Washington plays its way off the bubble and into the NCAA tournament

Finally, after a grueling 40 minutes, the Washington Huskies were handed the Pacific Life Pac-10 tournament championship trophy, and they went through the process of cutting down the nets at Staples Center.

Then, and only then, could forward Quincy Pondexter admit the concern that had been weighing on Washington. The Huskies knew the answer to the question, but were relieved that it will not be asked today when the NCAA selection committee meets to hash out the 65-team bracket.

Washington, the conference’s third-place team, took care of the good-enough-or-not conversation with a 79-75 victory over California to earn the Pac-10’s automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. California, the regular-season champion, is expected to go as well.

“We’re going to be able to sleep tonight,” Pondexter said and, before he could continue, Coach Lorenzo Romar chimed in, “Finally.”

Pondexter barreled on, like he had with the ball on the court, explaining that he, and the Huskies, had been preparing to go sleepless in Seattle.

“We were going to bed watching TV every night and saw we were in, we were on the bubble, we were off the bubble,” Pondexter said. “At the end of the day, we told each other if we handled business we didn’t need a committee to decide whether we’re good enough.”

Washington (24-9) took the unknown out of the equation by winning a fast-paced game. California (23-10) appeared to take control with a 14-0 run for a 67-61 lead with six minutes. The Huskies took it back.

Elston Turner’s five consecutive points took Washington a from a two-point deficit to a 71-68 lead. California, down 77-75, had a last gasp when guard Jerome Randle fired the ball off the rim on a free throw with four seconds left. The Bears got the rebound, but Randle was called for a lane violation.

Venoy Overton made two free throws with two seconds left and a sigh of relief could be heard from Washington’s bench all the way to the Pac-10 office in Walnut Creek, Calif.

“I thought we had done enough to probably get in the tournament, but I have watched Selection Sunday many years and seen teams with great resumes denied on that day,” Romar said.

The Pac-10 was facing the possibility of having only one team in the NCAA tournament had regular-season champion California won Friday. The conference will probably have only two teams for the first time since 1988.

“It would be astounding to me if the regular-season Pac-10 champion wasn’t in the tournament,” California Coach Mike Montgomery.

What followed was his pitch for a third team.

“Now we have to sit and wait and see if [regular-season second-place] Arizona State gets a bid,” Montgomery said. “We said all along that there are three teams that should be in the tournament.”

That the Pac-10 is 2-14 against teams currently in the top 25 helped create a different kind of perception. Pondexter saw only one way to change that opinion.

“We have to go into the NCAA tournament and show the Pac-10 is not as down as many people think,” said Pondexter, who had 18 points. “It was a really competitive league.”

Maybe, maybe not. But it was, at least, a really competitive tournament championship game.

Both teams played at a frantic pace, as if in hurry to get a good seat for the Selection Sunday shows. The lead changed hands 22 times and there were 12 ties. But as up-and-down as the pace was, Washington did enough defensively.

The Huskies handled Bears guard Jerome Randle, the conference’s player of the year. He made only three of 11 shots and finished with 12 points.

California made only five of 19 three-pointers and shot 42% from the field overall. Washington shot 53%. The Huskies also made 17 of 18 free throws.

Said Romar: “Thank goodness these guys made it happen and left no doubt that we belonged in the tournament.”

chris.foster@latimes.com

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