PULLMAN, Wash. -- The three seniors who rescued Washington State basketball were called on one more time, in their final home game at Friel Court.
Kyle Weaver scored 20 points, Derrick Low scored 16 and Robbie Cowgill came up huge at the end, as No. 23 Washington State held off Washington 76-73 in double overtime Saturday night to clinch third place in the Pac-10.
Coach Tony Bennett said it was a fitting home finale for a group of players who turned Washington State from perennial losers into a Top 25 team that has now beaten archrival Washington seven straight times.
"They had to scrap and fight for everything, that's the way it's been for Cougar basketball," Bennett said. "It's fitting."
"Man we'll miss those guys," he added.
Taylor Rochestie scored eight of his 16 points in overtime as Washington State (23-7, 11-7) won at least 11 Pac-10 games for the second consecutive season, the first time in program history that has happened.
Ryan Appleby missed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied the game in the second overtime for Washington (16-15, 7-11). Jon Brockman, the Huskies' best player, went down hard after battling for a rebound late in the second overtime and had to be helped off the court.
He was seen leaving Friel Court on crutches. Coach Lorenzo Romar would say only that Brockman, who averages 17 points and leads the Pac-10 with 11.6 rebounds per game, had an ankle injury. His status for the conference tournament was unclear.
"I'm really proud of our team," Romar said. "We have grown up out on the court and are playing our best basketball right now."
The game was close throughout, although the Huskies needed a 14-6 run late in the second half to take a 58-54 lead with 1:41 left.
Then Weaver hit a pair of free throws for Washington State and Brockman missed a shot on the other end for Washington.
Cowgill was fouled making a layup to tie the score at 58 with 14.4 seconds left, but missed a free throw that would have given the Cougars the lead.
Weaver stole the ball as Washington was dribbling up court in the closing seconds and rushed the other way, but his long shot as time expired hit the rim and the game went to overtime.
"I thought I had a layup, but I saw those zeros coming (on the clock)," Weaver said.
Joe Wolfinger opened the first extra session with a 3-pointer for Washington, but Rochestie replied with a 3. Venoy Overton scored a basket and later made one of two free throws for a 64-61 Washington lead, and Rochestie hit another 3 to tie the score at 64 with 1:50 left.
Justin Dentmon scored from underneath to give Washington a 66-64 lead with 1:21 left.
The two teams traded free throws, before Cowgill grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to knot the game at 67 with five seconds left. Washington could not get off a shot and the game headed to another overtime.
Washington State scored the first four points of the second overtime, on a free throw by Weaver and a three-point play by Aron Baynes.
Appleby's 3-pointer pulled Washington within 71-70, but Cowgill, who finished with 10 points, hit a jumper for a 73-70 lead, then Washington State got free throws from Baynes and Rochestie to push the lead to six.
Appleby made a 3-pointer to pull Washington within 76-73 with 41 seconds left. Washington State used up time on its possession, but eventually turned the ball over with less than 10 seconds left. Appleby's long 3-point at the buzzer missed.
"I thought it was going to go in," said Appleby, who finished with 16 points, including 4-of-10 3-pointers. "I think all my shots are going to go in."
"It felt good, but I didn't have a lot of balance," Appleby said.
Bennett is now 5-0 against Washington, while Romar fell to 5-8 against the Cougars.
