The Husky Haul
Fansided

First Half Deficit Is Too Much For Washington Basketball

By Kevin Hart

SPOKANE, WA - DECEMBER 05: Jaylen Nowell #5 of the Washington Huskies puts up a shot against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the game at McCarthey Athletic Center on December 5, 2018 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeated Washington 81-79. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - DECEMBER 05: Jaylen Nowell #5 of the Washington Huskies puts up a shot against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the game at McCarthey Athletic Center on December 5, 2018 in Spokane, Washington. Gonzaga defeated Washington 81-79. (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /
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#13 Virginia Tech takes it to Washington basketball 73-61

A terribly lopsided first half found Washington basketball in a hole they were unable to dig themselves out of. Virginia Tech started hot and just didn’t slow down, going up 18 by halftime. After the lead stretched as high as 21, the Huskies came out in the second half to cut it to nine, but couldn’t get over the hump. Matisse Thybulle scored a team-high 16 points for the Huskies, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hokies with 24.

Offensive Issues

Call it outplayed, outmatched, call it what you will – the Dawgs just were simply unable to create good looks. Just like in the Gonzaga game, Hameir Wright and Noah Dickerson found themselves as nonfactors on the offensive side of the ball. Wright was held scoreless and without a rebound in seven minutes. Dickerson, who averages north of 16 points a game, was held to just seven before fouling out with two minutes left. Jaylen Nowell came into the game averaging nearly 19 points a game on 57% shooting went four for 13, only scoring ten. Nahziah Carter shot five of eight and scored 11 off of the bench.

After a first half of being entirely outmatched, giving up steals and lots of passes zipping into the first row, there were about three minutes during the middle of the second half where the Huskies really looked like they’d locked it in. Thybulle seemed to make everything from on the nearside, and, at one point, four of the five Huskies on the floor got touches and made perfect passes, leading to a wide open look for David Crisp at the top of the key. Unfortunately, that shot clanged off the rim and turned into two points the other way. Some nights are going to be like that, especially against a team as talented as Virginia Tech.

Matisse’s Big Night

A bright spot in a relatively forgettable evening of Washington basketball, Matisse Thybulle joined an elite group, scoring his 1000th point as a Husky.  By adding four from beyond the arc, he did his best to help the Huskies fight back in the second half, but he couldn’t do it alone.

https://twitter.com/UW_MBB/status/1074114640362098688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Looking Forward

The Huskies will look to bounce back in front of the Dawg Pack, returning to Hec Ed to face Sacramento State on Friday, December 21st. Tip-off at 6 P.M., available on the Pac-12 Network.

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