Washington’s Upset Bid Falls Short Against #22 Illinois

Washington came close, but its second-half rally wasn’t enough to topple No. 22 Illinois Sunday afternoon on Montlake. UW is now 10-5 (1-3 Big Ten) after the 81-77 defeat.

The Huskies got off to an ugly start, and it was fair to assume that they were in for a drubbing once the scoreboard read 21-8 in favor of the Illini. Slowly, Washington dipped into the lead throughout the first half but still trailed 42-31 going into the break.

UW shifted momentum in the second half, but not before another slow start. The Huskies were defending well but had no pulse offensively until Davis caught fire. His hot hand gave him a gravity that pulled Illinois off their respective match-ups and created driving…