I have watched Washington play several times this year. A few observations in the games I have watched:
1. They are one of the Pac-12 teams that actually played a solid non-conference slate. They took on Ohio State, Saint Louis, Colorado State, UCONN, and Nevada. The problem is they lost all of those games except the game against St. Louis. They also lost to Albany, Utah, Oregon State and USC.
2. They are typical Lorenzo Romar team, on paper they are very talented and they are loaded with high star recruits. Abdul Gaddy was the number 2 player in the country and has been a disappointment (a torn ACL his sophomore year had something to do with it)
3. Interior defense- they are lead by Aziz N'Diaye (4 star recruit) he is 7 feet and weighs about 260 pounds. The problem with N'Diaye is that he is somewhat of a stiff. He only has 39 blocks in 33 games, he averages 9 points and 9 rebounds. He is a big body that takes up space. I think Davies will be able to bring him away from the basket and use his quickness to get by him. N'Diaye is no threat on the offensive end, all of his points come from putbacks and dunks. If BYU keeps him off the glass he will be fine. He also sits the bench late in close games as he is a 41% free throw shooter. Expect Kaufusi and Austin to use their 5 foul allotment keeping him from getting easy baskets.
4. Leading scorer is Pleasant Groves own CJ Wilcox (16.7ppg). CJ has shown flashes of becoming a breaking out player at times. However his career shooting numbers are subpar. On the season he is shooting 41% from the floor and 35% from three. In fact this entire Husky team shoots the ball very poorly from three (very similar to BYU). As a team they shoot 43% from the floor and 34% from three. I think BYU will put Zylstra on Wilcox and vice versa. CJ is an adequate defender but he is also their biggest offensive threat. I don' think ROmar will want him chasing Haws around and I know Dave Rose doesn't want Haws guarding Wilcox.
5. The player to watch out for his 6'6 guard Scott Suggs. He has been red hot as of late, shooting over 60% from three in his last 4 games. His junior season he shot 45% from three and he is shooting 39% this season. He averages 12.7 points per game and will spot up in the corners. He is the one guy we will have to keep our eye on at all times in the zone.
6. The bench is pretty weak, they are lead by Andrew Andrews and Desmond Simmons. Andrews is shooting a dismal 32% from the floor and 25% from three. He does love to put it up. Simmons is a very highly recruited wing player that has yet to live up to his potential and/or hype.
7. One thing Washington does have is size, along with N'Diaye they start 6'9 Shawn Kemp Jr, along with 6'6 Wilcox. I am not sure the lineup we play with Zylstra at the 4 will work against them. We will definitely play zone as they shoot the ball very poorly and if we can force them to take jump shots I think BYU wins by 8-10 points.
1. They are one of the Pac-12 teams that actually played a solid non-conference slate. They took on Ohio State, Saint Louis, Colorado State, UCONN, and Nevada. The problem is they lost all of those games except the game against St. Louis. They also lost to Albany, Utah, Oregon State and USC.
2. They are typical Lorenzo Romar team, on paper they are very talented and they are loaded with high star recruits. Abdul Gaddy was the number 2 player in the country and has been a disappointment (a torn ACL his sophomore year had something to do with it)
3. Interior defense- they are lead by Aziz N'Diaye (4 star recruit) he is 7 feet and weighs about 260 pounds. The problem with N'Diaye is that he is somewhat of a stiff. He only has 39 blocks in 33 games, he averages 9 points and 9 rebounds. He is a big body that takes up space. I think Davies will be able to bring him away from the basket and use his quickness to get by him. N'Diaye is no threat on the offensive end, all of his points come from putbacks and dunks. If BYU keeps him off the glass he will be fine. He also sits the bench late in close games as he is a 41% free throw shooter. Expect Kaufusi and Austin to use their 5 foul allotment keeping him from getting easy baskets.
4. Leading scorer is Pleasant Groves own CJ Wilcox (16.7ppg). CJ has shown flashes of becoming a breaking out player at times. However his career shooting numbers are subpar. On the season he is shooting 41% from the floor and 35% from three. In fact this entire Husky team shoots the ball very poorly from three (very similar to BYU). As a team they shoot 43% from the floor and 34% from three. I think BYU will put Zylstra on Wilcox and vice versa. CJ is an adequate defender but he is also their biggest offensive threat. I don' think ROmar will want him chasing Haws around and I know Dave Rose doesn't want Haws guarding Wilcox.
5. The player to watch out for his 6'6 guard Scott Suggs. He has been red hot as of late, shooting over 60% from three in his last 4 games. His junior season he shot 45% from three and he is shooting 39% this season. He averages 12.7 points per game and will spot up in the corners. He is the one guy we will have to keep our eye on at all times in the zone.
6. The bench is pretty weak, they are lead by Andrew Andrews and Desmond Simmons. Andrews is shooting a dismal 32% from the floor and 25% from three. He does love to put it up. Simmons is a very highly recruited wing player that has yet to live up to his potential and/or hype.
7. One thing Washington does have is size, along with N'Diaye they start 6'9 Shawn Kemp Jr, along with 6'6 Wilcox. I am not sure the lineup we play with Zylstra at the 4 will work against them. We will definitely play zone as they shoot the ball very poorly and if we can force them to take jump shots I think BYU wins by 8-10 points.
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