The Washington Huskies have been taking steps in the right direction in their first season under head coach Danny Sprinkle, but took a step back inside Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday night, dropping their first Big Ten conference game 69-58 to the UCLA Bruins.
Washington ran into a strong Bruins defense that came into the game allowing a nation’s best 52.4 points per contest, but Sprinkle’s team didn’t do itself any favors. The Huskies’ struggles from three-point range returned, as they mustered just three buckets from deep on 16 attempts.
Star forward Great Osobor also looked like he’s still trying to shake off some rust, as he finished with 14 points while going 4-11 from the floor and 6-11 from the free-throw line. He also added 9 rebounds and 4 assists, but also turned the ball over 8 times, the same amount as UCLA.
The Huskies committed 19 fouls and 12 turnovers, and struggled to guard Oregon State transfer Tyler Bilodeau. The Kennewick, Washington native and former Washington State Gatorade Player of the Year was an efficient 6-8 from the field, and finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds.
Although he finished just 3-9 from the field, freshman guard Zoom Diallo was impressive. He showed tenacity and fearlessness, consistently driving into the teeth of UCLA’s stout defense, and added 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
Next up, the Huskies will return to Seattle for another Big Ten matchup with the USC Trojans on Saturday, December 7.