Huskies go down to Stanford

ESPNU picked up tonight’s UW-Stanford game right before the under 16 minute break in the first half due to the overrun from the Kansas-TCU game.  For Husky fans, it actually was a good thing as the Huskies dropped its second straight game and falls to 3-5 in the Pac 12.

The final score, 84-74, was mere window dressing for a game that Stanford dominated from even before the game hit ESPNU.

The departure of Robert Upshaw was felt from the beginning as Stefan Nastic owned the paint going 7 for 8 from the field in the first half getting any shot he wanted.  He ended the first half with 15 points.  Giles Dierickx, who we will get familiar with due to Upshaw’s dismissal, was abused several times by Nastic on post-up scores.

The Huskies looked sloppy from the start and had 8 turnovers in the first half for 10 Stanford points.  In addition, Stanford hit 8 three pointers in the game to stave off any Husky comeback.

The turning point may have been after Mike Anderson drew the 3rd foul on Nastic with under 4 minutes left in the first half.  While getting Nastic out of the game due to foul trouble should have been an advantage, the Cardinal ended the half on a 12-4 run and opened a 12 point lead at halftime.  The run was sparked by the Huskies' inexplicable vomiting of 3 turnovers back to back to  back with under a minute left in the half.

Anthony Brown led a balanced attack for the Cardinal with 23 points.  Chaisson Randle added 20 points including 3 3-pointers.  Nastic added 17 points even though he fouled out with 5:52 left in the game.

Sophomore guard Nigel Williams-Goss led the team with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.  Despite the good stat line, Williams-Goss had several bad turnovers (6 total) and missed two free throws in the midst of a Husky run early in the second half when the game was mathematically still in doubt.  Mike Anderson added 17 points and Quevyn Winters had the best game of his season with 13 points including 3 3-pointers.

The Huskies started Donaven Dorsey in lieu of Upshaw and received nothing from the freshman.  It is beginning to look like that if things were equal, he could have used a redshirt year.

The loss of Upshaw is going to be huge.  The Dawgs had just two blocks tonight and Stanford had no fear in putting up shots in the paint.  The lack of rebounding and an inside presence was apparent and Romar even put out 5 guards in the second half to attempt a comeback.  But, the lack of shooters will be a problem if Romar looks to play "small ball" without the nation’s leading shot blocker.

With the loss to Stanford, the Huskies fall deeper down into the Pac 12 abyss and despite 14 wins and an 11-1 non-conference record, are teetering off the other side of the bubble.