Washington Basketball: Keys for the Huskies to take down Utah State
By Neil Adler
Turn defense into offense
A frequently-used commentary by college-hoops analysts is that exceptional defense can prove the best kind of offense. Well, that should apply to Washington in its bout with the Aggies. Hopkins’ group, as we’ve already noted, struggles to score on occasion. So the Huskies must manufacture points via their stifling defense.
Besides Duke, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, Washington is the only other team that ranks in the top-10 across the country in both blocks and steals per affair. These defensive components, whether it’s a block, a deflection or a forced turnover, are not only one fewer possession in which high-octane Utah State doesn’t score, but they are also opportunities for the Huskies to generate easy buckets in transition.
Rebounding is critical, and a possible dilemma for Washington. Squads that utilize a zone defense often get crushed on the glass, because their rosters are boxing out an area on the floor, not a particular guy. In this match-up, the Aggies hold an edge on the boards of close to nine a game.
A zone also typically forces the adversary to hoist up a ton of attempts from beyond the arc. Utah State hits on 35.5 percent of such shots, and when they don’t fall through, the Huskies can ill-afford to allow the Aggies to land second-chance points.