SEATTLE – They booted it.
The University of Washington women’s basketball team had Michigan by the neck Monday and then let go in a 75-68 loss in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Huskies built a 34-22 lead in the first half off a 19-4 run and collapsed.
That, more than anything, brings about the message of needing intensity for 40 minutes in the Husky Classic, which starts today at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
“When you have a team down, you’ve got to keep them down,” UW coach June Daugherty said. “We had them down early and had the crowd out of it. We had them really struggling, offensively. We need to maintain that intensity defensively to keep teams uncomfortable.”
Having recruited players specifically for a style of defense that’s best described as chaotic, Daugherty has few complaints on the defensive side. The Huskies have forced 71 turnovers in their first three games, including 28 against 14th-ranked Minnesota.
At the forefront is freshman point guard Emily Florence, laughingly listed at 5-foot-5, whose specialty is to pick up an opposing point guard full court and make her life miserable. So frightening is her willingness to bring it on defense that it’s little wonder she was born on Halloween, 1985.
The defensive pressure, however, comes from all five who happen to be on the court. Junior Kristen O’Neill, at 6-1, can cover anyone on the court. Junior Kayla Burt, sophomore Cameo Hicks, sophomore Erica Schelly and freshman Dominique Banks all are superb athletes who can pressure the backcourt.
Inside, junior Jill Bell and sophomore Breanne Watson can both block shots and rebound. Off the bench, Maggie O’Hara is an absolute master at taking a charge and is a physical rebounder.
The strength of the 2004-05 Huskies lies in its depth. Washington comes at teams in waves. Ten players average at least 15 minutes a game. That’s a lot of fresh bodies to throw at the opposition.
“We forced 23 turnovers at Michigan,” Daugherty said. “Our rotations are quicker now. We’re definitely improving in that area. It’s going to be exciting when we get it all clicking on the same page.”
Here are quick looks at the other three teams in the Husky Classic
Alabama (2-0) beat Michigan 81-79 in overtime and defeated Middle Tennessee 80-66. Senior forward Natasha Gamble averages 19 points and four rebounds a game, while shooting better than 57 percent from the floor. Sophomore guard Marverly Nettles, who hit the game-winner with three seconds to play against the Wolverines, averages 18 points and six rebounds a game.
Columbia (2-0) has four players averaging in double figures, led by senior guard Susan Kern (14.0 ppg.) and sophomore guard Megan Griffith (12.0). Senior forward Erin Jaschik adds 12 points and a team-high 9.5 rebounds a game.
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (0-2) dropped games to Marquette (74-66) and to 20th-ranked DePaul (89-67). The Panthers open the season with seven road games and don’t play at home until Dec. 12, against Northwestern. Junior forward Nichole Drummond averages 17 points a game.
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