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Hawes powers Washington over LSU

Dec 21, 2006 - 7:50 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Spencer Hawes acted like a big baby and left Louisiana State feeling like spoiled children.

Hawes scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds - both career highs - to power No. 17 Washington to a lopsided 88-72 victory over LSU.

A 7-foot freshman center, Hawes dominated LSU star Glen "Big Baby" Davis, who had his streak of four consecutive double-doubles come to a screeching halt.

Jon Brockman scored 19 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for the Huskies (9-1), who had stumbled badly in their only other game against a ranked foe this year, losing by 20 to Gonzaga on December 9.

"I don't mean to brag but our front line was pretty good tonight," Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said.

Hawes and the 6-7, 245-pound Brockman scored 14 points each in the opening 20 minutes as Washington led by as many as 18 before taking a 50-36 lead at the break.

The duo also overpowered LSU on the boards and limited Davis to nine rebounds and eight points, 12 below his season average.

"We got beat within six to eight feet of the goal," Tigers coach John Brady said. "Hawes and Brockman showed our guys what it is all about to play hard the whole time. ... Those guys beat us every which way possible. That has not happened to us in a long time. We got it handed to us tonight, by two guys."

Hawes continued to rule the inside in the second half, showing a variety of moves and scoring six of the Huskies' first seven points for a 57-43 lead.

"He showed a lot of confidence out there tonight and he knocked his shots down," Romar said of Hawes. "Something that we have continued to tell him so often when you are a 7-footer is to get under the basket, but I think the great players can do both.

"He also had 12 rebounds and I think that is the first time that he has had double-digit rebounds this year."

The Tigers stayed within striking range and trailed by 11 before the Huskies ran off an 11-0 spurt to extend the lead to 75-53 midway through the second half.

Freshman Quincy Pondexter contributed 15 points - all in the second half - for Washington, which hit 8-of-13 shots from 3-point range.

"Quincy has a lot of pride and he just took it upon himself to get into the paint and get aggressive," Romar said.

Tasmin Mitchell scored 20 and Tack Martin 11 for LSU (6-3), which lost for the second time in six games.