ARIZONA BASKETBALL

No. 9 Arizona falls to Washington on last-second shot

Feb 4, 2018, 12:10 AM | Updated: 8:40 am

SEATTLE — As the pile of celebrating bodies grew, Washington’s Dominic Green started to get uneasy. He’d never been in the situation of celebrating a game-winning basket like this, let alone where he was the one hitting the shot.

“I was really nervous,” Green said. “Just because something like that had never happened, so it gave me the butterflies.”

Green was at the center of Washington’s raucous celebration on Saturday night after his 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Huskies a 78-75 upset of No. 9 Arizona.

Washington went to freshman Jaylen Nowell with the clock winding down, but his shot was blocked by Arizona star Deandre Ayton. Green grabbed the swatted shot near the Washington bench and beat the buzzer with his fourth 3-pointer of the game to cap a huge week for Washington’s improving NCAA tournament chances.

“When he shoots, I think it’s going in. In that moment, there’s a lot of stuff going on. It left his hand and your body is trying to spiritually put it in the hole and when you see it, it’s just like pure mayhem,” Washington coach Mike Hopkins said.

Green finished with 14 points off the bench and the biggest shot of his career as the Huskies (17-6, 7-3 Pac-12) knocked off ranked teams at home back-to-back. The Huskies beat No. 25 Arizona State on Thursday.

Lost in the mayhem around Green’s shot was possibly the best game of Noah Dickerson’s career. Despite being undersized against the Arizona duo of Ayton and Dusan Ristic, Dickerson finished with a game-high 25 points and at times was Washington’s only offensive option.

Ristic scored 21 points for Arizona (19-5, 9-2) and Allonzo Trier had 17 of his 20 in the second half. Ayton was a force on the inside with 19 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, but missed a free throw with 21 seconds left that would have given Arizona the lead.

Arizona had won 16 of 17 and eight straight against Washington. Arizona coach Sean Miller was unhappy with the defensive effort.

“Their offense was too good for our defense and I would just sum it up like that,” Miller said.

Nowell has been the main option for Washington in the closing seconds of close games this season and he was able to get into the lane, but Ayton was there to block the attempt. Green had been deadly when given open looks all night and was unmarked on the wing after the defense had collapsed. Emmanuel Akot made a late attempt to get a hand in Green’s face, but the shot was already gone, setting off a raucous celebration that included students storming the court.

“I just knew I was going to get it up as quick as I can,” Green said. “I knew there was only two or three seconds left.”

Washington played inspired from the start and led by as many as 14 early in the second half.

A run by Arizona felt inevitable and it finally arrived. Parker Jackson-Cartwright got to the rim on a second-chance opportunity and his three-point play pulled Arizona even at 61-all with 7:05 left. Ayton’s jumper on Arizona’s next possession pushed the Wildcats in front for the first time and the teams exchanged the lead six more times over the next three minutes.

Green’s corner 3 with 1:19 left pulled the Huskies even at 73-all. It turned out not to be the most important 3-pointer he’d make.

“Dom made a legendary play for Husky basketball,” Hopkins said.

ROMAR RETURNS

Current Arizona assistant coach Lorenzo Romar made his first return to Washington, where he was the head coach for 15 seasons before being fired last March following a 9-22 season. Romar was greeted with a standing ovation and chants of “Romar” when he took the court with the rest of the Arizona coaching staff minutes before tipoff. Washington also showed a brief video of Romar’s accomplishments during pregame introductions.

BIG PICTURE

Arizona: The Wildcats inability to get anything from behind the 3-point line was huge. Arizona was 2 of 12 on 3s after entering the game shooting 40 percent from deep.

Washington: The Huskies employed a similar defensive strategy to their win over Kansas in December. Washington was willing to let the Wildcats shoot 15-footers but challenged 3-point attempts and shots down low. The strategy worked in the first half when the Wildcats shot just 36 percent. But Ayton started knocking down the free-throw line jumpers in the second half to help the Wildcats rally.

UP NEXT

Arizona: The Wildcats return home to face UCLA next Thursday.

Washington: The Huskies travel to Oregon next Thursday

Arizona associate head coach Lorenzo Romar stands on the court before the team's NCAA college basketball game against his former team, Washington, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Arizona's Dusan Ristic shoots over Washington's Sam Timmins during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Arizona's Deandre Ayton dunks the ball on a turnover against Washington during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's Noah Dickerson shoots against Arizona's Deandre Ayton during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's Matisse Thybulle dunks against Arizona during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Arizona's Keanu Pinder and Washington's Dominic Green, right, reach for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's Sam Timmins reacts after scoring against Arizona during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Arizona's Deandre Ayton walks off the court after the team's 78-75 loss to Washington in an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's Dominic Green reacts after sinking a 3-point basket during the second half against Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. Washington won 78-75 with Green later hitting the tie-breaking shot in the final seconds. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's Dominic Green, hugs former Washington coach and current Arizona associate head coach after scoring the winning basket in an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. Washington won 78-75. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Fans hoist Washington mascot Harry the Husky after the team's 78-75 win over Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's Noah Dickerson shoots over Arizona's Deandre Ayton, right, and Emmanuel Akot during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. Washington won 78-75 with Dickerson leading Washington with 25 points. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Arizona's Deandre Ayton blocks a shot by Washington's Jaylen Nowell shot in the closing seconds of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. The ball was recovered by Dominic Green, who made the winning shot as Washington won 78-75. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's Jaylen Nowell, left, and Matisse Thybulle and Arizona's Keanu Pinder, right, watch the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. Washington won 78-75. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Washington's David Crisp drives as Arizona's Allonzo Trier defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. Washington won 78-75. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Arizona's Allonzo Trier is fouled by Washington's Jaylen Nowell, right, as Matisse Thybulle trails during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. Washington won 78-75. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) Arizona coach Sean Miller, left, and associate head coach Lorenzo Romar, right, call out from the bench during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Washington on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Seattle. Washington won 78-75. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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