Huskies

Revenge can be an ugly thing.

Washington displayed that, overcoming a sloppy effort to defeat Oregon 72-69 at Edmundson Pavilion on Thursday. It was payback for a loss the Huskies believe they shouldn't have suffered in Eugene in December.

Words from former Huskies guard Kayla Burt before the game altered the team's mindset a bit. Burt, who had a cardiac arrest in 2002 that altered her career, returned Thursday as part of UW's heart health awareness night.

She spoke to the players after their shoot-around, emphasizing the importance of valuing the present.

"Now is what (we) have," Regina Rogers said of Burt's speech. "We can't focus on the past, only concentrate on our future. ... This is a big win for us because we've been focusing on finishing out games. We've done that the last two games."

UW led 61-51 with 5:52 left in the second half. Oregon used a quick 14-7 run to put the win in doubt.

Needing a momentum-swinging basket, Washington coach Kevin McGuff told his team to push more in transition. Freshman Jazmine Davis interpreted that by driving the paint for an off-balance jump shot while being fouled.

"I guess in her estimation, that was a great shot," McGuff teased of the play afterward.

Davis made the shot and the ensuing free throw to put UW up 71-65. But Oregon continued to pressure Washington.

The Ducks (13-11, 5-7 Pac-12) responded with a potential three-point play of their own by Danielle Love, but she missed the free throw with one minute left in the game.

The Huskies made only 1 of 5 free throws in the waning seconds, but were able to preserve the win.

"We could have put this game away earlier if we would have made our free throws," said McGuff, whose team was 16 of 27 from the line overall. "(Free throws) have been an up-and-down thing for us all year."

Davis led all scorers with 27 points on 9-for-19 shooting from the field. It's her fourth game scoring 20 points or more this season.

Senior forward Amanda Johnson had 26 points for Oregon.

Leading 26-23 after a three-pointer by Johnson with 5:54 remaining in the opening half, the Huskies put on a defensive show that helped them stitch together a 6-3 spurt, capped with a putback by senior Mackenzie Argens at the halftime buzzer.

Washington forced posts Johnson and Liz Brenner into turnovers and Argens gobbled up rebounds like it was a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Washington (13-9, 5-7) had 24 defensive boards in the half, out-rebounding Oregon 50-41 overall in the game. Argens and Rogers finished with 10 apiece.

This game almost mirrored the loss at Oregon earlier this season. Then, the Huskies led by 16 points midway through the second half but the Ducks converted 12 free throws and sophomore Deanna Weaver nailed a three-pointer with 16 seconds left in the game to steal an 88-86 win from the Huskies.

Thursday's avenging win, in front of 1,843 at Hec Ed, after pulling out a close 67-61 win at USC on Sunday, gives the Huskies their first back-to-back conference victories of the season.

"We needed the win," Rogers said.

Jayda Evans: 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com.

On Twitter @JaydaEvans

OREGON (13-11)
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Love	30	2-6	0-0	1-4	2	2	6
Johnson	29	9-19	4-7	2-12	1	3	26
Holliday	27	4-7	0-0	2-4	1	4	9
Thomas	25	3-14	2-3	1-3	2	3	9
Jackson	26	2-7	4-6	0-1	3	4	9
Weaver	10	1-3	0-0	0-0	1	1	2
Stanulis	9	0-3	0-0	0-1	3	0	0
Loera	15	0-9	0-0	1-2	1	0	0
Brenner	22	2-4	2-4	3-8	1	2	6
Petersen	7	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	2
	200	24-73	12-20	12-41	15	19	69

Percentages: FG .29, FT .600. Three-point goals: 9-40, (Love 2-6, Johnson 4-9, Holliday 1-2, Thomas 1-9, Jackson 1-3, Weaver 0-2, Stanulis 0-2, Loera 0-7). Team rebounds: 6. Blocked shots: 3, (Love 2, Holliday). Turnovers: 11, (Love, Johnson 6, Holliday 2, Jackson 2). Steals: 8, (Love 2, Johnson, Thomas, Jackson, Loera 3).

WASHINGTON (13-9)
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Barlow	24	0-0	1-2	0-4	3	3	1
Argens	24	2-7	0-0	2-10	0	4	4
Rogers	22	5-8	5-8	3-10	1	4	15
Wetmore	38	2-8	1-2	0-5	1	1	6
Davis	37	9-19	8-11	0-7	1	2	27
M-Smith	19	4-7	0-0	0-2	1	2	12
Anderson	4	1-2	0-0	1-2	0	0	2
A.Williams	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	0
M. Williams	30	2-4	1-4	1-7	1	2	5
	200	25-55	16-27	8-50	9	18	72

Percentages: FG .55, FT .593. Three-point goals: 6-16, (Wetmore 1-3, Davis 1-6, McCann-Smith 4-6, M. Williams 0-1). Team rebounds: 3. Blocked shots: 0. Turnovers: 22, (Barlow 2, Argens 5, Rogers 4, Wetmore 4, Davis 3, M. Williams 3). Steals: 2, (Anderson, M. Williams).

Oregon	26	43	—	69
Washington	32	40	—	72

Attendance: 1,834. Officials: Officials: Anita Ortega, Kyle Bacon, Jim Morrell.