January 2010

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A Few More Thoughts on UW’s Thrashing of Wazzu

January 31, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 3 comments

Ted S. Warren / AP

Ted S. Warren / AP

I’d call it a statement game, but you know how I feel. . . It’s probably just about how you feel. Nothing the Huskies do at Hec Ed really matters until they prove they can do it on the road.

That said, I’d rather win by 28 than by eight. And, I’d rather see the Huskies attack a zone correctly than not. And, I’d rather see Justin Holiday’s Inspector Gadget arms shutting down Klay Thompson in a game that featured two conference Player of the Year candidates.

Here’s some more thoughts on the Huskies’ (dare I say it. . .? okay, fine) impressive win over the Cougs yesterday:

I can’t help but start with a criticism of the Husky bigs. This was the second straight game in which a big man not grabbing a rebound firmly enough led to a dumb turnover. A rebound came into Matthew Bryan-Amaning’s hands, and he just let it fall through, the ball rolling out of bounds. GRAB the ball!

If you have any question about who to root for in today’s Pac-10 Sunday tilt, the answer is Arizona, kind of. The Wildcats are 5-3, alone in 2nd place. Cal is 6-2, in first. If Cal wins, they’re two games ahead in the loss column, of the entire conference. Catching them will be difficult, even if the Huskies finish 8-1. If the Wildcats win, though, we’ll have two 6-3 teams sitting atop the conference, leaving the Huskies and four other teams two games back. So, go Cats!

I try to avoid getting on the refs, because good or bad, both teams play the game with the same refs. But, what’s up with Quincy getting tackled by James Watson and all three officials missing it? That didn’t say much for the caliber of referee in the Pac-10.

By the way, any refs out there reading? I have a bunch of ref-related questions, and think we could do a very fun feature out of an interview with a high school or college ref. Please shoot me an email if you’re reading this…

So, next year, I’m thinking Isaiah will almost certainly be our leading scorer. But, the heart of our team, and the leader? Ladies and gentleman, introducing, senior guard, Venoy Overton. Right?

Wanna hear something interesting about Venoy? In person, when he’s talking to the press, he’s got one of the quietest speaking voices I’ve ever heard. Who knows how he is in familiar, comfortable circumstances, but I’m always amazed by the difference between Venoy’s on-court demeanor the quiet, unassuming kid who comes out to talk to the media.

Speaking of Venoy, really nice examination of his fouling tendencies, and whether he belongs in the starting lineup at Seattle Sportsnet, which does a fantastic job covering the local sports scene.

I know what I said earlier, but if we can beat the Arizona schools next week, we’ve got to be capable of getting a few wins on the road, right? (Dammit, optimistic Josh! I told you to stay asleep until we hit the road for the Bay Area!)

I love how the team works to get Brendan Sherrer the ball when he checks in, and he’s got two points in each of the last two games. What about taking a similar approach with a guy like Justin Holiday, Clarence Trent or Darnell Gant late in a big game? Run the offense with one of those guys essentially “playing” Quincy Pondexter, and get a few possessions to see how these guys look trying to create their own offense. I’m just curious.

Klay Thompson can shoot (generally, but not yesterday), but he’s not an NBA guy yet. He might lead the country in scoring next season, though.

The quality difference between DeAngelo Casto and Matthew Bryan-Amaning is not all that big, but it’s the difference between what the Huskies have and what the Huskies need.

Thanks for coming!

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Huskies Dominate WSU, 92-64

January 31, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 4 comments

The Washington Huskies (4-5, 14-7 overall) defeated the Washington State Cougars (4-5, 14-7 overall), 92-64, on Saturday afternoon at Hec Ed.

The least you should know:

The game was a tale of two halves if there ever was one. The Cougars led 40-36, and outplayed the Huskies in the first half. The Dawgs, though, won the second half 56-24 and turned the game into a blowout with several minutes left.

Quincy Pondexter had 19 points in the first half and finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Isaiah Thomas has only two points in the first half, but propelled the Huskies in the second, finishing with 19 points.

Washington defenders, particularly Justin Holiday, held super-scorer Klay Thompson to seven points on 2-15 shooting.

To read the rest of the game post (for free, of course), please click here to go over to UDubSports.com.

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Game Preview: “Apple Cup of Hoops” (game #21)

January 29, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | No comments

Cougs preview copyWho: Washington Huskies (3-5, 13-7 overall) vs. Washington State Cougars (4-4, 14-6 overall)

When: Saturday, 12:30 PM

Where: Hec Edmundson Pavilion

Huskies 101: UW is calling it “The Apple Cup of Hoops.”

I’m calling it the first game of the Huskies’ “Ten and Your In” portion of the season. The task is no easy feat, but it’s nearly impossible to argue that the Huskies wouldn’t earn an NCAA bid — conference champs or not — if they can win the final ten games on their schedule.

The Huskies are fresh off dominating Seattle U. (123-76), after tough losses in Souther California to UCLA (62-61) and USC (87-61)

As we’ve said before, there’s very little the Huskies can do to prove to themselves, or anyone watching, that they can win on the road until they do. So, truly, I’m just excited for this homestand to be finished — assuming the team can win the next three.

Projected lineup: G – Abdul Gaddy, G – Isaiah Thomas, F – Justin Holiday, F – Quincy Pondexter, F – Tyreese Breshers

Wazzu 101: Washington State, in its first year under Ken Bone has been better than expected. The team comes in after splitting last weekend in Southern Cal — defeating USC, but losing to UCLA.

Guard Klay Thompson is tied for ninth in the country in scoring (22.3 ppg) and is second on the team in rebounds (5.0) and assists (2.5). Point guard Reggie Moore (14.4 ppg, 4.6 apg) is one of the best freshman in the Pac-10.

Forward DeAngelo Casto (10 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.1 bpg) is one of my favorite non-Huskies. He’s, essentially, what Husky fans want Matthew Bryan-Amaning to be: a decent, but not great, scorer who finds ways to impact the game even when he’s not in an offensive rhythm.

Projected lineup: G – Reggie Moore, G – Klay Thompson, G – Abe Lodwick, G – Marcus Capers, F – DeAngelo Casto

The Huskies will win if: Hec Edmundson Pavilion does not suddenly disappear overnight, forcing the game to be played elsewhere.

The Dawgs will win if Justin Holiday keeps a hand in Klay Thompson’s face all night. It’s silly to think Thompson won’t get his points, but keeping him in the teens, as opposed to the high 20′s, could be a difference maker.

The Dawgs will win if they pressure the rookie point guard and contain him. Moore has had three 5+ turnover games and they’ve all been on the road. And, since Thompson might go off no matter what the Huskies do, and DeAngelo Casto is, at his best, twice as good as any Husky big man, Moore is the one the Dawgs must shut down.

The Huskies will lose if: The Huskies will lose if Tuesday’s game, which felt more like an exhibition, gave them any kind of sense that they were out of the woods. This is a team that needs to play with a chip on its shoulder, and play as the underdog. Let’s hope nobody on the team looks at the (way too large) eight-point spread on the game.

The Dawgs will lose if they only don’t find something new on offense. This is really a note about every game after this one, but they’ve got to get someone going as that third option. The second time around the lineup in baseball, a pitcher needs something new to fool hitters. And the second time around the Pac-10 schedule, the Dawgs need something new too. Paging Mr. Elston Turner.

A humble suggestion: Give the three-guard lineup (IT, Gaddy and Venoy on the floor all at once) a try again at some point tomorrow. Not to start, of course, but as a change of pace. It didn’t look good early in the season when we tried it, but we’re not doing much inside anyway. Put those guys on the court with Holiday and Quincy, allowing Quincy to guard Casto, and see what happens. Just a thought. (Could be a bad thought, admittedly.)

Predictions: I have as much faith as I had in the Huskies coming into the season at home. The second half against Oregon was a fluke — this is a top-25 team at home. I predict another strong performance, devoid of “cool jackets” and all of the other ugliness we’ve seen at times.

Another win. Another game closer to showing they can do it on the road. Huskies, 86-79.

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What’s To Be Of Our Huskies?

January 28, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 10 comments

b royBefore we get into this morning’s thoughts on Husky hoops, two big hurrahs!:

Congrats to Will Conroy who’s back in the NBA after signing a 10-day contract with the Rockets.

And, super congrats to Brandon Roy who made the Western Conference All-Star Team again.

***

Instead of watching a Husky game Thursday night, I was sitting there trying to figure out what the rest of this unpredictable season might hold. It really is impossible to know what to expect with these guys. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try. Here’s my best guess, based on what we’ve all seen, as to what’s going to happen the rest of the way.

Today: The Dawgs are 13-7, 3-5 in the Pac-10 — good for eighth place. Cal leads the league with a 5-2 record, 2 1/2 games ahead of the Dawgs.

Saturday, at home vs. Wazzu: Tight game. Huskies win.  Hopefully (14-7, 4-5) their record at at that point is good enough for sixth place.

Thursday, Feb. 4, at home vs. Arizona: I think this might be the toughest matchup in the league for the Huskies. Still, if they play with fire, the Dawgs can beat anyone at Hec Ed. Another win. (15-7, 5-5)

Saturday, Feb. 6, at home vs. ASU: I actually think this is easier than the game against the Wildcats. We’re about halfway through the Pac-10 season and nothing about Arizona State actually scares me. We’ll solve their gimmick D and run away with this one. (16-7, 6-5)

Thursday, Feb. 11, at Cal: Just can’t see how we win this one. But even staying close in this one should give the Dawgs confidence going into Saturday. This also has blowout potential for the Dawgs as Cal will look to avenge their loss at Hec Ed. (16-8, 6-6)

Saturday, Feb. 13, at Stanford: Stanford’s got a few talented players, but I don’t think we won that first game simply because we were at home. This is the Huskies first win on the road all year, coming just in time to keep their remote hopes of a conference championship alive. (17-8, 7-6)

Thursday, Feb. 18, at home, USC: Tough to imagine the Huskies beating the Trojans after the hurting they put on the Dawgs in LA. Too tough for me to imagine. The good vibes of the Stanford win evaporate in a heartbreaker, as the Dawgs pull out to an early lead only to lose a close one. (17-9, 7-7)

Saturday, Feb. 20, at home, UCLA: The Dawgs bounce back on national TV, hoping the selection committee loses all video of the Huskies on the road and chooses them solely based on their blowout win in this game. Dawg domination on Quincy’s last game at Hec Ed — if they can bounce back from the USC loss two nights before. (18-9, 8-7)

Saturday, Feb. 27, at Wazzu: Tough game. Good matchup. If WSU finds themselves in the hunt for the conference championship, watch out Huskies. I’ve seen enough from Quincy Pondexter to think there’s an extra gear he’s going to turn on as the number of games he has left ticks down to a small handful. Big — possibly season preserving — win for the Huskies in Pullman. (19-9, 9-7)

Thursday, Mar. 5, at Oregon: Call this Ernie Kent’s third-to-last game, since that’s likely what it is. The beaten-down Ducks are mired near the bottom of the Pac-10 despite a talented roster, and Kent is, literally, a lame Duck. Meanwhile, the Huskies are two games out of first with two games to go. Dawgs win. (20-9, 10-7)

Sat., Mar. 7, at Oregon State: Book your tickets and hotel rooms now. The Huskies have a chance to earn a share of the Pac-10 regular-season title if they can beat the Beavers in Corvallis and Stanford finds a way to upset Cal. I see the Dawgs winning here. Stanford, though? No way. The Huskies fall a game short and finish tied for second in the Pac-10 with Arizona State. (21-9, 11-7)

Pac-10 Tournament: I love the idea of the Dawgs coming in with so much momentum and winning the whole thing, but I really can’t see it. Maybe we win a game or two, but ASU or Cal outside of Hec Ed? Nah. I’m saying we go ‘one and done’ in LA. (22-10, 11-7)

Selection Sunday: The type of finish I described would likely leave the Dawgs as a Bubble Team. In a different year, second or third in the Pac-10 would do it. This year? I’m not so sure. My gut tells me that this team, despite gathering hopefully together on Selection Sunday, is invited to the NIT, not the NCAA.

What do you think? Am I smoking something to think we’ll only lose two more times the rest of the regular season? Should I not have faith?

Would you rather read more about our road struggles? :-) Let’s hear what you think we’ll see the rest of the way…

Thanks for coming!

Clarence Trent Dunk; Are We Better Without I.T.?

January 27, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 4 comments

Ryan Pettit / UDubSports.com

Ryan Pettit / UDubSports.com

First, thanks to reader UWHoop, who passed along this link to highlights from Tuesday’s game, including the redonkulous Clarence Trent dunk late in the game. You can blitz through to about the 2:45 mark in the clip if you just want to see the dunk.

***

I’ve also seen a little bit out there in the Huskyverse, after Tuesday’s domination of Seattle U., asking whether there’s a case to be made that the Dawgs might actually be better off without Isaiah Thomas on the court.

I don’t think so.

Yes, there are there times that the Huskies look like they’re just standing around while Isaiah dribbles the ball. And, there have been nights when Isaiah has been as guilty as anyone of playing a one-dimensional game, over-penetrating and forcing up bad shots.

But, pound for pound, other than Quincy Pondexter, is there really a player who contributes more to the Huskies than Isaiah?Or better yet, is there someone who could replace his scoring night-in and night-out?

I don’t need to rattle off an entire list of his skills — you know what I.T. brings to the table. But, I will point out his improved defense, and his recent trend of trying to involve teammates more.

And, I’ll point out that other than Pondexter, Isaiah is the only player on the team capable of completely taking over a game.

It’s tempting to look at last night and wonder why we can’t win every game by 47. And, seeing guys like Elston Turner and Justin Holiday shoulder the scoring load might’ve been enough for some fans to wonder ‘what if?’.

So, yeah, my sense is that, disappointing as this season has been so far, we’d be much worse off without our occasionally infuriating, 5’8″ dynamo from Tacoma.

Thanks for coming!

Further Thoughts and Observations After the Huskies’ Big Win Over Seattle U.

January 27, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 10 comments

Elaine Thompson / AP

Elaine Thompson / AP

Nothing but a road win by the Huskies is going to excite me at this point, but Tuesday’s game was the third straight dominant effort by the Huskies at home.

Here’s some of my thoughts after watching the game:

This one really wasn’t in doubt after the first few minutes. When the Huskies built a 21-2 with 13:27 left in the first half, I wrote in my notes: “Is it garbage time already?”

Charles Garcia’s intentional foul on Quincy was inexcusable. It wasn’t particularly hard, but pushing a guy in the back from behind is a recipe to really hurt someone. Frustrated or not, to have so little regard for someone’s well-being, especially someone in such a similar position in life (trying to make a career of playing ball and avoid a major injury in college) was not cool, and said something pretty bad about Garcia to me.

But, Q-Pon got the last laugh. If you’re an NBA scout, based on this game, you can’t tell me Garcia was more impressive, right? Particularly since Quincy’s learned to shoot. Attention Isaiah Thomas: ask Quincy for Ryan Appleby’s phone number. (Former Husky Appleby worked with Quincy on his shot this off-season, and it’s obviously paid off.)

I’ve never seen people head for the exits with 13 minutes left. But, with the Dawgs up 83-38, it started. And, then with 11:33 left, it really started to empty out at Hec Ed.

Venoy’s our third scoring option officially now, right? Maybe it’s not the ideal spot for the scoring to come from, but he’s proven he can do it.

So, how does this work?: Seattle U. beats Oregon State by 51. We beat Seattle U. by 47. But, we only beat Oregon State by six. That’s why they play the games, I guess.

The biggest suspense in the second half was whether someone would be stupid enough to throw a punch as the game got chippier and chippier. If not for the connection between the coaches (and the players’ knowledge that their coaches would not look kindly on an altercation), I get the sense that this would’ve degenerated to, at least, some pushing and shoving by the end.

The second half really felt more similar to the exhibition against Central Washington than any other game this season.

Good practice for the Dawgs against the press. But, I get the sense that a good team that pressed the Huskies for a significant portion of the game would give them some big problems.

The crowd was calling for him with more than 10 minutes left in the game, so I loved seeing Brendan Sherrer score his first points. Also loved Clarence Trent’s sick dunk in the second half. (If anyone happens to have or locate video, please let me know so I can post it!)

On a night where it felt like everyone scored a lot, the four Husky “bigs” combined for only 16 points, equal to or less than what four other players scored themselves.

I wonder about the scheduling: mixing a game like this in between always tough road games in Southern Cal and a difficult home game against Wazzu. This lopsided win could be great for the Dawgs. . . Or, it could provide a false sense of security. We’ll see on Saturday.

Not that it’s an excuse for losing by 47, but making the Redhawks play in sleeves doesn’t seem fair.

Charles Garcia is a legit NBA prospect. There, I said it. (I was planning to write more about this until his mean-spirited foul on Quincy, but I’m banning further praise of Garcia on Montlake Madness for the time being, so I’ll leave it at that.) YOU, of course, can praise whomever you like in the comments section, but all you’ll get from me is silent nodding when it comes to big Charles.

Thanks for coming!

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Huskies Blow Out Redhawks, 123-76, Spoil Dollar’s Homecoming

January 27, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | No comments

The Huskies (13-7, 3-5) defeated the Seattle Redhawks (9-12), 123-76, on Tuesday night at Hec Ed to snap a two-game losing streak.

The least you should know:

The Huskies thoroughly dominated throughout. They held 18-0, 30-5, and 61-20 leads before holding steady in a choppy second half slowed by 56 fouls.

Quincy Pondexter had 22 points and seven rebounds in the first half, outscoring Seattle U. all by himself before the break. He finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds.

The Huskies might’ve missed him on another night, but Isaiah Thomas missing the game due to a flu-like illness only meant more fun for the other Huskies, six of whom scored in double figures.

To read the rest of the game post (for free, of course), please click here to go over to UDubSports.com.

Game Preview: UW vs. Seattle U. (game #20)

January 25, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 1 comment

UW Seattle preview copyWho: Washington Huskies (3-5, 12-7 overall) vs. Seattle Redhawks (9-11 overall) in a non-conference contest

When: Tuesday, 7:00 PM

Where: Hec Edmundson Pavilion

Huskies 101: The Huskies are coming off losses to UCLA (62-61) and USC (87-61) this past weekend in southern California. While the UCLA effort was a mixed bag for the Dawgs that could’ve just as well ended in a Husky victory, the USC game was a complete disaster.

At his press conference Tuesday, and then during The Lorenzo Romar Show on KJR, Coach Romar put an emphasis on mis-cues and a lack of concentration on the defensive end when explaining his thoughts on the two losses.

The Huskies play four home games in the next twelve days before playing five of their last seven away from Hec Ed. Since the Dawgs have not won away from home all season, there’s only so much the team can do for its own (or for fans’) confidence until they get the chance to prove themselves on the road again in mid-February.

Husky leader Quincy Pondexter had his worst game of the season against USC, finishing with only two points, while Venoy Overton had his best scoring game of the year and finished with 18.

As a team, the Huskies managed only five assists against USC.

Projected lineup: G – Abdul Gaddy, G – Isaiah Thomas, F – Justin Holiday, F – Quincy Pondexter, F – Tyreese Breshers

Seattle U tale of tape copy

Seattle U. 101: The Redhawks are in the midst of a transition from Division II to Division I, and are currently independent of a conference, and will not be eligible for the NCAA Tournament until 2012-13.

In his first season coaching the team, former Husky assistant Cameron Dollar has led the Redhawks to a 9-11 record so far this season. Dollar was Romar’s top assistant, and coached alongside him from 1999 until leaving for the Seattle U. job.

While the team has lost six of its last nine games, Seattle U. had impressive wins at Utah and at Oregon State (by 51 points) this year.

The Redhawks also bring in a player of unique intrigue to UW. Charles Garcia is a 6’9″ power forward who leads the Redhawks in scoring (20.7 ppg), rebounding (9.1 rpg) and shotblocking (.9 bpg). Garcia originally committed to play for the Huskies but was not admitted to the school. While the official reason is that Garcia did not qualify academically, there’s been great sentiment among fans and media that there’s a layer to the story that hasn’t been made public.

The Redhawks start four players 6’5″ or taller and have four players averaging double figures.

As a team, Seattle U. commits 17.4 turnovers per game.

Projected lineup: G – Cervante Burrell, F – Mike Boxley, F – Aaron Broussard, F – Gavin Gilmore, F – Charles Garcia

The Huskies will win if: They remember that every game from here on out is a must-win. If they lose focus and get caught up in the emotional return of Cameron Dollar to Hec Ed this game could go from feel-good reunion to absolute disaster for the Dawgs.

The Dawgs will win if they excel on the defensive end. While the two straight 61-point efforts by the Huskies are concerning, the Dawgs look at their best when they’re forcing turnovers and scoring with hard-to-miss shots in transition.

The Dawgs will win they can contain Charles Garcia on the inside. Garcia has three 30+ point games this season and has no hesitance to take over inside. Will the Husky bigs be able to stop him from scoring at will?

The Huskies will lose if: The team takes an all-or-nothing defeatist approach to this season and loses its hunger now that a repeat Pac-10 championship seems very unlikely.

The Dawgs will lose if they overlook this non-conference game knowing they can’t do anything to the Pac-10 standings until Saturday against Wazzu.

A humble suggestion: Think Matthew Bryan-Amaning has a chance to outplay Charles Garcia Tuesday? Probably not, which is exactly why Coach Romar needs to give Matthew a lot of minutes and the chance to shut the critics up with regards to Big Chuck. MBA plays better when he’s got confidence and swagger, and Matthew knows many fans wish Charles Garcia, not he, were the Huskies #1 option in the post this year. I sense that MBA will come out fired up Tuesday, and that the game could be a real confidence builder for him if he plays well.

Predictions: I predict that the Huskies on Tuesday will look like they did in games against Montana or Oregon State, when the team won, but didn’t shine. I just can’t see the Dawgs not being a little hungover with only 72 hours between the USC debacle and this game.

I do predict, though, that the Huskies will win this one, 80-73. After all, they’re at home.

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I’m Still Not Giving Up, But What’s Your Post-Huskies’ Rooting Plan?

January 25, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 6 comments

sad huskyEverything I have to say about the Dawgs this morning would be repetitive. What more can be said about such a disappointing weekend?

I’m certainly not giving up — not with the team only 2 1/2 games back in such an inconsistent league. But, I’ve leveled all of the criticisms I have for right now, and there’s officially nothing the Huskies can do over this four-game homestand to convince me they’re capable of doing anything at all outside of Hec Ed.

February 11th at Cal is the next time my mind will be open to the idea that the Huskies can possibly win a game on the road. Until then, I’m guessing we’ll go 6-5 the rest of the way, lose our first game in the Pac-10 Tournament (since it’s not in our building) and hope on March 14th that the NIT or CBI comes calling.

I am, however, excited to see what Coach has to say during his press conference later today. Will there be a plan to change the team’s fortunes? A change in the lineup or on-court strategy? Looking forward to hearing what Coach has in mind.

***

For me, this was the weekend when I started to come to terms with the fact that March Madness might be pretty quiet around our way.

I really do enjoy having someone to root for in the Tournament, and it got me wondering, how do other diehard Dawg fans tend to root if the Huskies don’t make the Tournament, or after they’ve been eliminated.

Me? I’d root Pac-10 all the way, since I’m so much more familiar with the teams in our league than the rest of the country. And I’d probably pull for the (few) New York teams that make the Tourney now and then: St. John’s, Manhattan, Binghamton.

What about you? Let me know in the poll below, and expand on your answer if you’d like in the comments section.

When the Huskies' season is over, who do you pull for in the NCAA Tournament? (choose as many as you'd like)

View Results

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Thoughts and Observations on the Huskies’ 87-61 Loss to USC

January 24, 2010 in Uncategorized by Themod | 7 comments

stephesonWell, you only have to scroll down a couple of posts to see how little I know.

I really thought the momentum with the Huskies would go the other way after the near-win at UCLA. (Maybe the fact that I was heartened by a “near-win” on the road says all that can be said about how this season’s gone so far.)

Last night, the Huskies were bad and the Trojans were good. The result was the Huskies’ worst loss in about three years. Here’s some thoughts on the loss:

Even at their best this year, it’s hard to imagine the Huskies beat this USC team when it’s going on all cylinders. While the Huskies have some very talented individuals, somehow, with all of the program’s issues, Kevin O’Neill has put together a balanced team of players who fit together beautifully.

When Abdul Gaddy got off to the good start, scoring the Huskies’ first four points, why take him out less than five minutes into the game?

Scott Suggs was on the floor 15 minutes and took two shots. If he’s gonna play, he’s gotta shoot.

I’m trying to look at our team objectively for a minute, and really we can’t be too surprised that they’re struggling, right? Here’s some of the things the team isn’t doing well right now: defending the interior, defending the three-pointer, shooting from the outside, scoring on the inside, winning on the road. That’s not good, right?

Going to the zone was a neat idea. But, the Huskies looked like they knew they were compromising out there. Almost like Coach calling for the change in defense was an admission that they were overmatched tonight (which they, of course, were).

I don’t know if he’s looking for style points or what, but Tyreese Breshers has a nasty habit of pulling down rebounds with one hand. Tonight he got burned for it by losing a ball out of bounds.

Again, a 9-4 run by the Trojans to start the second half. Whatever’s happening in the locker room at halftime, the coaching staff needs to do, or say, the opposite.

If the game could be summarized in one play, it was with about 11 minutes left, the Huskies down 13. The Dawgs put together their best defensive stand of the game, and with the shot clock almost at zero, forced Mike Gerrity into a crazy 25-footer. It bounced wildly off the rim. . . and right into the hands of Nikola Vucevic, reseting the shot clock. Ugh.

Speaking of Gerrity, he had seven assists. The Huskies had a grand total of five.

Tough night for Quincy, and a bad night for his draft prospects, I think. Marcus Johnson may not quite be an NBA-level talent, but he’s an NBA-level athlete, and Quincy couldn’t do anything against him at all.

I love Coach Romar, and hope he’s the Husky coach forever. But we’re clearly not getting consistent performances this season, or finding a way to win with what we have.

I still don’t think the season is lost. Not in this Pac-10. Just when you thought Arizona State was in pole position to pull away in the Pac-10, they lose by 19 at home to the Wildcats last night. But. . .

Each loss makes it more and more likely that the Huskies will need to peak during the Pac-10 Tournament, and win it, to make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament this season.

For most of the season, the coverage of the team’s losses has generally criticized the poor effort by this talented team. Tonight, I’m wondering if the problem has actually been the talent and not the effort.

Thanks for coming!

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