Huskies continue recent turnaround

SEATTLE – Jon Brockman had 22 points – 17 in the second half – and 14 rebounds to lead desperate Washington past slumping California 79-71 Thursday night.

Brockman’s fourth 20-point game and 10th double-double of the season kept alive an outside chance at an NCAA tournament berth for the Huskies (15-8, 5-7 Pac-10). No Pac-10 team has been in the tournament without a winning record in the conference. Washington has six conference games remaining before the Pac-10 tournament.

Four of those games are at home, where Washington is 14-1 this season. The Huskies have won 53 of their last 56 games at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

Ayinde Ubaka, playing with an intestinal virus for the third week, scored 20 points and freshman Ryan Anderson had 17 with seven rebounds for the Bears (12-11, 4-7), who lost their fifth consecutive game. Anderson, the only player in the Pac-10’s top five in scoring and rebounding, had 18 points and 14 rebounds in Cal’s 77-69 win over Washington last month in Berkeley.

Washington seized control of the game by scoring the first 10 points of the second half. Brockman had eight of those. The sophomore captain made two free throws – after hitting the backboard and nothing else on a foul shot earlier in the game – and followed a miss by Spencer Hawes that also clanged off the backboard. That put the Huskies up 45-36 with 14 minutes left. Hawes finished with 16 points.

Cal self-destructed by missing its first five shots after halftime and committing five turnovers over the first 7 minutes of the second half. The Bears dribbled balls off their feet, Ubaka airballed a 3-pointer and Anderson missed an open layup. The Bears had just two turnovers in the first half.

Washington maintained its nine-point lead for the next 7 minutes. But when Anderson made a long 3-pointer with 5:28 left, the Bears had clawed to within 59-57.

Brockman responded with consecutive power moves in the low post, part of a 10-0 run by Washington. His second bull drive became a three-point play. Brockman split two Bears and scored while falling into a row of photographers. He then leaped back to his feet to celebrate the game-turning spurt and Washington’s 66-59 lead with 4 minutes left.

Washington shot 67 percent in the opening half yet led by just 37-36 at halftime because of 10 turnovers.

Box score is on page C4.