Huskies Close Out SoCal Trip at USC Sunday

Washington (10-8, 2-5 Pac-12) closes out the road trip Sunday, facing USC (10-8, 2-5 Pac-12) at 12:00 p.m. at Galen Center. The game is being broadcast on the Pac-12 Network with Jim Watson and Tammy Blackburn on the call. Fans can also listen to Gary Hill Jr. on the UW/IMG College Network on KKNW 1150 AM, on the TuneIn App, or GoHuskies.com.

LEADING THE BREAK…

Washington is 9-3 in its last 12 games away from home dating back to last season including a 6-2 record in such games this year (3-2 road, 3-0 neutral site). Five of those nine wins came against Pac-12 teams
The Huskies have won three of their last five Pac-12 Road games after going winless in their previous 17.
Washington leads the Pac-12 and ranks 34th in the NCAA in turnovers forced, turning teams over 20.1 times per game. UW also leads the conference and ranks 20th nationally in steals per game (11.1) and holds an opposing turnover rate of 23.1% is 41st in the NCAA according to HerHoopStats.com.
UW has the NCAA's 26th-toughest overall schedule with opponents holding a combined .648 winning pct.
The Huskies are third in the Pac-12 and 30th in the NCAA with a 64.2% assisted shot rate (HerHoopStats.com) and rank 32nd in the country with 16.4 assists per game.
Senior Amber Melgoza has led the team in scoring in each of the last eight games and is averaging 15.3 points per game. She ranks fourth in the Pac-12 with an 18.6 ppg average in conference play.
Melgoza's 14 points at UCLA moved her into 14th on UW's all-time scoring list with 1,477 points. She needs 23 points to become the 14th Husky to eclipse 1,500 points.
Sophomore Haley Van Dyke ranks second in the Pac-12 and is 32nd in the NCAA with 32 steals (2.5 spg). She also leads the team with 6.0 rebounds per game and is second in scoring at 8.9 points per game.
Junior Missy Peterson rebounded from a tough weekend with 13 points at UCLA. She leads the team with 53 assists (2.9 apg) and is averaging 8.4 ppg this season–third-best on the team.

Scouting the Trojans
USC has won its last two games after opening conference play with five-straight losses. The first of those may have been the biggest shock of the NCAA season thus far as the Trojans handed cross-town rival UCLA its first loss of the season in a 70-68 double-overtime win just one week ago. On Friday, USC picked up a 74-63 win over Washington State, leading from start to finish in the contest. The Trojans have been strong at home, improving to 7-3 at home on the season.

USC experienced a lot of turnovers from last year with a number of players transferring out and others graduating. Leading the way for the young core of Trojans has been freshmen Alissa Pili and Endyia Rogers. Pili, a forward from Alaska, is averaging 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Those numbers have gone up to 17.4 ppg and 8.5 rpg through seven conference games. Rogers, a guard from Dallas, has added 11.6 points and 1.9 assists per game. The two combined to score 46 of USC's 74 points against Washington State on Friday with Pili recording a 23-point, 13-rebound double-double to lead the way.

All-Time Series vs USC
Washington holds a 37-30 lead in the all-time series between the two schools, though USC has won the last two. That includes last season's match-up in LA which the Trojans won 82-57 with a big second-half push. Prior to USC's two-game winning streak, Washington had won eight-straight against the Trojans including the previous four at the Galen Center. Overall, USC holds an 18-14 edge in games played in LA.

Up Next
Washington returns home for a four-game home stand next week, starting a showdown against No. 6 Stanford on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Huskies then host California on Sunday at Noon before welcoming the Mountain schools to Alaska Airlines Arena the following week.

Offensive Barrage at UCLA
Washington's offense was clicking at UCLA with the Huskies shooting 48.3% from the field and scoring 70 points in regulation for the first time in conference play. Washington's shooting percentage was the second-best of the season and featured a stretch where the Huskies connected on 12-of-18 from the field in the fourth quarter and overtime periods combined. UW also hit nine three-pointers in the game with six different players connecting from long range. It was the fourth time this season the Huskies made nine or more threes in a game.

Melgoza Catching Fire
Senior Amber Melgoza has once again caught fire in Pac-12 play, leading the team in scoring in each of the Huskies six conference games thus far. Melgoza is averaging 18.6 points per game in Pac-12 contests–fourth-best in the conference–and is connecting on 46.7% from the field while adding a team-best 17 assists to go along with 34 rebounds. Last season, Melgoza averaged 17.4 points per game in Pac-12 play and poured in 20.6 points a conference game as a sophomore.

Melgoza's 31-point performance at Cal marked the fifth time she has scored 30 points or more in a game with four of those coming against either Cal or Stanford (two against each). She poured in 24 against Arizona on Sunday, marking the 35th time she has scored 20 or more points in a game in her career and fourth time this season.

Melgoza Moving On Up
Amber Melgoza's 14 points against UCLA on Friday vaulted her into 14th on UW's all-time scoring list. The senior now has 1,477 career points and is 23 points shy of becoming the 14th Husky to score 1,500 career points. In addition, Melgoza can pass Carlin McClary for 13th on the all-time scoring list with just 32 more points.

Last year, Melgoza became the 28th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points with her first basket against Oregon on Jan. 27. She has amassed 1,424 points from her sophomore year on, averaging 17.8 ppg over that stretch. (Melgoza didn't play much as a freshman, scoring just 53 total points in 25 games.)

Feeling Defensive
Washington's defense has been among the best in the Pac-12 and the country this season. The Huskies lead the Pac-12 and rank 26th in NCAA DI in turnovers forced, averaging 20.7 per game. UW also ranks 15th in the country in steals per game (11.4) and 49th in scoring defense (58.2 ppg).

Looking at analytics from HerHoopStats.com coming into the weekend, the Huskies rank 26th overall with a 78.5 defensive rating and have limited teams to just 78.8 points per 100 possessions: 18th-best in NCAA DI. UW also has the 21st-best turnover rate (24.1%), turning over teams nearly once out of every four possessions.

Washington has forced at least 20 turnovers in nine games this year and has at least 15 turnovers forced in 16 of 17. The Huskies have recorded double-digit steals in 12 games including 15 or more in three games.

Earlier this season, the Huskies forced 38 turnovers against Weber State, the most by a UW team since turning over Gonzaga 38 times in 1998. It was the second time in the first three games the Huskies forced 30+ turnovers after forcing 31 against Cal State Bakersfield to open the year.

Lucky #60!
The number 60 has been a key one for the Huskies this season. Washington is 10-3 this year when scoring 60 or more points including a 2-1 mark in Pac-12 play. By comparison, UW went 11-10 in similar games last year. On the defensive end, the Huskies are a perfect 8-0 when allowing 60 or fewer points to opponents (1-0 in the Pac-12).

Home Away From Home
The Huskies have had impressive success away from home since the end of last year, winning nine of their last 12 outside of Seattle. So far this season, Washington is 3-2 in true road games to go along with a 3-0 record in neutral site games. The Huskies closed out last year with an impressive run, winning at Colorado in their final road game, then winning two of three in the Pac-12 Tournament in Vegas. Prior to the Colorado game, UW had won just four games away from home over the last two years–a stretch of 29 games. Washington also has won three of its last five Pac-12 road games dating back to last year after losing its previous 17.

Can I Assist You With That?
Washington has been moving the ball well on offense, recording 295 assists on 455 field goals this season, an assisted shot rate of 64.2%. According to HerHoopStats.com, that ranks as the 330th best rate in the NCAA and second-best in the Pac-12. Overall, UW ranks 32nd with 16.4 assists per game and 44th with 295 total assists. Last season, the Huskies were 187th in assisted shot rate at 54.9%.

Washington has at least 20 assists in five games this year including recording 25 assists on 29 made field goals against San Francisco–the most in a game by the Huskies since recording 25 against Portland in 2017.

Huskies in The National Rankings
Entering the weekend, Washington finds itself in the Top 60 in the NCAA in numerous categories through 16 games (updated through games 1/21/20):

Team:
               •             15th - Steals Per Game (11.4)
               •             22nd - Steals (194)
               •             26th - Turnovers Forced (20.7/game)
               •             32nd - Assists Per Game (16.4)
               •             44th - Assists (278)
               •             49th - Scoring Defense (58.2 oppg)
               •             51st - Turnover Margin (+3.9)

Huskies in the NCAA Top 100:
               •             26th - Haley Van Dyke Total Steals (45)
               •             30th - Haley Van Dyke Steals Per Game (2.7)
               •             74th - Darcy Rees Blocks Per Game (1.65)
               •             79th - Darcy Rees Total Blocks (28)

Put 'em in The 49er Club
Head Coach Jody Wynn has a defensive goal for each game: put the opponent in the "49er Club" by holding them to 49 points or less in a game. So far, the Huskies have done that five times this season including allowing just 34 points to Iona on Nov. 28–the fewest points allowed by UW since holding San Jose State to 27 points in 2010. The Huskies are 5-0 this season when holding teams under 50 points.

Washington entered the season having put just two other teams in the 49er club since Wynn took over: one in each of the past two seasons (WSU, 56-49 UW win - 1/21/18; COLO, 60-46 UW win - 2/24/19).

Overall, Washington is holding opponents to 58.7 ppg game this year–the 49th-lowest scoring defense in the NCAA. Only five teams have managed to shoot better than 40% against the Huskies this year and UW has held eight teams to under 60 points, posting a perfect 8-0 record in those games. Last year, Washington held teams under 60 nine times all season, going 8-1.

RPI Check
The Huskies' losses last week dropped them down to #103 in both the NCAA's RPI list and RealTimeRPI. UW already has a big win over Iowa (RPI #6) on its resume but faces eight teams in the RPI Top 50 the rest of the way. The Huskies had been ranked as low as #322 in the RealTimeRPI rankings early in the year, and rose as high as #70 after their Bay area trip. UCLA's RPI is #8 while USC is #80.

Van Dyke Opens Strong
Sophomore Haley Van Dyke has been impressive through her second season in purple and gold, leading the team with 2.7 steals and 6.0 rebounds per game and is second in scoring at 8.9 points per game. Van Dyke ranks 26th in the NCAA in total steals (45) and 30th in steals per game (2.7)–leading the Pac-12 in both categories.

Van Dyke played in all 32 games last year, but averaged just 4.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game. She already has scored 24 more points this season than last (137) and has nearly twice as many steals at this point than she did all of last season (23).

Block Party!
Thanks in large part to added height this season, the Huskies have already recorded 64 blocks this season: an average of 3.6 per game. That is especially impressive considering UW had just 64 in 32 games last year. Darcy Rees is second in the Pac-12 and ranks 74th in the NCAA with 1.7 blocks per game and also is third in the Pac-12 with 28 total blocks after recording just 29 last year.

Double-Double Your Pleasure
The Huskies had a pair of players record a double-double against Seattle, something which hadn't been done in three seasons. Mai-Loni Henson picked up her third career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, adding two steals, a block and an assist. Haley Van Dyke recorded her first double-double with 14 points and a career-best 12 rebounds, adding three steals and two assists. Overall, UW players have recorded three double-doubles this year after recording just two last year.

Pleskevich Breaks Out
Junior transfer Rita Pleskevich had a solid showing at UCLA, scoring 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting including hitting a pair of three-pointers. Earlier this season, she had a breakout game against Washington State, scoring a season-high 12 points and adding four assists and a pair of rebounds. The Broward College (Fla.) transfer helped keep the Huskies in the game early on, scoring all 12 points in the first half while the rest of the team got going. In addition, her 31 minutes played were a season-high as well.

Huskies Nearing 850 Program Victories
Washington's win over Cal was the 846th win in program history. The Huskies are averaging just over 18 wins per year over 46 seasons. All-time Washington is 846-518, a .620 winning percentage.

Turnover Machine
Earlier this season, the Huskies forced 38 turnovers against Weber State, the most by a UW team since turning over Gonzaga 38 times in 1998. It is also the most by a Pac-12 team in nearly six years. Overall, UW has forced at least 20 turnovers in nine of 14 games this season and forced 30 or more twice.

Melgoza Again on Meyers-Drysdale Watch List
Senior guard Amber Melgoza has once again been named as one of 20 candidates on the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Preseason Watch List awarded annually to the best shooting guard in NCAA DI women's basketball. The winner of the 2020 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in LA on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Women's Starting Five.

Radio Show
Head Coach Jody Wynn joins Elise Woodward for the UW Coaches Show throughout the season at Chinook's at Fisherman's Terminal. The show is carried live on KOMO AM 1000 in Seattle at 6:00 p.m. every Monday through March 16. It can also be heard at GoHuskies.com or via the TuneIn App, available in the App Stores.

Schedule

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Players Mentioned

Mai-Loni Henson

Amber Melgoza

Missy Peterson

Rita Pleskevich

Darcy Rees

Haley Van Dyke

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