Mar 12, 2009 - 8:40 AM
0 shoutsStanford (17-12) vs. No. 10 Washington (24-7) 5:30 p.m. EDT
LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- After claiming its first outright regular-season conference championship in 56 years, 10th-ranked Washington gets started on securing another milestone - an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The Huskies open up their Pac-10 tournament slate as the top seed on Thursday as they take on Stanford in search of their sixth consecutive win.
The Cardinal, the league's No. 9 seed, earned their way into the quarterfinal meeting by defeating eighth-seeded Oregon State thanks to a strong second half on Wednesday. Stanford fell behind by seven at the break, but surged afterward. Just 10 seconds into the second half, Anthony Goods buried a 3-pointer to spark a 14-2 run that put the Cardinal in the driver's seat.
The Beavers pulled back ahead with a 7-0 spurt of their own, but Stanford answered right back and held on for a 62-54 triumph. Goods led the way with 25 points.
Stanford may have its hands full against the conference powerhouse, but it played Washington tight in both earlier meetings this season. Jon Brockman knocked in the game-winning, tip-in on January 8 to lift the Huskies to an 84-83 victory. Three weeks later, Washington snapped a 15-game skid at Stanford with a 75-68 triumph.
From the Bleachers
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STANFORD: 73
WASHINGTON: 85
Final
Mar 12 7:52 PM -
STANFORD: 35
WASHINGTON: 38
Halftime
Mar 12 7:52 PM
