If Huskies Are Short-Handed at WSU, Here's a Solution

Start the young big man with the lofty credentials but lately little playing time.

Having lost three consecutive games and some key players along the way, the University of Washington basketball team finds itself in Pullman on Wednesday night looking to patch things together against Washington State.

It appears Husky coach Mike Hopkins will need to remake his starting lineup and playing rotation, something he's usually reluctant to do — unless forced into it.

While he hasn't ruled anyone out of the 8 p.m. game that will be shown on ESPNU, Hopkins stands the likelihood of having to go without a pair of starters in point guard Daejon Davis and now small forward Emmitt Matthews Jr.

Davis is dealing with a shoulder injury suffered at Stanford, his old team, that's kept him out of four games now and doesn't appear to be a short-term situation.

Matthews, the team's second-leading scorer at 11.3 points per game, took a blow to the head, sat out the second half of Saturday night game at UCLA and has been in concussion protocols.

So if both players are unavailable against the Cougars (14-12, 7-8), what's Hopkins' next move?

The Huskies (13-12 overall, 8-7 Pac-12) could find a pair of replacements among 6-foot-4 junior PJ Fuller (3 previous starts), 6-foot-7 junior Cole Bajema (1 start) and 6-foot-9 junior Langston Wilson (1 start).

Here's a novel concept: Open the game with 6-foot-10 freshman Jackson Grant.

Play Grant for 20 minutes or more.

The fact this highly regarded big man looks lost on the floor and regularly sits on game night is all on the coaching staff for failing to have him ready to play 25 games in.

The Huskies have nothing to lose at this point of the season except getting Grant comfortable as a college player and making regular contributions.

For a break-even team set to lose significant veteran talent at season's end, sitting this McDonald's All-American makes no sense at all.

His player development has been abysmal, if not neglectful.

Play Grant against this Cougars team that has its fair share of capable big men.

Make him post up. Take the 15-footer. Foul out if he has to. 

But get him off the bench and feeling good about his role at the UW. 

The spotty use of this true freshman has been the biggest failure for this Husky team.

The outcome of this game in the Palouse has no bearing on the future. 

Jackson Grant does.

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