SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -—
Quincy Pondexter drove for a tiebreaking
bank shot with 1.7 seconds left, and 11th-seeded Washington
extended its remarkable late-season run into the NCAA tournament
with an 80-78 victory over Marquette in the first round of the East
Regional on Thursday night.Pondexter scored 18 points and Isaiah Thomas 19 as the Huskies (25-9) won their eighth straight game in dramatic fashion, rallying from a 15-point deficit with 13½ minutes left.
Washington made two late defensive stops before its senior leader drove by Jimmy Butler from the perimeter and scored the winning basket.
Lazar Hayward missed a half-court heave at the buzzer for the sixth-seeded Golden Eagles (23-11), who didn't manage a field goal in the final 4:33.
Washington will face the winner of third-seeded New Mexico's late game against Montana at the Shark Tank, which was filled with Huskies fans.
