Washington Falls Short 76-73 Against Nevada

It’s clear that things just aren’t going to come easily this year. Just as Shawn Kemp Jr and Scott Suggs returned to the lineup, Andrew Andrews was kept out by an ankle injury. After Gaddy managed to get himself into quick foul trouble in the first half, the team was basically without a point guard, and that contributed to a 34-26 first half lead for Nevada.

Washington continued to struggle to begin the 2nd half, but after basically abandoning the high post offense once again, the team rallied and eventually even gained a brief lead with a few minutes remaining. In the end, that was not to last, as Gaddy missed the possible game-tying shot to end it down three.

Dec 8, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Nevada Wolf Pack guard Deonte Burton (24) shoots a layup between Washington Huskies forward Desmond Simmons (30) and Washington Huskies guard Abdul Gaddy (0) during the 2nd half at Alaska Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

There were some bright spots, such as C.J. Wilcox’s 21 points on 50% shooting and 7 rebounds and Desmond Simmons’ 13 boards. However, 39% shooting from the field compared to the 47% from the Wolfpack was simply too much, and Deonte Burton’s 29 points were simply unacceptable.

I’m not sure what exactly this team needs to do going forward. They are certainly capable of playing better than this, but the ceiling doesn’t seem all that high with the lack of experience and talent on the roster. Perhaps the high post offense is something that needs to be abandoned all together, rather than just after a tough first half. Either way, things need to change, as losing at home three times so far this year is not a recipe for success.