Washington wins close-fought battle against the Stanford Cardinal

C.J. WIlcox had a hot night shooting, and it translated to another win for Washington, who won their third consecutive road game, all coming within the Pac-12. According to the broadcast, the last time Washington had won their first three in-conference road games was 1912. If anyone can remember 1912 then they are probably lying.

I don't have much time tonight, so I am going to make this relatively quick. This game never was in-hand for Washington, until less than 30 ticks were left on the clock. The largest lead for either team at any point was eight points, after Wilcox hit a three to put Washington up 52-44 with 9:57 left on the clock. Stanford eventually tied the game at 58 with under four minutes to play, but never retook the lead.

Stanford's last lead was twelve seconds into the second half, the instant before Aziz N'Diaye hit a hook shot to give Washington a 38-37 lead that was never reversed.

A single Dot, special for you.

• Washington took advantage of the size of their guards in this game by posting up their perimeter players. When perimeter players are posted up in Washington's offense, they typically set up in a different spot than if a post player was posting up. Post players typically try to establish position on the block, where they can use their height to get an easier angle on a shot.
  
  When N'Diaye is posting up, he starts on the block and typically moves towards the middle of the lane or takes a step towards the baseline, once he receives the ball. He will then use his hook shot, or every once in a while a drop step move, which is his baseline move, where he seals off his defender with his step and finishes off the glass. When he goes towards the middle, typically he will use his hook shot. (He can use his hook opening up towards the baseline as well, depending on which side of the hoop he is on.) He stays very close to the basket regardless, where it is easier to use his height to create angles.
  
  When a wing or point guard posts up, they are usually a step or two further from the rim. Whether they are at the free throw line extended or further along the baseline depends on the offensive scheme and on the player. Kobe Bryant is typically free throw line extended, maybe a little bit closer to the baseline than that. Kobe is Kobe however, and few rules apply to him that apply to other players.
  
  When guards and wings post up, they are further from the hoop because it allows them to use jumpers to shoot over the top of a defender and also so that they can use their quickness in space to get to certain spots on the floor - this is probably the bigger reason.
  
  When Washington posted up, typically it was closer to the baseline, a step towards midcourt from the block, then towards the sideline two or three steps. The first attempt was to get Abdul Gaddy isolated on Aaron Bright, where he could use his size and strength advantage to establish position inside and finish. They were never able to get the ball inside to Gaddy, but is foreshadowed one thing that Washington was going to do: post up with their wings, in addition to feeding the ball inside to N'Diaye.
  
  Wilcox typically went towards a stepback jumper or a fadeaway, but those were opened up by a step-through finish on his first post-up attempt. Suggs was a little bit less successful with his post attempts, with his lefty hook missing the one time he tried it, and I believe he hit a fadeaway from the post as well.