LAS VEGAS (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored 20 points and led Oregon’s dominating defense, helping the Ducks beat Washington 68-48 on Saturday night to become the second team to win four games in four days at the Pac-12 Tournament.
The sixth-seeded Ducks (23-12) rode their defense into the title game and continued their shutdown run right into the record books.
Showing no signs of fatigue after three games in three days, Oregon clamped down on the Huskies in the second half turning a close game into a 16-point lead. Pritchard led the charge up top with four steals and Kenny Wooten did his damage on the back line, blocking four shots.
Pritchard also had seven assists and six rebounds. Louis King had 15 points and Paul White added 14.
The Ducks join Colorado in 2012 as the only team to win four games in four days at the Pac-12 tournament by taking home their fifth title.
The top-seeded Huskies (26-8) looked like the tired team, struggling against Oregon’s defensive pressure.
Washington had a long scoring drought in the second half, shot 33 percent and went 5 for 23 from the 3-point arc. The Huskies had no double-figure scorers and could have some anxious moments on Selection Sunday.
The Ducks flew into the title by winning the first three of four they needed to earn an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
Oregon held Washington State and Utah under 55 points, and blocked 10 shots while rallying to beat Arizona State in overtime in the quarterfinals.
The Huskies had one fewer game after clinching a first-round bye, beating USC and Colorado by five points each.
Oregon and Washington split the regular-season series, each winning on the other’s home court.
