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WSU falls 82-80 in overtime

Posted by Vince Grippi

March 10, 2010 11:23 p.m. • 11 comments

COUGARS

One more overtime game between the Ducks and WSU. One more close loss for the Cougars. One more tough defeat. Two WSU stats stick out: 17, as in turnovers, 12 of those in the first half; and 12 of 25 from the line in an overtime game. We have our unedited game story on the link, so read on. By the way, I spent most of the end of the game preparing a post-buzzer post only to see it disappear into nothingness when my internet connection dropped. Sorry.

••••••••••

• Here’s the gamer …

LOS ANGELES – It is hard to defeat a team three times in a season. But it can be done. It just might take some extra time.

And Tajuan Porter.

The University of Oregon senior guard made sure his coach, Ernie Kent, coached another game, scoring 32 points – including eight in overtime – and leading the Ducks past Washington State University, 82-80 before 6,090 at Staples Center.

The first-round, Pac-10 Tournament victory moved eight-seeded Oregon (16-15) into today’s 2:30 p.m. game with regular season champion California. The loss more than likely ended WSU’s season at 16-15, though school officials say a postseason tournament is still a possibility.

Porter’s overtime heroics – and a game-tying tip-in by freshman E.J. Singler in the last tenth-of-a-second in regulation – made moot a Washington State comeback that could have led to victory. If the Cougars had hit their free throws.

They trailed by 10, 62-52, with 7 minutes, 27 seconds remaining, a deficit the Ducks had built early in the half and would not give up.

Klay Thompson ignited the Cougar rally with back-to-back 3-pointers, the latter from about 27 feet. The sophomore finished with 20 points, hitting 6 of 9 from beyond the arc.

A little over a minute later, Nik Koprivica matched the two long bombs with two of his own, the latter giving WSU a 69-68 lead, its first since a 13-0 Oregon first-half run.

When UO’s Malcolm Armstead challenged DeAngelo Casto on the other end, the sophomore centered rejected the shot, Koprivica hustled to the corner, gathered it in and tossed it out to Marcus Capers.

Capers finished the 19-6 run with a dunk, part of his career-high 16 points on a career-high 14 attempts.

But with 2:43 left in regulation, the Cougars ran dry.

First Koprivica missed the front-end of a one-and-one with 1:20 on the clock. Then freshman point guard Reggie Moore, an 80 percent free-throw shooter, did the same 33 seconds later.

WSU finished 12 for 25 from the free-throw line, with Casto, who finished with 13 points and seven offensive rebounds, missing eight of his 13 attempts.

“Our free throws really hurt us,” WSU coach Ken Bone said. “In a tight game like that, you can’t shoot that poorly and expect to win.”

Especially when the Ducks weren’t missing.

Porter pulled Oregon within one with two free throws – he was 5 of 5 and Oregon was perfect on 10 attempts – before Moore finally hit one. But, with 7.6 seconds left, Moore missed the back end and Capers knocked it out of bounds.

The Ducks got the ball to Porter with 5.5 seconds left, and he raced up court, getting deep into the key. Casto challenged the shot – he had four blocks – and it missed. But Singler, who passed the ball in, rose above the Cougars and tipped it in just as the buzzer sounded for his 11th point. The score was tied at 72.

“We miss free throws when we’ve got to make them, we don’t get defensive rebounds, and then they just hit that shot at the end,” Koprivica said. “You can’t even call it a shot. Somebody touches it and it goes in. It’s so unlucky. But it’s basketball.”

In the overtime, Porter scored all but two of Oregon’s points, winning a loose ball and hitting a drive off the tip, nailing jumpers from 10 and 12 feet, then hitting two free throws with 35 seconds remaining for a two-point lead.

The Cougars had one last chance but, after a timeout with 16.7 left, Reggie Moore couldn’t find anyone open – the Ducks switched every screen – and finally tried to create with 5 seconds left. His well-challenged jumper from the top of the key was wide left, however, and Oregon had moved on.

“Do you know how many overtime games we’ve had with Washington State over the years,” said Kent, probably facing WSU for last time as his tenure in Eugene will end with the Ducks’ season. “What else would you expect?”

What you wouldn’t expect is the Cougars hitting 10 of 21 3-point shots, getting 19 offensive rebounds, forcing 16 turnovers and still losing.

“Definitely (tough way to go out),” said Koprivica. “It’s just going to leave a bad taste in my mouth because I don’t know how many times we basically beat ourselves.”

Besides the poor showing at the free-throw line, WSU also had 17 turnovers, 12 in the first half that helped the Ducks to a 37-32 halftime lead.

“A lot of the turnovers ended up being really costly,” Bone said.

Only a surprising 14 points and five rebounds – both career-bests – from little-used Brock Motum had kept the Cougars close.

Add it all up and WSU has 10 losses in its last 12 games, four consecutive to end the season. But the school is still trying to gain admittance to the College Basketball Invitational, one of the newer postseason tournaments.

Bone said the Cougars would continue to practice until a decision was made.

•••••

• That’s it for now. We’ll be back at halftime. Until then …

11 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

ECoug01 on March 10 at 11:30 p.m.
Sloppy sloppy passing and ball control.. wow some of our passes are just horrendous. Along with free throws.. all those guys need to shoot 200/day until next season. We lost that game and many others due to poor poor free throw shooting. That game doesnt even get to OT if we make a few in the last min. Just when klay seemed to be returning to normal.

That was an EMBARASSMENT of a last play out of a timeout. Did Bone even call a play looked like after Klay couldnt get the ball everyone stood and reggie had nothing.

Well 5 months to adjust my attitude from one of worst coug seasons in recent memory.
EllensburgCoug on March 10 at 11:40 p.m.
Coug Fans, nobody in the country has had to go thru what we have had to go thru since last September. For most of us this is it for Coug sports until next September.
We all deserve a six month break to get our sanity back.
Now I’m going to pout for a while.
scottB on March 11 at 12:10 a.m.
Buck-up EllensburgCoug… Perhaps a little baseball can cheer up your crimson-mojo. You know they went to the NCAA tournament last year and are off to an excellent start so far this year! Perhaps Sportslink and Vince will have some coverage this spring.
cougars1 on March 11 at 12:22 a.m.
BONED IT !, BONED IT !, BONED IT !
avboden on March 11 at 12:25 a.m.
really, who can get excited about baseball?

the only thing I can hold onto is that the WSU women’s rugby team is undefeated, top 20 if not 10 in the nation, fresh off a 70something to nothing beat down of UW, and assuming they beat western this weekend, off to the regional championships.
JugHead on March 11 at 4:47 a.m.
I am glad I will NEVER have to watch Tajuan Porter torch the Cougs again. That little dude has been an absolute beast against us over the years. I do respect what he is able to accomplish given his height. Kind of like those movies with Chuckie…he doesn’t look like much, but he carries a large dagger.
coug79 on March 11 at 6:27 a.m.
The good: Cougs showed a lot of heart fighting back from a double digit deficit with about 7 minutes left to take the lead. Way to fight! Nice seeing our FG% finally get back above 40% after four games.

The bad: Freethrows. Come on, 12-25? Hey Bone, I may be over 50, but I’ve got four years of eligibility left and I can hit better than 50% from the charity stripe. Let me know if I need to suit up next year.

The Ugly—We just lost to the 2nd WORST TEAM in the Pac-10 for the THIRD TIME. And then there were the turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. I was ready to throw the remote in the first 10 minutes of the game! How can a team with 30 games together be THAT SLOPPY with the ball? Bad coaching, that’s how….Bone is not holding players accountable for very poor play. They make bad passes, take poor shots, miss defensive assignments….and play on while others watch from the bench.

I hope this games leaves a horrible taste in the mouth of every Coug player. I know it did for me.
wazzuwyatt on March 11 at 6:58 a.m.
Yes, this game sure gave me a “horrible taste” in the mouth. All games in the PAC10 games seemed to have too many Coug turnovers, poor free throw shots and basket field goals. I was really puzzled and disappointed by the poor final performance that would have been so much easier to win, I thought. Morris’ final shot was a poor ending.
philip38 on March 11 at 8:18 a.m.
The place they were in mentally at the moment of the foul shots was new to them. They have never been in a game like this, where they actually fought back and deserved the victory by a wide margin. I wouldn’t call it choking at the line. It’s a mental process. The mind changes when presented these stressful situations.

Even though Oregon and Porter were playing great, the stats show the Cougs whipped ‘em. 19 offensive rebounds!

Bone and the team did a great job this time out. Putting in Motum. Stroke of genius knowing his players and the opposition (Oregon does not have Catron or any other big bodies. Dunnigan is a finesse player in the making. The lightweight Motum could thrive in front-line duty. Bone saw it and inserted the young Aussie, whose basketball IQ and athleticism bode for a great future for him.)

Nik, chips down, played great—except for that last trip to the foul line. Moore, the same.

Just the free throws. This season the Cougs, even Casto, have been pretty good at the foul line.

I think they spent so much focus and effort on bringing it for 40 minutes—and they succeeded big time—that they subconsciously sought some respite at the free throw line. The foul line experience changes during games from cool to hot depending on how much physical and mental energy you have just expended. I don’t think the Cougs ever had this desperate feeling of playing alive and thumping the other team’s tail at a frenetic pace. Their minds, their measurable brain cycles I would bet were just at an unfamiliar level the moment they stepped out of that pace and stepped to the foul line. It is very difficult to practice for that situation.

Casto, Klay, Nik, Motum, Capers, and Moore played a great floor game against a wide-awake and improving Oregon team.

My hat goes off to them and may they come charging back next season.
blotto on March 11 at 8:47 a.m.
Ditto XMan, Ditto!
TommyCoug on March 11 at 2:40 p.m.
“Holy Synapse,” Phil Pallette…all the Coug players really needed, or need now, is a psychiatrist…and all will be well!! I do know that I probably need one…and for certain YOU DO!!

What a Crock…this game was a “bad memory” and reminder of the last 10-12 Pac-10 games. Not very good defense, poor passing, too many turnovers, very poor foul shooting, average FG shooting…too many bad items and just a precursor for defeat!!

Motum came up big in another game and then did a disappearing act…I don’t understand?

Enough…some coaching and practice “must” occur along with big time eating habits and weight training…otherwise 2010-11 will be a repeat performance. Coach Bone, you have to do more than run down the court on offense and shoot fast. There’s more to the game than that!!