Brooks Says Gonzaga Victory 'Not a Fluke — We're Really This Good'
Alaska Airlines Arena was sold out. Buzzing when it wasn't roaring. Treating every possession like it mattered.
Yet this happens every time Gonzaga comes to town and plays the University of Washington basketball team, at least for a half. Same with Arizona and UCLA.
Local hoop fans in recent seasons have come out in droves, hoping to see an upset of one of the West Coast blue bloods, especially that team from Spokane. Yet for the most part, they always go home disappointed.
On Saturday night, these UW loyalists finally got their basketball wish — for the first time in five tries, a Mike Hopkins team beat the Zags, with the Huskies' 78-73 upset sending nearly all of the students spilling onto the floor in a glorious celebration as the nation's seventh-ranked team went down.
It was quite a sight to see. The Huskies had lost 10 consecutive games to top 10 teams, with their last victory over a a poll-elevated opponent coming in 2018, with a 78-75 buzzer takedown over then-No. 9 Arizona on Dominic Green's 3-pointer.
With so many veteran players added to this team, the UW (6-3) truthfully was expected to better, especially after earlier losing 100-97 in overtime to San Diego State, the national tournament runner-up, only because a regulation free throw wouldn't drop.
"With a group of new guys that we've got and when you try to put us together with the schedule we've got was pretty tough," said Brooks, who led the Huskies with 17 points and 8 rebounds. "We all stuck together and kept believing."
With a home win over Gonzaga, the expectations were met. At least for a night.
These Huskies twice fell behind by 11 in the second half and didn't crumble. They went into the final three-plus minutes of the game and came out the better team.
By beating Gonzaga, they want people to know what's possible.
"This is not a fluke — we're really this good," Brooks said. "It just took us some time to figure it out. When we're sticking together, man, we're hard to beat."
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