Washington Huskies WBB Advancing With Season’s Best Basketball
By Bret Stuter
Third-Seed University of Washington Huskies WBB Crushed Sixth-Seed University of Oklahoma Sooners 108-82 To Advance to Sweet 16
This was a game the University of Washington Huskies needed to win. Beyond the “one and done” nature of the NCAA Tournament format, this is a special season, a special team. A team that has made it commonplace to set records, to do that which no individual has done before.
Now, these individuals are winning big, together.
Washington defeats Oklahoma 108-82 at Alaska Airlines Arena to advance to the #Sweet16#GoDawgs #HuskiesMarch pic.twitter.com/FdOoj1jJR4
— Washington Women’s Basketball (@UW_WBB) March 21, 2017
This is a season of individual records. Individual records of single game scoring, single season scoring, career scoring. Of single game rebounds.
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A New And Important Record Is Set
But no record should be more relished and important than this lone humble record for Kelsey Plum:
Kelsey Plum has recorded her first CAREER double-double with 35 points and 11 assists. #GoDawgs
— Washington Women’s Basketball (@UW_WBB) March 21, 2017
In a season of Kelsey Plum, this convincing win did not spring from the scoring of Kelsey Plum, but from her assists. In the first time in her career, Plum had a double double. Insignificant? Not really. Washington had four players in double figures all with at least 16 points.
Now, defenders of Kelsey Plum must guard not only her, but passing lanes around her. If the opposing team fails to account for Plum’s teammates, well, this can happen.
Washington set a new NCAA Tournament program record with 108 points and went over the century mark for the sixth time this season. #GoDawgs
— Washington Women’s Basketball (@UW_WBB) March 21, 2017
Chantel Osahor contributed 16 points, 15 rebounds and seven assist. Natalie Romeo also contributed 20 points for the winning Huskies.
Sweet Sixteen
The victory hurls the Washington Huskies into the sweet sixteen round. There, they will face second-seed Mississippi State in Oklahoma City, OK. The winner of that contest will meet the winner of Baylor vs. Louisville matchup. Then, it’s onto the final four. Last year, the Huskies were tuned away at the final four by Syracuse University.
This is a team of surprises. Kelsey Plum can score. Chantel Osahor can rebound and score in the paint. And now Natalie Romeo can score and do so from the perimeter. That’s a very difficult offensive arsenal to defend.
Role Reversed With Mississippi State Starters
But Mississippi State is no slouch. In fact, they use a very unorthodox style of substitutions. The Bulldogs start role players, and as teams switch out starters for breathers, send in former starters. Three of the top five minutes for the Bulldogs players came off the bench in the second round victory over Depaul.
The Huskies will be challenged in a new way versus Mississippi State. Can the Huskies’ starters absorb enough minutes to neutralize the depth of the Bulldogs? Or will the team shrewdly stagger rotations, forcing Missippi State to face some starters at all times?
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It will be a great chess match. One the Huskies must overcome to advance.