Huskies Find a Way to Win After They Can't Find the Hoop

Danny Sprinkle's team overcame a 13-point first-half deficit to rescue this one.

Zoom Diallo takes a shot in warmups before the Seattle Pacific game. / Dan Raley

Three games into this University of Washington basketball season, led by a new coach with practically all new players, one thing has become as clear as the water in Lake Washington -- these guys struggle mightily on offense.

On Wednesday night, these point-challenged Huskies played Seattle Pacific, a Division II school 2.9 miles and on most nights 20-25 points away.

This hastily arranged encounter to fill a hole in the UW non-conference schedule should have been a blowout right from the start, too, with the Big Ten facing a not-so-big-deal Queen Anne team, and it nearly was -- for the little guys.

Danny Sprinkle's team, unable to attack the basket or shoot from around the perimeter over the opening 20 minutes, fell behind by 13 on Julian Mora's 3-pointer late in the first half to make it 38-25, and it was shocking and a bit embarrassing.

Finally, reality took over as the Huskies regrouped after intermission and found a couple of guys who could put the ball in the basket and pulled out a 77-62 victory before a sparse crowd at Alaska Airlines Arena.

Sprinkle cited his team's low energy and warned that's not going to be a long-term issue for his team.

"We've got to figure it out quick," he said. "We've got to figure it out by Sunday. I don't know if it's changing the starting lineup. Whatever we have to do, I'm going to do it."

Mora, a 5-foot-11 junior guard for winless Seattle Pacific (0-4), hit all three of his first-half treys while his team shot 58.3 percent from the floor.

Oh, how the Huskies (2-1), shooting a miserable 30.4 percent throughout the opening half, could have used some of that shot-making and ball-moving magic early on.

Instead, the home team waited for three players to loosen up and make the rim their best friend after the break. After leaving the floor down by 11 at the half, some with their heads down, the Huskies scored the first 9 points once play resumed to make it a more logical game.

Portland State transfer Tyler Harris, a 6-foot-8 sophomore reserve who might be playing his way into a starting role, gave the UW its first lead since early in the game, at 41-40 with a one-hander in the key with 15:49 left to play. The Huskies never trailed again. Harris had 2 points at half and finished with 13. He credited his defense, which included 4 steals.

"I told myself to pick it up," Harris said. "This team needs on the defensive side and not just scoring."

Freshman guard Jase Butler chipped in 6 points as the game turned, with his 3-pointer putting the Huskies up 51-44. He had no points at half. He should play more and more.

Finally, there was Butler transfer and reputed sharpshooter DJ Davis, who missed the previous game against Nevada for a personal reason. He nailed four 3-pointers in the second half, with his last one putting the UW ahead 61-51, finished with 18 points after just 2 at half, and this moved his team in the direction it should have been headed all along.

"It was a little shocking," Davis said. "We underestimated our opponent and came into the game kind of soft. The message at halftime was to pick it up and play like us."

Great Osobor scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half, as well, while piling up 8 rebounds and 7 steals. The 6-foot-8 power forward had to go it alone up front with 6-foot-11 center Franck Kepnang in street clothes for an undisclosed reason.

The Huskies play again on Sunday night against UMass Lowell, giving Sprinkle's guys three days to work on their offensive games.

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