Appleby spurs on Huskies
SEATTLE – Enough with the preliminaries. Bring on Gonzaga.
Deposed starter Ryan Appleby scored a career-high 24 points and heralded freshman Spencer Hawes added a season-high 21 in No. 13 Washington’s 87-72 victory over Southern Utah on Monday night in what Huskies coach Lorenzo Romar said was his young team’s best game yet.
“That was the game we’ve been looking for, to put it together for all 40 minutes,” Romar said.
And it was at the perfect time. The Huskies (7-0), with nine freshmen and sophomores on their 12-man roster, get their first true test Saturday in their first road game of the season at No. 18 Gonzaga. The Zags hold the nation’s longest home winning streak – 44 games.
The matchup has been anticipated for months, largely because the contract between the instate rivals to play annually ends Saturday. Washington has lost seven of its last eight against Gonzaga, the only win being last December in Seattle.
The Huskies’ last win at Gonzaga was in 1944, which was six games ago in the series.
“I expect it to be wild,” sophomore point guard Justin Dentmon said of his first game at the 3-year-old McCarthey Athletic Center, where the Zags have never lost.
Dentmon had a career-high 11 assists Monday before leaving the game late with cramps in his leg and back.
Justin Allen scored 20 points to lead Southern Utah (6-3), which opened its season by upsetting Utah on the road. The Thunderbirds led the nation in 3-point shooting last season at 43 percent. But they were just 1 of 5 from long range during Monday’s decisive first half.
Appleby, replaced late last month as a starter by freshman Adrian Oliver, scored 21 points in the first half on 8-of-9 shooting – including 5 of 6 on 3-pointers.
“A shooter is a shooter –he’s got to keep shooting no matter what. I’m glad I did,” said Appleby.
The junior, who transferred before last season from Florida, continually beat the Thunderbirds into the front court to create open shots for himself and teammates. By halftime, he already had career highs in points and shots made.
“Appleby just goes nuts in the first half,” Southern Utah coach Bill Evans said, adding he tried all sorts of defenses against him.