-0 run that included two of Walton's triples. Even with momentum swinging in the Dawgs favor, UC Riverside refused to go away quietly.
The Huskies slowly chiseled away at the lead, eventually tying the score at 60-60 with 7:07 to play. Chantel Osahor scored in the post to take the lead from the Highlanders for the first time since 7:14 into the game. Osahor was also big down the stretch, shooting 3-3 for six late points, all in the post.
Still, the Dawgs could not get over the hump, tying the score five times, but not grabbing the lead until Plum's late 3-pointer. Jazmine Davis had the ball at the top of the key looking to attack, but as the defense collapsed on the senior, she found her open teammate for the biggest shot of the season. Plum knocked it down to finish with 21 points and seven assists, while Davis had 10 and also contributed seven assists.
Despite Plum's big shot, the game was not over as Riverside had a chance for the tie. The Highlanders tried a wild 3-pointer and were bailed out with a foul called on Davis. The foul setup three free throws, but UCR missed all three, the last on purpose, but retained possession off the loose ball.
The Highlanders had one more chance, this time heaving a 3-pointer that went in, but was after the buzzer. Aminah Williams collapsed on the shooter, causing her to double-clutch and take too much time. The play was reviewed for what seemed like an eternity, but the Huskies got the call and escaped with their most exciting game of the season.
Williams was another key contributor, scoring 14 points and grabbing eight rebounds to tie Walton and Osahor for the team lead. The Dawgs won the battle on the glass, 35-33.
Washington had yet to play a game this season that had a single-digit margin, but showed they can persevere under the toughest circumstances.
The game also included a milestone for senior guard Jazmine Davis as she tied Hall of Famer Giuliana Mendiola for second on the UW all-time scoring list. Mendiola saw it first hand as she is an assistant coach for the Highlanders.
Plum finished just short of a milestone of her own. The sophomore guard now sits at 999 career points and will have to wait until Texas A&M comes to Alaska Airlines Arena to reach 1,000. The Dawgs host the fourth-ranked and undefeated Aggies on Monday, Dec. 29, at 6 p.m. in what will be the biggest non-conference game in many years for Washington.
