2/4/2010

SEATTLE (AP) -Quincy Pondexter scored 30 points and Venoy Overton sank six free throws late in the final minute to vault defending conference champion Washington back into a wild Pac-10 race with an 81-75 victory over Arizona on Thursday night.

Overton made his deciding free throws in the final 49 seconds for the Huskies (15-7, 5-5 Pac-10), after the Wildcats (11-10, 6-4) battled back from 10 points down to within 73-71 late.

Second-place Washington, 0-6 on the road this season, improved to 33-2 at home since the start of last season.

California, the conference's co-leader entering the night, also lost at Southern California. So victorious UCLA and Arizona State are in a four-way tie with the Wildcats and Bears for the Pac-10 lead at 6-4.

Freshman Lamont Jones had 14 points for Arizona, which had won their last four games. Leading scorer Nic Wise was just 4-for-17 from the field.