SEATTLE — Dejounte Murray carried Washington with 25 points, Marquese Chriss added 11 and the Huskies snapped a four-game losing streak with a 64-53 win over Stanford on Saturday.
The Huskies (16-11, 8-7 Pac-12) picked up a needed victory to keep its slim NCAA tournament hopes alive despite Andrew Andrews failing to score in double figures for just the second time this season. Andrews, the Pac-12 leader in scoring at 20.4 points, finished with eight points, all coming at the free-throw line.
Murray made up for the off-day by Andrews and fellow perimeter shooters David Crisp and Dominic Green. The three were a combined 0 of 18 shooting. Murray was 10 of 14 from the field and added nine rebounds.
Rosco Allen led Stanford (13-12, 6-8) with 20 points, but no other Cardinal scored in double figures.
The Huskies kept their slim hopes for an at-large berth alive by rebounding from four losses that came by a combined 17 points. But Washington still likely needs a split next week against the Oregon schools.
Malik Dime added 10 points, but this day was all about Murray. The freshman standout topped the 20-point mark for the fourth time in conference play and sixth time this season. And he carried the Huskies as they struggled to figure out Stanford’s zone defense.
Washington went scoreless for more than 5 minutes early in the second half but Stanford could not build a lead. Matisse Thybulle’s 3-point play with 13:41 left snapped the Huskies’ scoring drought and was followed by Murray’s left-handed drive to the rim and a 3-pointer from Chriss. Andrews was fouled shooting a 3 and finally got on the scoresheet, hitting two of three free throws and Washington’s lead was 40-35 with 11:58 remaining.
Stanford pulled within 40-39, but Allen missed a driving layup attempt that could have given the Cardinal the lead. Thybulle answered with another 3-point play, and Dime’s lob dunk from Andrews gave the Huskies a 45-39 lead with 8:59 left. Murray’s driving layup 90 seconds later pushed Washington’s lead to 49-41, its largest of the game.
Stanford pulled within four twice, but Washington got a pair of dunks from Dime to keep the lead at six with less than 4 minutes remaining. Murray added a pair of free throws with 2:53 left after being fouled on an offensive rebound and the Huskies lead was pushed to eight and reached 15 in the closing seconds.
TIP INS
Stanford: After scoring a career-high 26 points on Thursday against Washington State, Michael Humphrey was 1 of 10 shooting and finished with four points. … The Cardinal used the same starting lineup for the second straight game after varying the starting five in the prior four games.
Washington: Washington finished with 20 made shots, 10 by Murray. … Murray had made multiple 3-pointers only once in the previous eight games, but hit a pair of 3s in the first half.
UP NEXT
Stanford hosts USC on Thursday.
Washington travels to Oregon State on Wednesday.
