University of Oregon
Washington State
Taylor's 26 Rescues Ducks in Pullman
01/15/05 | Men's Basketball
Freshman Bryce Taylor scored a career-high 26 points as Oregon won a hard-fought game in Pullman, beating Washington State, 55-52. Taylor was 10-of-14 from the field, including 6-of-8 from three-point land, helping Ernie Kent's team improve to 11-3 overall, 3-2 in conference play.
The Ducks trailed most of the game. But Oregon took a 53-52 lead with 41.7 seconds left on Aaron Brooks' 3-point play, and Maarty Leunen sank two free throws with 6.6 seconds to go.
The Cougars' Josh Akognon missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free-throw opportunity with 24.9 seconds left. Thomas Kelati launched a pair of 3-point attempts in the final second, but the first shot was blocked and sent out of bounds by Jordan Kent, 
and Kent pressured Kelati into shooting an air ball at the buzzer.
Kelati led Washington State (8-7, 3-3 Pac-10) with 15 points.
Taylor sank nine of his first 10 shots, including his first six 3-point attempts. He scored 16 points in the first half, but WSU led 26-24 at halftime.
Jeff Varem, who was leading Washington State in Pac-10 games with 17.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, was held to nine points and six rebounds. He did not score in the second half.
Brooks, who was leading Oregon with 20.3 points per game in conference play, scored all five of his points in the final 10 minutes.
Oregon's Malik Hairston and Washington State's Derrick Low, two of the five freshmen starters in the game, both scored 10 points. Hairston was the only other Duck to finish in double figures. Taylor's 26-point game ranks third in Oregon history for freshmen.
The 55-point total was a season low for Oregon.
Oregon returns home to hosts No. 16 Arizona on Thursday. The game will be aired live on Fox Sports Net.
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OREGON (11-3)
Platt 0-0 0-0 0, Crosswhite 1-3 2-3 4, Brooks 2-8 1-1 5, Hairston 4-6 1-4 10, Taylor 10-14 0-0 26, Kent 0-3 0-0 0, Leunen 0-4 2-2 2, Love 0-0 0-0 0, Lincoln 1-3 2-3 4, Oguci 0-0 1-2 1, Schafer 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 19-42 10-17 55.
WASHINGTON ST. (8-7)
Cowgill 2-7 4-4 8, Varem 3-5 3-4 9, Low 4-8 0-0 10, Kelati 4-12 4-4 15, Weaver 1-4 0-0 2, Akognon 2-5 0-1 5, Schlatter 1-2 0-0 3, Green 0-0 0-0 0, Harmeling 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-43 11-13 52.
Halftime_Washington St. 26-24. 3-Point goals_Oregon 7-17 (Brooks 0-3, Hairston 1-2, Taylor 6-8, Kent 0-1, Leunen 0-2, Lincoln 0-1), Washington St. 7-20 (Cowgill 0-1, Low 2-4, Kelati 3-10, Weaver 0-1, Akognon 1-3, Schlatter 1-1). Fouled out_None. Rebounds_Oregon 29 (Schafer 6), Washington St. 26 (Varem 6). Assists_Oregon 11 (Brooks 5), Washington St. 10 (Weaver 3). Total fouls_Oregon 16, Washington St. 17. A_4,109.
