Washington-Texas A&M Preview
After another dominating offensive performance at home, Washington will get a big test in its first true road game of the season.
The No. 21 Huskies try to end Texas A&M's 56-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents when the teams square off Saturday.
This is the second straight year Washington (6-2) and Texas A&M (8-1) are meeting as part of the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series. Last season's matchup in Seattle was marred by a gruesome injury to Aggies senior Derrick Roland, who suffered a protruding leg fracture in the 73-64 Huskies victory.
Both teams were ranked for that matchup and it's possible Texas A&M, winner of five straight, will climb into the next AP poll with a win Saturday after receiving votes this week.
Washington could fall out of the rankings with a loss despite entering this game having won three straight, including a 94-72 victory over Portland on Monday.
The Huskies lead Division I in scoring with 95.5 points per game and 3-point shooting at 47.5 percent. They fell shy of reaching 100 points for a third straight game against the Pilots despite going 13 of 23 from 3-point range and shooting 53.4 percent overall.
"The difference with this Washington team is that anybody can really score the ball. You can't lie off of a shooter or the post and expect to stop them, because they can score from anywhere," Portland coach Eric Reveno said.
Justin Holiday scored a career-high 20 points for the second straight game, going 7 of 11 from 3-point range in that span. The senior has scored in double figures in all eight games while averaging 14.3 points, up from 5.9 last season.
"He's had as good a start as we could have asked for," coach Lorenzo Romar said.
Isaiah Thomas also had 20 points, increasing his team-leading average to 15.6. However, he's been held to 13 in each of Washington's two losses - to ranked teams Kentucky and Michigan State - while shooting a combined 8 of 25 from the field.
Those defeats came during last month's Maui Invitational, where the Huskies have played their only three games outside of Seattle.
Last season, the team lost its first six true road games before winning the final four.
Romar hopes this visit to College Station better prepares his club for what lies ahead, with Washington opening Pac-10 play later this month with games at Southern California and UCLA.
"We open on the road this year and this gives us the opportunity to go out before we start conference and play in a hostile environment," Romar said. "It's going to be a good game for us."
Few places are harder to win for visiting teams than Reed Arena, where the Aggies haven't lost to a non-conference opponent since a 58-51 defeat to St. John's on March 23, 2005. They also have won 68 straight regular-season home games against non-Big 12 teams.
Texas A&M has five home wins this season, including an 87-63 victory over Prairie View A&M on Wednesday.
Khris Middleton scored 18 points - he leads the team with 13.8 per game - and Naji Hibbert added 17 while shooting 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.
The Aggies haven't been outrebounded in any game this season, averaging 13.0 boards more than their opponents. They've also been very good defensively since a 67-65 loss to Boston College on Nov. 25, holding their last five opponents to an average of 54.2 points on 35.4 percent shooting.
Texas A&M has won three of its last four home games against ranked teams.