BY TODD DYBAS / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

The referees were pivotal, but not for the reasons you're thinking.

Yes, it's difficult to digest the same Huskies team that shot 43 free throws against the Bruins in Hec Ed was permitted only 10 trips to the line in Pauley Pavilion.

It's fair to take issue with that, but not because the Huskies were shorted on the road. It's an issue because of the extremes. It's unlikely Washington was deserving of 43 attempts at home. It's unlikely they were deserving of a paltry 10 attempts on the road.

But UCLA shot only 18 free throws itself, making this much clear: The referees' whistles had laryngitis, and this is where the Huskies failed.

Those dressed in stripes chose to let it go. Let Washington bang with UCLA. Turn loose two teams that talked about how physical the first game was when it was over.

Allow those bumps, those slaps. The referees waited for bangs and whacks, and, even then, thought about it before blowing the whistle.

This is a philosophy the Huskies should have majored in. Whistles away? Go bang. Go to the basket. Push, pulverize.

Put the press on. Reach, grab, body. Do not take the press off.

It was an effective element for Washington. The Huskies tortured UCLA backup Jerime Anderson, forcing Darren Collison's relief into five turnovers in seven minutes.

Collison himself struggled with the pressure, just as he had done recently against Cal and earlier in the season against Michigan. It's unclear why it was used as a salve instead of a driving force for the the second half.

But the groan count was too high. Too many plays that made fans' angst audible and justified. Josh Shipp's 3-pointer after the loose ball seemingly used navigation to roll to him. Nikola Dragovic pushing it up from under the rim. Any time Alfred Aboya hit a jumper.

Couple the head-shakers with the UCLA counterpunches. Justin Dentmon hits a 3-pointer, then Aboya drills a jumper and Collison weaves his way between two defenders for a layin. Isaiah Thomas scores, Collison comes back with a triple. Quincy Pondexter can't decide and misses during a 2-on-1, Shipp converts a 3-pointer three seconds later.

Combined, it was enough to elbow the Huskies back into crab fight.

This was the better personnel matchup of this week's two, and final, road conference games. USC is no treat, Washington lucky to beat it the first time though the Trojans were short their leading scorer.

Now danger lurks. This shiny Huskies team that has carried the city through the lull of January and February is in danger. Now it's a four-loss jumble in the Pac-10 standings, UCLA, Washington, Cal and Arizona State with equal right-hand columns.

Though the end of the season comes at home, Washington will be dealing with the eminently dangerous Arizona schools prior to get-well matchups with Seattle University and the Cougars during that run.

Washington needs one whistle now, a shrieking signal of Saturday's importance.

Todd Dybas is the editor of Seattlesportsonline.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tdybas@seattlesportsonline.com