Maine Event: Carter Abuses Black Bears

The Washington basketball team, so tentative and hesitant on offense with its new personnel, finally unearthed its dominant personality.

The Huskies got out and ran. They fed freshman Isaiah Stewart. They scrambled out of Naz Carter's way as he went on a first-half dunk-a-thon.

Feeling uninhibited against an inferior opponent, the UW sent the visiting Maine Black Bears back to New England with a 72-53 defeat on Tuesday night at Alaska Airlines Arena.

The Huskies' points were a season high by 5. Still early on, there were moments of ball-movement angst.

Slow out of the gate, Washington (3-1) didn't score for more than three minutes after tipping off. Six minutes into the action, the home team had just two baskets, both layins.

To take the lid off the basket, Stewart went to work, muscling in 10 of the UW's first 17 points. His determination quickly spread to the others. Stewart led the Huskies in scoring with 16.

Of the slow start, Stewart said. "That's definitely something we have to stop to be great."

Nursing a 19-13 lead, the Huskies pulled away in a hurry with Carter supplying repeated exclamation points.

Carter caught a Jaden McDaniels lob pass with his right hand and rammed it through, waking everyone up in the half-full arena.

Two possessions later, Carter took a Quade Green feed and raced in on a fast break for two-handed dunk and a 25-13 lead.

A minute and a half later, Carter stole the ball and zipped in for an emphatic wind-up slam. The Huskies led 32-13. Maine (1-3) was officially done. The dunks accounted for 6 of Carter's 8 points.

"Of course, the windmill," the junior said when asked for his favorite flush.

"He better make it," UW coach Mike Hopkins said. "Or he's sitting next to me."

The Huskies showed off some defensive prowess, forcing 20 turnovers while committing just 6.

It was also a coming-out party for the Huskies: freshman guard Marcus Tsohonis, freshman forward Raequan Battle, redshirt freshman forward Bryan Penn-Johnson and redshirt freshman center Riley Sorn made their collegiate debuts in the second half.

UW redshirt freshman forward Nate Roberts scored his first college points, dunking one in left-handed with 9 minutes remaining; Tsohonis collected his first UW points on a late trey and Penn-Johnson got his on a pair of free throws.

In all, Hopkins played 17 guys.