Huskies Get a Little Help

Overtime became Nate Robinson time Thursday night.

Washington’s diminutive point guard, who must deal with chants of “Ga-ry Cole-man” aimed at him on the road, came up huge while making himself at home in Staples Center, leading the second-seeded Huskies to a white-knuckle, 95-90 overtime defeat of seventh-seeded Arizona State.

Robinson, who is 5 feet 9, willed his team to victory in the extra period of the Pacific 10 Conference tournament game, not allowing the Sun Devils’ tying basket in the last second of regulation to deflate the Huskies.

“I told Coach [Lorenzo Romar], ‘Enough of this running the clock out. We’ve got to score, attack them,’ ” said Robinson, who scored six of his season-high-tying 29 points in the overtime period.

Washington (25-5) will meet third-seeded Stanford (18-11) in a semifinal at 8:45 tonight.

Arizona State (18-13) was led by guards Kevin Kruger and Steve Moore, both of whom scored 22 points.

Forward Ike Diogu, the Pac-10 player of the year, had 21 points, 13 rebounds and a tournament-record five blocks in 45 minutes.

“It was an unbelievable effort in terms of scrapping,” Romar said. “We did not lose our composure; we just stayed together.”

Early on, it looked like a Husky rout. Washington led, 52-34, with less than a minute left in the first half but played conservatively after halftime.

The Sun Devils eroded the Husky lead by converting Washington turnovers and making three-pointers, Arizona State finally catching the Huskies at 72-72 with 5:35 to play.

The final minute of regulation began with Washington holding a four-point advantage, 81-77, but two Allen Morill free throws with 50.4 seconds on the clock and a Steve Moore basket with 14.8 seconds to go tied the score, 81-81.

Then began the scramble.

Washington worked the ball around the perimeter before Will Conroy found Hakeem Rollins in a seam and he threw down a dunk with 7.3 seconds remaining.

But before the Huskies could celebrate, Arizona State quickly inbounded and a driving Moore finger-rolled in the tying basket with 0.4 on the clock, just over the outstretched arms of Brandon Roy and sending the game into overtime.

In the extra period, Kruger’s three-pointer from the right wing at the 4:14 mark gave the Sun Devils an 86-85 advantage, their first lead since 2-0.

It was Arizona State’s lone overtime field goal. They are left to ponder the NIT and the future of besieged Coach Rob Evans.

Robinson made two acrobatic bank shots and converted two free throws to give his team enough room to exhale.

Said Robinson: “You have to find the will in your heart not to give up.”