Huskies' Big Problem is the Bigs — Roberts Needs to Expand Game, Needs Help

The UW went from a surplus of post players to just one with limitations in a year's time.

Nate Roberts is a man on a deserted island. He's often the only University of Washington big man on the floor, usually outnumbered by opposing front lines, lost in a sea of trees.

The 6-foot-11, 265-pound Roberts does an adequate job of rebounding, but he's sorely challenged as an offensive player, and therein lies the biggest issue for this 5-20 Husky team.

It's never a fair fight inside.

Opposing teams tend to ignore Roberts, and his highly restricted shooting range, and defend as far out as they can to throw off the UW's perimeter shooters. This has caused Mike Hopkins' team plenty of headaches and a lot of missed 3-pointers.

Roberts badly needs scoring help inside. He could use someone who can put the ball in the basket with regularity to keep other teams honest, and that person just might be incoming 6-foot-10 freshman Jackson Grant from Olympia, Washington, the McDonald's All-American. 

He's working it alone for now. Hameir Wright, at 6-9, fancies himself as a big guard. Riley Sorn, at 7-4, is a walk-on, not paid for and used sparingly. 

"I just let the guys know things are going to be OK," Roberts said. "I know times are tough right now. I'm just trying to learn my role as a leader."

With the Huskies off for 11 days from its regular-season finale to resuming play in the Pac-12 tournament, we're sizing up the play for each of the 11 players who has received minutes with a game on the line this season. Ten scholarship recipients and Sorn. This is the fourth installment.

Roberts, who's worked hard to give himself the rippling physique of a well-sculpted tight end and plays hard, is the only Husky to start all 25 games this season. 

The sophomore from Washington, D.C., averages just 5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Defensively, he could be better, his numbers barely register: 11 blocked shots and 7 steals.

On the boards, Roberts has topped the Huskies in rebounding in 13 of 25 games. He's provided his team's only double-figure outputs, 10 against Montana and 11 against Arizona State. He can always improve in that area, too.

Offensively, however, Roberts has been a serious non-factor. He averages a paltry 3.4 shots per game. He rarely shoots from more than 5 feet from the basket. Dunks, put-backs and lay-ins compose his typical shot selection.

He has four double-figure scoring games, topped by 13 against Montana, but three of them came in the first six games.

More telling, over the past 19 outings, Roberts has just one double-digit performance, a 10-point showing against USC. Opponents know what's coming, and it's from inside.

Again, maybe Jackson Grant can provide some much-needed relief here. Roberts can be a more effective player doing the dirty work, if only points can come from someone else. 

"I'm just trying to to go out there and do what I can do without the ball," Roberts said. "I'm just trying to do the small things. Whether I shoot 2 shots or 20 shots, I just want to come out with a win."

Unfortunately, the other designated frontline starter, Wright, isn't much of a scorer either, averaging just 6.1 a game. He generally sits on the wing and the Huskies greatly suffer from the overall lack of scoring down low.

Hopkins got caught with too few big men on the roster after having a surplus last season, especially in Isaiah Stewart, one of the better frontline guys to play at Washington and now in the NBA, and it's cost him dearly. 

Look for the UW coach to pour through the transfer portal or the junior-college ranks to find another big man or two to take the pressure off everyone next season.

Roberts, either as a starter or coming off the bench, seemingly will always be a role player.  

He needs to develop a jumper from 10 feet and in or learn from creative UW guard Marcus Tsohonis how to sink that soft one-hander in the key. 

This might get him off the island. It's lonely out there. 

Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven

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