Jock Perry scored 21 points, Arinze Chidom had eight points and 12 rebounds and UC Riverside beat Washington 57-42 on Tuesday for coach Mike Magpayo’s first victory with the Highlanders.
UC Riverside led by as many as 13 points in the second haft, but Washington cut it to 44-38 with 9:03 remaining. That would be Washington’s final basket as the Huskies missed their final 12 shots down the stretch.
Magpayo missed UC Riverside’s opening loss to Pacific last Wednesday after flying back to southern California to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Magpayo, who is the first Division I men’s coach of Asian descent, was named the head coach in July after David Patrick accepted a coaching position at Arkansas.
Washington, which last led at 3-2, finished 16 of 52 (29.6%) from the field and was outrebounded 49-33 by the Highlanders of the Big West Conference.
Zion Pullin added nine rebounds and nine assists for UC Riverside (1-1). Perry was 9 of 15 from the field and Chidom 4 for 13.
Perry had 14 points in the first half on 7-of-10 shooting and Pullin had four points, six rebounds and seven assists as UC Riverside led 29-22 after forcing nine turnovers and not allowing an offensive rebound.
Quade Green scored 18 points for Washington (0-2), which returned just 35% of its scoring from last season and was picked by the media to finish ninth in the Pac-12. Hameir Wright had seven points, six rebounds and four steals, but he was just 1 of 10 from 3-point range.
It was a last-minute addition to the schedule for both teams. Washington lost to No. 2 Baylor on Sunday, and opted to stay in Las Vegas before its scheduled Pac-12 opener on Thursday at Utah. UC Riverside’s scheduled game against Fresno State on Monday was canceled do to a positive COVID-19 test within the Bulldogs program.
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