Slow Pace Can’t Stop Washington

The Washington Huskies didn’t look forward to playing grind-it-out Washington State.

“It was something we’re definitely not used to,” Jamaal Williams said. “You just have to tough it out.”

Nate Robinson scored 13 points and the No. 10-ranked Huskies moved into a tie for the Pacific 10 Conference lead with a 66-48 victory over the Cougars on Sunday.

Williams and freshman Joel Smith came off the bench to each score 10 points and help the Huskies win their 18th in a row at home and tie a school record with their 12th straight Pac-10 home victory. Washington is 16-2 overall and 6-1 in the conference.

The Huskies are tied for first with Arizona (6-1), which beat Oregon State, 92-83, Saturday night.

It wasn’t a classic Washington offensive performance. The Huskies shot a season-worst 35.9% from the field, but the ball-control Cougars had a lot to do with that.

The purple-clad student section didn’t appreciate the Cougars’ deliberate, slowdown tactics, chanting, “Boring, boring, boring,” in the second half.

Washington had been averaging 89.4 points, second in the nation. The Huskies had their lowest point total this season. They have scored 100 points or more in four games.

Thomas Kelati scored 12 points for Washington State (8-8, 3-4), which shot 37.5%.