Post Game Analysis: Playing Down To Your Competition Again!

How can you be disappointed in a blowout win?

With this Husky team, anything is possible.

USC is a horrible team. They are one of the worst shooting teams in the country (#340 in the nation). They miss 3’s, they miss layups, they miss free throws. They score under 60 points per game. Tonight they scored only 41. Yet, as has been the case in every game this year, the Washington Huskies let them hang around for far too long. Despite USC’s horrible play, they still had a chance with 10 minutes left.

Up 14? Why not take some bad shots, why not turn the ball over, keep letting USC heave the ball up there and give them a chance to come back. USC had their chances, but just could not get any open shot to fall. How is there a team this bad playing in a major conference? They should move down to the Big West or WCC…

The Washington Huskies won this game for one reason and one reason alone: Talent. Simply put, the Washington Huskies simply were too tall, too athletic, and too strong for this undermanned USC team to beat. But, it certainly was not for a lack of trying… The Huskies continue to show a lack of discipline. There are sloppy passes, not paying attention to who is behind you, and some plain bad shots. Sure, late in the game when USC was exhausted and demoralized, the Huskies turned a 10 point lead into a 30 point lead. But, for 30 minutes, the way they played was sloppy as they have all year.

In a 2 minute sequence midway through the 2nd half, I watched Mo Jones come behind a Husky player twice to just snag the ball away while UW wanted to run a fast break. I saw multiple blocks from behind on Husky post players going up for a layup. This is a lack of awareness of who is around you. The Huskies need to communicate better and see the floor better. They were really lucky tonight that USC shot just 30-something % from the field and under 50% from the free throw line.

By the way, there is a really good strategy that teams should employ when the ball goes inside. Just foul Aziz or Kemp. With Aziz shooting just 33% from the strip, why give him a chance to get a layup attempt up there?

I was glad to see the Huskies get it going late and turn a close game into a blowout. But, it would have been nicer had it been a blowout from the beginning. USC had no business thinking they still had a chance when they had 30 points on the board at 32% shooting. But, give the Huskies credit. They did not turn off the defensive pressure and the Huskies were able to score some big points late. So, sometimes when things are not going so well, it is important to find your groove late and close things out.

Nonetheless, the Huskies are 9-2 in the Pac-12 and putting themselves into position to get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Washington 69 USC 41