University of Washington
Portland
UW Wins Seventh Straight, Downs Portland, 80-45
December 07, 2014 | Women's Basketball
Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. – Washington extended its winning streak to seven, beating Portland on Sunday afternoon at the Chiles Center, 80-45. The Dawgs held Portland to just 30 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers to win comfortably.
The Dawgs scored at least 80 points for the eighth-straight game and have a margin of victory of double digits in each of their wins this season. While the offense was again productive, including four players in double figures, it was the Husky defense that was the difference against the Pilots.
The Huskies frustrated Portland all game, mixing their defenses for much of the afternoon. Washington finished with 15 steals, including a career-high tying five from Talia Walton.
It was Walton who had the hot hand early as the Dawgs built an early lead. She finished 6-9 from the floor in the first half with 15 points.
Tied at 7-7 early, the Dawgs used an 11-1 run to take an 18-8 lead and it was not close again. Kelsey Plum found Chantel Osahor on a pick and pop and the sophomore post player knocked down the 3-ball to give the Dawgs a double-digit lead. Osahor finished 3-5 from beyond the arc as the Dawgs made eight 3-pointers, two under their season average.
Washington led 46-28 at the break, shooting 59.3 percent (16-27) from the floor. Jazmine Davis added 13 first-half points as the Huskies were a model of efficiency. The Pilots seem to key on stopping Plum, leaving other Huskies free to attack the defense.
After the break, the Dawgs hot shooting began to cool, but Washington picked it up at the defensive end. The Pilots managed just 17 points in the second half as the Huskies continued to extend the lead, despite shooting just 33.3 percent (12-36) in the period.
Plum was the main offensive spark in the second half, finishing with 20 points on 6-12 shooting, including 2-3 from 3-point range and 6-7 from the foul line. She added a team-leading five assists as the Huskies finished with 18, also getting four apiece from Davis and Brianna Ruiz.
Ruiz was also big at the offensive end, matching a career high with 14 points. The redshirt freshman earned her third start of the season and is now averaging 6.5 points on 41 percent shooting this year.
Defensively, Washington led the Pilots to just five field goals in the second half. Portland shot 25 percent (5-25) and turned it over nine times in the half. Washington also outrebounded the Pilots 26-22 in the period as Aminah Williams finished with 10 boards.
Williams surpassed a career milestone, becoming just the fourth Husky to reach 900 rebounds. She now has 909 for her career and is within 94 of Amber Hall's all-time UW record.
After five-straight games away from Alaska Airlines Arena, the Dawgs return home on Sunday, Dec. 14 to host Grambling for a noon tip. The Dawgs will look to keep their winning streak going against the visitors from the Southwestern Conference.
