Watson spanks Spartans
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Keoni Watson made not one, but two big plays down the stretch, and carried Idaho to its first postseason win since the 2004 Big West tournament.
Watson hit a floater from about 8 feet with 1.3 seconds left to give the Vandals a 50-49 win over San Jose State (5-25) in the play-in game at the Western Athletic Conference tournament Tuesday night at the Pan American Center.
The win earned Idaho (4-26) a date with 10th-ranked and top-seeded Nevada at 11 a.m. PST Thursday in the quarterfinals.
Watson, who finished with a team-high 18 points, converted a three-point play for a 48-47 lead with 18.6 seconds left.
San Jose State went ahead 49-48 with 11 seconds left on Carlton Spencer’s driving layup. Spencer, who led the Spartans with 21 points, missed the ensuing free throw.
Watson got the ball around the 3-point line on the left side of the court and drove hard to the basket. He got by Jamon Hill and floated it over Lance Holloway.
“I saw him step back a little as he was anticipating the drive, so I stepped back and shot it,” Watson said. “It felt good when it left my hand and it went in. I’ve made a lot of big shots in my day, but this one was the biggest.”
Idaho coach George Pfeifer elected not to take a timeout after Spencer’s missed free throw, and that decision paid off.
“We didn’t want to call a timeout,” said Pfeifer, whose team shot 31 percent and was outrebounded 49-39. “We wanted to put it in his hands and let him make a play or kick it out.”
Kicking it out wasn’t an option for Watson.
“I think they wanted me to have it,” Watson said. “It feels good when your team has confidence in you.”
The win avenged two earlier defeats to the Spartans, including last Saturday’s 62-57 loss.
“They made the big plays when they had to,” San Jose State coach George Nessman said. “Keoni Watson made two just incredible shots. … We missed quite a few free throws, especially in the last 8 minutes of the game when we had a small lead and a chance to extend it.”
San Jose State went 10 for 19 from the free-throw line. Eight of the nine misses came in the last 8:45, including two front ends of 1-and-1 situations.
The reward for Idaho winning its third postseason game since 1996 is a third crack at Nevada. The Wolf Pack won this year’s two regular-season meetings 81-55 and 84-68.
“It’s a good opportunity for us to play them again,” forward Desmond Nwoke said. “I’m really excited because there is a reason they call it March Madness. Anything can happen.”
“They are awfully good and we are excited to play them again,” Pfeifer said. “We have to come in and play the best basketball we’re capable of playing. They are really tough and we have to be tough-minded against them.”
Idaho 50, San Jose St. 49
Idaho (4-26)- C.Johnson 0-5 0-0 0, Nagle 2-9 0-0 4, Nwoke 5-10 1-1 11, Watson 5-13 6-7 18, Avworo 0-2 0-0 0, Crowell 0-1 0-0 0, Jackson 4-11 0-1 8, Morris 3-10 0-0 9. Totals 19-61 7-9 50.
San Jose State (5-25)- Holloway 0-3 0-3 0, Barbary 5-8 0-1 10, Richardson 2-10 0-0 5, Spencer 6-13 7-11 21, Hill 3-14 3-4 10, Pierce 0-3 0-0 0, Garbutt 0-0 0-0 0, Goins 0-1 0-0 0, Buggs 1-3 0-0 3, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-55 10-19 49.
Halftime—San Jose State 22, Idaho 21. 3-Point Goals—Idaho 5-20 (Morris 3-9, Watson 2-7, Crowell 0-1, C.Johnson 0-1, Nagle 0-2), San Jose St. 5-22 (Spencer 2-6, Buggs 1-3, Richardson 1-4, Hill 1-5, Holloway 0-1, Pierce 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Idaho 39 (Jackson 9), San Jose St. 49 (Holloway 13). Assists—Idaho 7 (Crowell, Watson 2), San Jose St. 9 (Buggs 3). Total Fouls—Idaho 18, San Jose St. 13. A—NA.