Huskies Game 3: Devoured

Never in my long life of 5 years of watching the Huskies have I seen a game quite like the dismantling Virginia just took.  Nor have I ever expected to.  Now don't get me wrong, the Huskies are and have always been a very fast, very offensive (good at offense, though Overton is a little offensive) team.  Their problems have always laid in their somewhat poor defense (varying degrees of poor depending on the year), their free throw shooting woes (remember Artem Wallace?), and their deep shooting (Ryan Appleby exempted).

With that in mind, no single game has ever convinced me of a great season to come than this one did.  To come out, shoot 58% from the field AND 65% from beyond the arc, and to play that kind of defense?  It was a game unlike what the Huskies have done in years.  I expected this season to be a lot of incredible defensive effort from Overton and Holliday and dumb shots from all our 6-6 guys, but apparently I'm an idiot.

Every member of the Huskies came out and played better defense than I've ever seen them even attempt.  Go watch the last two seasons' losses at Arizona and tell me this is anywhere near the same team (if you do, you're a liar).  Abdul Gaddy has looked every bit the top point guard everyone thought he was going to be (12 points on 9 shots, 6 assists to 1 turnover), MBA is making somewhat legitimate choices in the paint (only 2 Tos!), and my goodness, have those kids found their stroke.

Every recruiting season the Huskies bring in at least one brand new skinny tall guy who's supposed to be great at shooting, but it never seems to help.  All of a sudden, all that promise has paid off.  Terrence Ross has the prettiest stroke I've ever seen at UW, though his shot selection still needs a bit of work.  Scott Suggs stopped having his crazy off games from last year and is always bringing it.  Even Overton and Thomas look to have learned to shoot well instead of just a lot, not to mention CJ Wilcox's impressive start.  Hell, Justin Holliday is poppin' 3s all over the place!

This is a great season for the Huskies.  I never thought it could happen at the beginning of the year, but this could be one of our best seasons ever.  As long as Darnell Gant stops playing 22 minutes a game that is.