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Pac-10 Basketball Notebook
By Randy Rosetta
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
Washington takes a second crack at landing a major non-conference victory when the 17th-ranked Huskies entertain No. 12 LSU on Wednesday night in Seattle.
UW’s only other game against a ranked foe this season didn’t turn out well: A 97-77 loss at Gonzaga on Dec. 9.
But this time the Huskies are at home at Bank of America Arena, where they have won 14 games in a row overall and 25 straight in non-conference play.
This game looks to be a contrast in several different ways. UW will look to push the ball behind guards Adrian Oliver and Justin Dentmon and forward Qunicy Pondexter. LSU’s forte is built around a powerful inside game anchored by junior Glen Davis, who ranks second in the SEC in scoring (20.1 points per game) and rebounds (10.3 per game).
Washington comes in averaging a Pac-10 best 88.9 points a game, led by Pondexter (16 per game) and freshman center Spencer Hawes (13.8). The Huskies also top the conference in assists (18.3) per game and blocked shots (4.8 per game).
Hawes has started to blossom offensively, averaging 19 points over the last three games. The 7-foot Seattle native is shooting 64.9 percent from the floor (24 of 37) in that span and hasn’t allowed his defense to dip. He leads the Pac-10 with 24 blocks.
LSU’s defense could pose problems for Washington. The Tigers are surrendering only 57.6 points a game and are limiting foes to 35.9 percent shooting from the field.
UW is a 1-point favorite on WagerWeb.com, and this game should come down to the wire.
ARIZONA: The No. 9-ranked Wildcats square off with 18th-ranked Memphis tonight in the Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tucson in Arizona’s biggest test to date this season (Arizona is -7.5 on WagerWeb.com). This is the latest UA has faced a ranked foe for the first time in a season since 1992-93. The ¢Cats are 41-1 all-time in the Fiesta Bowl event, but the Tigers are a major threat to stick Arizona with a second loss. The Wildcats come in hot after roasting Houston 87-62 on Sunday. All five UA starters scored in double digits in that game, with Ivan Radenovic and Marcus Williams each notching 16 points and a double-double. The ‘Cats shot 54.1 percent from the floor (33 of 61) vs. Houston, anchored by 19 makes on either slam dunks or layups. Arizona is the Pac-10¢s best shooting team (50.7 percent) and ranks second in the league with 86.7 points a game.
OREGON: The Ducks can match their best start (11-0) since 1946-47 by beating Mercer in Eugene on Saturday. Oregon junior guard Bryce Taylor has asserted himself lately with 58 points and 21 rebounds in three games last week, which earned him Pac-10 Player of the Week honors. Taylor connected on 19-of-28 field goals (67.9 percent), 9-of-14 from 3-point range (64.3 percent) and 12-of-15 from the foul stripe (80 percent). He has scored in double figures in every game this season, and his recent surge upped his production to 17 points a game, second on the team to Tajuan Porter, who leads the league with 18.2 points a game. Porter is also the Pac-10¢s most prolific 3-point marksman with 36 makes and tops the league in foul shooting at 92.9 percent (26-of-28).
UCLA: The Bruins bounced back from a close call against Texas A&M to notch their seventh victory by 13 points or more this season when they sacked Oakland 74-53 on Saturday. Sophomore point guard Darren Collison has booked 15 points in each of the last three games, shooting 60.9 percent (14 of 23) from the floor in the process. He leads the Pac-10 with 27 steals and stands second in assists with 5.7 a game. Free-throw shooting continues to dog the Bruins. They rank last in the Pac-10 at 59.8 percent and have shot over 60 percent in only three games.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: The Trojans get a chance to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume this weekend at the Las Vegas Classic. USC will take on Kansas State on Friday and then take on either New Mexico or eighth-ranked Wichita State on Saturday. USC is getting solid play from Lodrick Stewart (15.9 ppg) and Taj Gibson (13.1 ppg, Pac-10 best 10.1 rpg). Both came up big in a 70-58 triumph against Charleston Southern on Sunday, Stewart with his first career double-double (13/10) and Gibson with his league-leading fifth double-double of the season (18/10).
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