SEATTLE — Nigel Williams-Goss scored 28 points, including a deep 3-pointer with 1:08 remaining as the shot clock was about to expire, and Washington rallied to stun No. 13 Utah 77-68 on Saturday.
Washington (16-14, 5-13 Pac-12) was 15-4 after winning at Colorado on Jan. 22, then proceeded to lose its next seven games and 10 of 11 as injuries and player discipline left the Huskies short-handed. Included in that skid was a 21-point loss to the Utes in Salt Lake City.
But the Huskies played inspired in the final game of the regular season. Williams-Goss received plenty of help. Andrew Andrews had 16 points and Mike Anderson added 15 in his final home game.
Utah (23-7, 13-5) lost for the third time in five games and will now be the No. 3 seed for next week’s Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas after finishing in a tie with Oregon. Delon Wright led the Utes with 21 points.
Jakob Poeltl led the Utes with 18 points, but was held to three in the second half. Poeltl was 7 of 7 from the field in the first half but was taken out of the game by Washington in the final 20 minutes.
The loss dropped Utah into a tie with Oregon but the Utes lost the head-to-head tiebreaker having lost to the Ducks in their only regular season meeting.
Jernard Jarreau scored a career-high 14 for Washington including three 3-pointers
On the verge of watching Utah run away, the Huskies trimmed a seven-point deficit to 45-43 with 13:21 remaining. Kyle Kuzma missed for the Utes and on the fourth shot of the ensuing possession, Anderson’s driving layup pulled the Huskies even at 45. Anderson added two free throws on the next possession and Washington had its first lead since 30-29 late in the first half. Utah went more than 6 minutes without scoring before Dakarai Tucker’s fastbreak layup off a Washington turnover with 9:11 left.
Jordan Loveridge added a banked 3-pointer but the Washington run continued. Jarreau sandwiched two 3-pointers around Andrews’ driving layup, the second 3 giving Washington a 55-50 lead with 6:44 left.
Giles Dierickx — Washington’s only size in the interior — picked up two quick fouls and fouled out with 5:54 remaining, but it didn’t matter. Williams-Goss converted a three-point play and Jarreau’s jumper gave Washington its largest lead at 60-53 with 4:38 left.
Loveridge hit another 3 with 3:13 left to cut Utah’s deficit to four, but Williams-Goss answered with another floater and hit a key 3-pointer. Washington was 8 of 8 at the free throw line in the final minute.
TIP-INS
Utah: The Utes entered the regular season finale as one of two teams nationally not to allow an opponent to score more than 72 points in a game. Ball State scored 72 on the Utes in the season opener.
Washington: The Huskies trailed at halftime for the 14th straight game. … Jarreau had never hit more than one 3-pointer in a game.
UP NEXT
Utah: The Utes will have a bye on the first day of the conference tournament and play Thursday evening.
Washington: The Huskies will play in the opening round of the conference tournament on Wednesday as the No. 11 seed against Stanford.
