Washington suffered a frustrating loss to Texas Tech in last season's Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Classic matchup. This time, the teams will meet in Seattle.
The 23rd-ranked Huskies will put their 23-game non-conference home win streak on the line Saturday when they try to drop the Red Raiders to 0-4 away from home.
Washington fell 99-92 in overtime at Texas Tech on Dec. 3, 2009, in a matchup of unbeaten teams. The Red Raiders improved to 8-0 for the first time since 1929 to move into the Top 25, but they've gone 16-19 since.
The game was memorable because Texas Tech forward Mike Singletary hit a running 3-pointer as time expired in regulation, but officials determined he did not get the shot off before the buzzer. The crowd swarmed the court, and the debris they left behind had to be cleared before the overtime began.
The Red Raiders know they have to prepare for the hostile environment this time.
"They are a well-coached team and they are going to be ready to play," Singletary said. "We know they have great players and they are going to be tough to handle."
Washington (4-2) is the second-highest scoring team in the nation at 93.7 points per game and showcased that offense in a 102-75 win over Long Beach State on Tuesday. Seven Huskies scored in double figures, led by freshman reserve C.J. Wilcox's 20 points.
Wilcox made six 3-pointers and is 17 for 29 from beyond the arc this season. He's helped the Huskies develop into one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the nation at 45.5 percent.
"I don't think he realizes how good a shooter he is," guard Isaiah Thomas said. "If I shot 3s like that I would shoot it every time."
Coach Lorenzo Romar didn't start senior forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning, second on the team with a 14.3 scoring average to go with a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game. Bryan-Amaning made all seven shots for 14 points and five boards.
"Coach told me I needed to be more of a leader, be smarter with my decision making and put more effort forth on the court," Bryan-Amaning said.
Romar needs more from Bryan-Amaning and Thomas to help overcome the graduation of Quincy Pondexter, who scored 31 points last season against Texas Tech (5-3). Thomas has seen his production drop from 16.9 points per game as a sophomore in 2009-10 to a career-low 14.8.
Red Raiders leading scorer John Roberson has also seen his scoring diminish from 14.5 points last season to 13.5. The career 40.2 percent shooter, who had a team-high 25 points in last season's meeting, is at 35.1 percent.
Singletary had 29 points and 13 boards, and Roberson scored 16 as Texas Tech avoided a third straight loss with an 86-82 win over Oral Roberts on Tuesday.
"I know it wasn't pretty but sometimes you gotta hug ugly," coach Pat Knight said. "Everyone wants to hug pretty, but heck, I'll hug ugly any time if it gets us a win."
