Brandon Roy brings good luck wherever he goes.
Meeting with the media prior to Thursday night’s game, the Trail Blazers star talked about his memories of McArthur Court and what it was like being a Husky in Duck territory. Decked out in purple and his old No. 3 jersey, Roy said he remembers a lot of creative signs, especially toward his teammate Nate Robinson.
Just before the game, Roy and former Oregon head coach Dick Harter were given standing ovations as honorary captains, then watched as the Washington Huskies came from behind and trounced the Oregon Ducks.
Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar joked after the game that Roy, who was an All-American at Washington from 2002-06, is the team’s good luck charm.
“I think every time Brandon has come to a game, we’ve won,” Romar said. “Maybe that had something to do with it, I don’t know.”
The light moment was understandable for the Washington coach, whose team has struggled on the road this year in the Pacific-10 Conference. The Huskies showed why they are a team contending for a NCAA Tournament spot. They out-toughed the Ducks, muscling them out of the way for some monstrous dunks.
“We faced adversity,” Romar said. “The crowd got into it. Our guys got stops, defended and we were able to come up with the victory.”
The brightest spot was senior forward Quincy Pondexter, who looked like Roy at times, flying through the air for some big dunks. Pondexter, who is averaging 19.8 points per game, went off for 34, along with 10 rebounds and six assists. He had 20 in the first half, keeping the Huskies close when the Ducks went on an early run.
“I was a little bit more aggressive,” Pondexter said. “I felt like I was in a semi-slump there, and I just wanted to come out and prove to everybody that I am a quality player on the road, even though some don’t think so.”
Romar commended Pondexter’s play, saying his senior was “sensational,” but it was a team effort that got them the win in Washington’s last game at Mac Court. Guard Isaiah Thomas added 14 points and five rebounds, including two big threes back to back in the second half to stop Oregon rallies.
“We’ve become more of a veteran team as the year has gone on,” Romar said. “I hoped it would have been earlier, but it is what it is and I’m really happy how we’re playing on the road right now.”
Washington’s comeback started with just seconds left in the first half. Down 40-35 with 58 seconds to go, Justin Holiday tipped in his own miss with 39 ticks on the clock, and Thomas picked Tajuan Porter’s pocket for a buzzer-beating layup.
The Huskies took that momentum into the second half, taking the lead in the first minute. From there, Washington extended the lead to 16 with just over eight minutes left, and the team was well on its way to the 20th win of the season. Washington felt as if it had something to show, after being picked to win the conference at the beginning of the year.
“It’s something we took to heart,” Pondexter said. “We wanted to come out and prove to this team, to the conference and to the country that we should be called on Selection Sunday.”
As for Roy, he was given a standing ovation as soon as he entered the arena. Some fans were even bedecked in Blazer gear in honor of the NBA All-Star.
Roy spoke a bit to staying in school for all four years instead of making the jump to the NBA early, and he said the biggest piece of advice he can give to a player now is to not feel like he has to go early.
“I was able to play four years and I didn’t have any pressure,” Roy said. “At the time, people thought four-year guys couldn’t be successful in the NBA, but I continue to improve and work on each season. The biggest thing is don’t feel rushed. Enjoy this time. You have a lot of time to be an adult. Just enjoy college and the experience.”
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