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Instead, the Huskies played with more energy, more execution and purpose then at any point over the previous two days, rolling to a 93-63 win over the University of Portland at Hec Edmunson Pavilion in the final night of the World Vision Classic.
“I thought our guys put forth our best team effort tonight, not only in terms of sharing the basketball, but in terms of team defense and really helping each other out,” coach Lorenzo Romar said. “…I don’t think anyone had their own agenda. I think we played Husky basketball as a group.”
Playing their third game in as many days, the Huskies (3-0) showed no effects physically or mentally. Of course, a less than stellar performance Sunday in a 77-71 win over Florida Atlantic offered motivation.
“Yesterday we didn’t play too well, but coming in today we played with energy and played the right way,” said C.J. Wilcox, the tournament MVP and recently named Pacific-12 Conference player of the week, who scored 17 points.
Washington dominated the game from the opening tip and never trailed. The Huskies turned a 14-6 lead into a 32-18 cushion as Wilcox buried two 3-pointers and Abdul Gaddy and Terrence Ross also hit 3s in the run.
Washington shot a blistering 56 percent from the field in the first half and 54.5 percent from the 3-point range, taking a 43-23 lead at halftime.
Ross, projected to be the team’s best pure scorer, has averaged a mild 12.5 points per game. After Sunday’s game, Ross shook off any speculation about his offense, saying the points would come eventually.
And the points did come Monday. He led a group of six scorers in double figures with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including 6-for-8 shooting from 3-point range.
And while that was important to the Huskies’ success, it was Ross’ defense that earned him praise from Romar. Ross held Portland’s leading scorer Nemanja Mitrovic, a first-team all-West Conference player last season, to five points on 2-for-9 shooting, turning him into a non-factor.
“I don’t know if I’ve been more proud of someone on the defensive end more than Terrence Ross,” Romar said.
A year ago, Ross struggled to defend at the college level and grasp Washington’s defensive principles. It cost him plenty of playing time, despite all of his offensive gifts. But he committed himself to playing better defense.
Ross wouldn’t allow Mitrovic, who came in averaging 15.5 points per game, to get a clean view, taking away his 3-point looks and using his long arms to contest shots.
“He did all of that while still having a fantastic offensive evening,” Romar said. “The great ones are capable of doing both.”
So what pleased Ross more, coming two points shy of his career high, or rendering the opposing team’s best player to a non-factor?
“Honestly, I kept him held down,” Ross said. “The coaches were telling me he is one of the best players in his league. I really took it as a challenge.”
The Huskies got another solid floor game from junior point guard Abdul Gaddy, who had 15 points and four assists with one turnover. One of those assists came during that big first half run, when he fired a lob pass to freshman Tony Wroten, who made a spectacular finish, dunking over an opposing player.
“I knew I threw it high enough, Tone would go get it,” Gaddy said.
As has been the case for much of the season, Wroten was a one-man highlight reel. His first basket of the game came on a fastbreak, where delivered a nasty ball fake that fooled two Portland defenders and gave him an easy layup. Wroten also tossed a behind the head lob to Ross on a steal for an emphatic dunk.
“I thought he was going to throw it off the glass, but he kind of switched it up midway and through it in the air,” Ross said.
Wroten had 11 points and five assists. But he also drew the ire of Romar for a few poor defensive possessions. It got to the point where Romar had to call a time out and spent most of it having a stern conversation with Wroten.
“It was about having more pride and letting my man score on me more than once,” Wroten said.
Romar left him in and Wroten was more aggressive on defense. There will likely be a few “teachable” moments over the course of this season for the talented freshman.
“You have to let him play basketball within certain boundaries,” Romar said. “As long as he’s working hard and trying to do things we ask him, then you kind of have to let his personality take over.”
Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483 ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/uwsports
