Washington wants bragging rights as the No. 2 team in the state when it plays host to Seattle on Monday night.
The Huskies (8-3) are completing three straight games at home against in-state foes that includes an 87-69 victory against Eastern Washington and an 89-73 win over Washington State.
It’s safe to say No. 13 Gonzaga remains the top dog in the Evergreen State. The teams aren’t scheduled to play in the regular season.
The Huskies had season highs in points (89) and assists (18) last Wednesday against Washington State and shot 50 percent from the field, including 10 of 21 from 3-point range.
“I thought (Wednesday) was obviously the best that we’ve played, but the game is so much easier when you’re making shots,” first-year Huskies coach Danny Sprinkle said. “We’ve been getting those same looks in other games, and I still felt like we left a lot of points on the board.”
Guard DJ Davis led six UW players in double-digit scoring with a season-high 21 points, including three 3-pointers. Great Osobor added 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
The Huskies forced a season-high 22 turnovers, turning that into a 24-4 edge in points.
“We were aggressive, we were scrappy,” Sprinkle said. “We got a lot of deflections and a lot of steals. That’s what it’s going to take when you’re playing a really good offensive team.”
The Redhawks (4-8) have lost two in a row, including a 79-68 last Friday against UIC despite 22 points from Brayden Maldonado.
Seattle has won 20-plus games each of the past three seasons, including a share of the Western Athletic Conference’s regular-season title in 2021-22.
“I think we have good pieces, and I think these guys are getting along really well together, but how high of a level this team reaches, I don’t know,” Redhawks coach Chris Victor said. “We’re going to have to keep growing.”
Both teams could be short-handed up front.
Seattle’s Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe, who averages a team-high 13.9 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, has missed the past three games for undisclosed reasons and fellow forward Kobe Williamson has yet to play this season because of a broken foot.
Washington backup forward Wilhelm Breidenbach left late in the first half against the Cougars after falling and hitting his head while grabbing a rebound. He didn’t return and was put in the concussion protocol. Center Franck Kepnang has missed all but the first two games of the season with a knee injury.
The Redhawks haven’t defeated UW since 1978, losing 18 straight games, but they nearly snapped that streak last season before falling 100-99 in double-overtime. The Huskies had to rally from a 16-point deficit in the second half.
–Field Level Media
