Watts scores 28, but UW’s late rally falls short against Washington State

Rain City Sports editorial desk | October 26, 2026 | Game played October 25.

The final exhibition leaves a clear review

Washington lost 84–80 to Washington State on Sunday, October 25, at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. LeJuan Watts scored 28 points, Nikola Dzepina added 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Lathan Sommerville scored 19, but the Huskies could not complete a late comeback.

This was an exhibition, so the outcome does not give Washington a regular-season loss. Its value is in the evidence it supplies before the games begin to count: individual scoring contributions were substantial, while rebounding and perimeter efficiency left problems to address.

Leads disappear and the late shot is blocked

UW’s official recap records a first-half lead of as many as 10 points before Washington State recovered to lead 38–37 at halftime. The Huskies built another advantage after the break, but the Cougars answered again. Watts tied the score at 62–62 with 5:46 remaining before Ronnie Harrison made consecutive baskets to put WSU back ahead.

Washington still had a chance at the end. Trailing by eight with 46 seconds left, the Huskies rallied into position for a potential tying three. Harrison blocked Watts’ attempt, preserving the Cougars’ advantage and ending the last realistic chance to force a different finish.

Analysis: the closing response showed the game remained recoverable. It should not obscure the earlier stretches when Washington had a lead and failed to retain it. Understanding those possessions is more useful than treating the final blocked shot as the sole cause of the defeat.

The box score identifies the gaps

Both teams made 22 of 56 field-goal attempts, but Washington State made nine threes to UW’s six. The Cougars also led rebounds 40–32. Washington committed 12 turnovers against WSU’s 19, an advantage that did not become enough separation on the scoreboard.

Analysis: the rebounding margin matters because forcing a difficult shot is only part of a defensive possession. Securing the rebound is what ends it. Likewise, creating turnovers is valuable only when the following possessions produce enough good scoring opportunities to reward that work.

Individual scoring and the broader expectations

Watts, Sommerville and Dzepina combined for 63 of Washington’s 80 points. Analysis: that gives the Huskies identifiable sources of offense, but the next step is to connect those contributions to a steadier team performance. More reliable shooting and fewer extra opportunities for the opponent would reduce the need for a late rescue.

A published October 26 report carried by Yahoo Sports quoted Danny Sprinkle focusing on the rebounding failure: “We just didn’t rebound it.” That assessment matches the official 40–32 margin. It is a documented coaching perspective on this game, not a prediction of how the entire season will unfold.

Colgate opens the regular season

Washington hosts Colgate on Monday, November 2, at 7 p.m. Pacific at Alaska Airlines Arena. UW lists the game for streaming on B1G+. The Huskies therefore have time to work on the issues exposed by their final public rehearsal.

Analysis: the practical aim is to keep the scoring production while improving the possessions around it. A four-point exhibition defeat offers specific film to review without changing the regular-season record. The meaningful response will be whether Washington converts that review into stronger rebounding, better outside opportunities and more reliable control when it next establishes a lead.

Sources

• Washington Athletics: official exhibition recap (checked 2026-10-26)
• Washington Athletics: official game center and team statistics (checked 2026-10-26)
• Washington Athletics: official full box score (checked 2026-10-26)
• Yahoo Sports: postgame rebounding assessment and Sprinkle comment (checked 2026-10-26)

Analysis and recommendations are the editorial desk’s interpretation. Reporting and attributed perspectives are linked above. Information is current as of the publication date.