Huskies Can't Keep Up With Michigan And Its Big Men

Maybe all of those people packed to the rafters in Alaska Airlines Arena made them feel a little nervous or even a bit claustrophobic, especially the procession of Michigan big men that kept coming at them.

Whatever it was, the guys in the University of Washington basketball uniforms didn't handle their newfound popularity very well, misfired on nine of their first 10 shots to open the game and went down to a 82-72 defeat to fourth-ranked Michigan in their sold-out gym.

Quimari Peterson leaves bodies on the floor as he dribbles up the floor. | Dave Sizer photo

The Huskies (10-7 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) simply couldn't match the loud buzz cascading through their house with any sustained efficiency and were regula fodder for the Wolverines (15-1, 5-1), considered the league's best entry if not the country's best team.

They couldn't stop Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 Spaniard either. The Michigan big man led all scorers with 20 points on 10-for-11 shooting. He caught everything thrown to him and dunked multiple times.

"They were gigantic," coach Danny Sprinkle said. "Mara's a big dude."

The game got off to a physical start when, 30 seconds in, UW freshman Hannes Steinbach grabbed a rebound and literally threw the ball into the basket as he was knocked to the floor. He converted the free throw to put his team up 3-0. It was a promising opening possession.

Jacob Ognacevic made his UW season debut against Michigan. | Dave Sizer photo

The Huskies next were outscored 12-0 over the next six minutes and they would be playing catch-up for the rest of the evening.

It took another Steinbach basket, a dunk while he sprinted alongside the end line, to temporary slow the visitors and make it 12-5.

Yet the Wolverines simply had too many weapons as they crept out to a 12-point advantage at 28-16 and 30-18, and they led 39-30 at half.

"We thew punches back," Sprinkle said. "We didn't cower in the corner."

Freshman JJ Mandaquit topped the Huskies with a career-best 15 points. Quimarii Peterson chipped 13 points. Steinbach had another double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The UW had no excuses in terms of manpower as it brought guard Wesley Yates III back from wrist surgery and a five-game absence and unveiled forward Jacob Ognacevic for the time this season after his recovery from foot surgery.

Franck Kepnang and Zoom Diallo get ready to face Michigan. | Dave Sizer photo

The 6-foot-8 Ognacevic was a welcome sight. He hit the first 3-pointer he tried at the 6:12 mark of the opening half, which also stood as the Huskies' first make of the night. He hit another in the second half. He finished with 10 points in his debut.

"I thought Jacob was terrific," Sprinkle said.

The Huskies didn't have always have an answer defensively to keep Mara from doing whatever he wanted inside, or someone to block out 6-foot-8 Morez Johnson Jr., who had a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double, especially with the officials letting everyone push and shove.

To start the second half, the UW had one run in it and crept within five, when Steinbach tipped one in to pull his team within 46-41.

However, the towering Mara personally scored six consecutive Michigan points, on a jumper in the key, a two-hand dunk and a lay-in after grabbing a loose ball, and the Wolverines were back by 10 in a blink.

Fittingly, this one effectively ended with Mara swatting away a Steinbach shot with five minutes left to play and everyone thinking it was a goal tend that wasn't called. The Wolverines' Yaxel Lendeborg scored immediately on a lay-in at the other end for a 76-63 lead and the boos were never louder.

"We didn't play nearly our best basketball and we were still in the game," Mandaquit said, being hopeful.

The Huskies next host the Big Ten's other Michigan team, 12th-ranked Michigan State (15-2, 5-1), on Saturday at 3 p.m. as the schedule just doesn't get any easier for Sprinkle's guys.

People might be a little distracted that day, as well. At least the fans. Excuse them if they don't stay the entire game.

The Seattle Seahawks host an NFC Division Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers across town, with the football and basketball games overlapping some.

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