Cook scores 26 as No. 13 Oregon tops Washington, 86-73

Dillon Brooks added 19 points for the Ducks (23-6, 12-4), who won their 25th consecutive home game, extending the school record they set with Wednesday’s win over Washington State. If this game were played in the middle of the season it could have meant a lot more for Washington. However, the Huskies were able to re-gather themselves and cut the Ducks lead below ten multiple times throughout the remainder of the game.

Cook, playing his final home game before a sellout crowd, led the Ducks to a 40-32 halftime lead with seven early points and 13 by the break.

California 87, Southern California 65 • In Berkeley, Calif., Ivan Rabb had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Jaylen Brown also scored 18 and the Golden Bears beat the Trojans to finish the season unbeaten at home for the first time in 56 years. At the first timeout of the game, OR held on to a 12-10 lead in the fast paced game. “We’ve also won at two of the most hard places to play (this season) in Arizona and Utah, but it’s going to be hard”. With Washington getting their points at the free throw line, the Ducks kept working the ball inside to score their points.

Jillian Alleyne was named all-Pac-12 for the third straight season and two other Ducks earned postseason recognition from the Pac-12.

The Ducks overwhelmed Washington inside with a 44-26 advantage in points in the paint and a 40-26 edge in rebounds, led by Cook’s seven.

OR (22-6, 11-4) owned a seemingly comfortable three-game lead on No. 22 Utah in the Pac-12 race following a 76-66 win over the Utes on February 7, but ensuing road losses to California and Stanford provided an opening that the charging Utes have seized with six straight wins to move to 12-5 in league play.

OR led 20-15 after a dunk by Cook, but forward Matisse Thybulle answered with a 3-pointer for Washington. Plum finished the day at 18 points, falling short of her season average of 27.

“They had three second-chance points at the half and 14 (for the game)”, Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said.

Washington closed within 35-30 on a 3-pointer by guard David Crisp before Bell scored for Oregon. After facing the slumping Huskies, the Ducks play their final two on the road against UCLA and USC.

“We just want to finish out strong”, Cook said.

Now all that’s left for OR to accomplish before tournament play is to avoid being the regular-season bridesmaid again.

“The rebounds and (the Huskies) shooting only 39 percent were the two stats that were really important to us”, OR coach Dana Altman said. – Desi Rodriguez had career-highs of 27 points and 12 rebounds and Seton Hall all but clinched its first NCAA Tournament berth in a decade with a stunning victory over Xavier. USC (18-12, 6-12), which lost its fourth straight, is the eighth seed and meets No. 9 Washington State.