Washington Huskies vs. USC: 3 Takeaways from Huskies Dramatic Comeback
By Paul Taylor
As the Washington Huskies complete their eight-game homestand, here are three takeaways from their stunning comeback win over USC.
It’s fair to say the Washington Huskies have given the fans their moneys-worth of late. Certainly, anyone inside Alaska Airlines Arena won’t forget Sunday’s game anytime soon.
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Following on from the enthralling double overtime victory against UCLA, people must have been wondering what the Huskies would do for an encore? In the end, the fans witnessed their team making a dramatic comeback, in a game that looked all but lost.
As a result of the win, Washington finishes their eight-game homestand with a 6-2 record. Here are three takeaways from the stunning 87-85 victory over the Trojans:
1) This team thrives in adversity
We were already aware of the Huskies mental fortitude, after the way they handled the previous game against UCLA. There were various points when they could have folded up the tent and gone home.
However, this was nothing compared to the adversity Washington faced against USC. With 14:18 remaining in the second half, they found themselves trailing by 22 points.
What followed was nothing short of sensational, as they turned up the pressure, which included forcing USC to commit 21 turnovers. If this season turns into something special, Sunday’s game will be perceived by many as the launching point.
2) There’s more to this team than Andrew Andrews
Everyone knows how important Andrew Andrews is to the Huskies. He proved his worth once again, by scoring 24 points, including the game-winning shot with 25 seconds remaining.
However, what was satisfying was to see other players step up to the occasion. In particular, Dejounte Murray stood out, as Washington clawed their way back from the 22-point deficit.
By the end of the game, the freshman guard had scored a career-high 29 points, including 19 in the second half. Marquese Chriss also deserves praise for contributing a double-double, with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
3) There’s still a lot of work to do
Lorenzo Romar is under no illusion about the task ahead. No matter how impressive the last two wins have been, the hard work is only just beginning.
This team is still far too inconsistent for Romar’s liking. Aside from the UCLA and USC games, let’s not forget they lost to Oakland and UC Santa Barbara – two teams who had no business beating the Huskies.
On top of this, Washington now faces a tough three-game road trip, where they will face the Cougars, Arizona and Arizona State. The next three results will go a long way towards helping determine how good the Huskies can be this season.