Brooks leads Ducks past Huskies

EUGENE, Ore. – Aaron Brooks scored 30 points and Tajuan Porter had 19 to lead No. 23 Oregon to a 93-85 victory over Washington on Saturday night.

Bryce Taylor added 15 points for the Ducks (22-7, 10-7 Pac-10), who were coming off a 64-59 win over ninth-ranked Washington State on Thursday that ended a three-game losing streak. Maarty Leunen had 13 points and Joevan Catron 11 points.

Brooks was 10 for 14 from the field and came within two points of his season-high.

Ryan Appleby scored 21 to lead the Huskies (16-12, 6-10), who lost to Oregon State on Thursday. To make its fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance, Washington will probably have to win the conference tournament and get an automatic berth.

Saturday’s game marked the first time Brooks and Appleby were on the same floor since Brooks was ejected from a Pac-10 tournament game last season for intentionally hitting Appleby in the mouth with an elbow.

Brooks, who wrote a letter of apology to both Appleby and Washington coach Lorenzo Romar following his ejection, was given a two-game suspension that included the Ducks’ game in Seattle on Jan. 25. The Huskies won that game 89-77.

Appleby, who on Friday said he didn’t think Brooks was punished harshly enough for the hit, refused to shake Brooks’ hand prior to the opening tip, and then again after the game when the teams were shaking hands in line.

The move before the game drew a loud reaction from Oregon’s “Pit Crew” student section, which booed and harassed Appleby every time he touched the ball.

It had no noticeable effect early on, as Appleby scored 17 points in the first half and was 5 of 7 from 3-point range to help the Huskies take a 30-19 lead midway through the half.

But Appleby scored only four points in the second half and missed all four of his shots from the field.

Spencer Hawes added 20 points for the Huskies.

Brooks had 10 points and six assists in the first half, and sparked a late 15-0 run that put the Ducks up 40-33 with 4:37 to play in the half. They went into the break up 46-40.

The Huskies took a 65-64 lead at the 12:23 mark of the second half on a 3-pointer by Adrian Oliver. But Taylor answered with a jumper at the other end to spark a 13-2 run by Oregon for a 77-67 lead with 6:46 left in the game.

Oregon 93, Washington 85

Washington (16-12, 6-10)—Pondexter 6-8 1-1 13, Brockman 3-5 2-2 8, Hawes 8-17 4-5 20, Dentmon 2-7 0-0 4, Appleby 5-11 6-6 21, Oliver 1-1 4-4 7, Wallace 1-1 0-0 2, Gasser 0-1 0-0 0, Nelson 4-9 0-0 10. Totals 30-60 17-18 85.

Oregon (22-7, 10-7)—Hairston 1-3 3-4 5, Taylor 4-6 6-6 15, Leunen 2-7 8-9 13, Brooks 10-14 6-8 30, Porter 4-9 8-9 19, Platt 0-0 0-0 0, Oguchi 0-1 0-0 0, Zahn 0-0 0-0 0, Schafer 0-0 0-0 0, Catron 4-6 3-4 11. Totals 25-46 34-40 93.

Halftime—Oregon 46, Washington 40. 3-point goals—Washington 8-20 (Appleby 5-10, Nelson 2-6, Oliver 1-1, Gasser 0-1, Pondexter 0-1, Dentmon 0-1), Oregon 9-19 (Brooks 4-7, Porter 3-6, Taylor 1-2, Leunen 1-2, Hairston 0-1, Oguchi 0-1). Fouled out—Pondexter. Rebounds—Washington 28 (Hawes 7), Oregon 22 (Leunen, Taylor 6). Assists—Washington 16 (Hawes 6), Oregon 13 (Brooks 6). Total fouls—Washington 26, Oregon 16. A—9,087.