Huskies Seek to Defend Their Giant Role
These are strange times for Washington.
The Huskies, having traded in their tag of huggable underdogs for huge targets on their backs, courtesy of the surprising No. 1 seeding they were awarded in the Albuquerque Regional, are going to a familiar place, at least mentally, to deal with the catcalls -- Oregon’s McArthur Court.
“They say the craziest things there,” said Washington’s diminutive point guard Nate Robinson, who is subjected to chants of “Gary Coleman” by the Duck faithful.
“They talk about you, your momma, your daddy and your granny.”
So that should make the Huskies feel better about what emanated from the Taco Bell Arena stands late in their first-round victory over Montana on Thursday. And what’s sure to follow Washington (28-5) today when it faces eighth-seeded Pacific (27-3), which has won 23 of its last 24 games, including an opening-round defeat of Pittsburgh.
The sing-song “Over-rated!” began even as Washington was putting the finishing touches on an 11-point victory over Montana.
The Huskies could only grin and bear it, since theirs was the smallest margin of victory by a top-seeded team over a No. 16 since Kansas beat Holy Cross, 70-59, in 2002. No. 1-seeded Duke on Friday also won by an 11-point margin over 16th-seeded Delaware State.
“It makes us want to say, ‘Let’s blow these guys out’ and take this ‘us against the world’ mentality,” junior guard Brandon Roy said. “It’s kind of fun being the giant.”
It’s even more of a blast for third-year Coach Lorenzo Romar, who agreed to an eight-year contract extension with his alma mater Thursday.
“You don’t get an extension if you don’t have great assistants and great players,” said Romar, who is 57-34 at Washington, 42-9 since the Huskies began last season 0-5 in Pacific 10 Conference play.
The coach of the Huskies’ Pac-10 running mates at this site, Arizona’s Lute Olson, knows all about great players and expectations.
The Wildcats (28-6), led by the nation’s top three-point shooter, guard Salim Stoudamire (51.6%), and intimidating center Channing Frye (73 blocked shots), are seeded third in the Chicago Regional and, after their comeback victory over Utah State, will meet No. 11 Alabama Birmingham, which upset Louisiana State.
Frye and Stoudamire are trying to keep alive an Arizona streak. Since 1990, every four-year player in Tucson has played in at least one Final Four. This is the duo’s last shot.
The Blazers (22-10), with their frenetic full-court pressure defense, could play into Arizona’s hands. After all, UAB did lose to USC, the Pac-10’s last-place team, in the Rainbow Invitational this year.
“With the press ... we like that,” Stoudamire said, “because it gives us a chance to show off our athleticism.”