SEATTLE – The University of Washington men’s basketball team isn’t the only local squad playing a huge game tonight.
The Husky women will take on fourth-ranked Stanford in a game that could really boost the confidence of a UW team (8-11, 4-5 in the Pac-10) that has already won two in a row.
“Obviously, a win against Stanford would be huge for us,” Washington junior and Arlington High grad Kayla Burt said. “Anybody would want to beat Stanford, and we feel like we have a great opportunity.”
As big as the task is, Washington coach June Daugherty prefers not to look at tonight’s contest as a statement game.
“There’s enough excitement about the game already,” Daugherty said. “They’re fourth in the country, and the Stanford game is always a big game.”
The Huskies lost to Stanford 74-61 three weeks ago, but the score wasn’t necessarily indicative of the game. The UW was within four points during the second half of that game, only to see the Cardinal (17-2, 8-1) pull away in the end.
Washington has a bit of momentum after winning back-to-back games for only the second time since getting off to a 4-0 start in November. Featuring a new lineup that brings Burt off the bench, the Huskies beat Oregon State and Washington State on the road.
“We’re coming off two wins in a row, and we feel like we can play with anyone in the conference,” Burt said. “I don’t know if this time (of the season) is better than any other, but we’re coming in with a lot of confidence. We’re going against a good team, and I think it’s good timing.”
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