Husky men make run but can’t make dent in Oregon’s decade of dominance

EUGENE – Maybe next season, when Washington plays Oregon under the Big Ten banner, things will be different for the Huskies.

In the last regular-season meeting as Pac-12 opponents, the Ducks handed the UW men an 85-80 defeat on Thursday at Matthew Knight Arena to extend their decade of dominance in this Northwest border rivalry.

Oregon swept the season series for the third time in 10 years and improved its record against Washington to 18-5 since 2013.

The Huskies trailed 66-46 with 10 minutes left and used a spirited comeback attempt to narrow their deficit to one point in the final four minutes.

Washington had several chances to take the lead, but once again failed to make the plays late in the game.

The Huskies (12-11, 4-8 Pac-12) are 4-7 in games decided by five points or less.

Sahvir Wheeler scored 16 points and sank several high-difficulty layups in traffic, while Braxton Meah converted 7 of 7 shots and six dunks for 15 points before fouling out.

Keion Brooks Jr. also had 15 points, while Moses Wood and Koren Johnson each had 10.

It’s a quick turnaround for the Huskies who play 4 p.m. Saturday at Oregon State.