Corvallis, OR – The Washington Huskies came into the game against Oregon State coming off a big road win on Thursday over Oregon. They left the state with a sweep, easily defeating the Beavers 79-69. They remained unbeaten (7-0) in the Pac-12, their best conference start since the 1952-53 season.
The Huskies jumped all over the Beavers right out the gates with an 11-0 run using an aggressive extended 2-3 zone with isolated trapping along the baseline corners. 6-5 senior forward Matisse Thybulle, who is on the Naismith Defensive POY watch list, had his hands all over this game and the early run. Thybulle, a prospect for the 2019 NBA Draft, had three steals, two assists, one rebound, and one dunk in the first three minutes of play. The Huskies were aggressive, taking the ball to the basket with authority and athletic power finishes throughout the game. Washington had their largest lead of the first half at 17 points with 1:16 remaining. Senior guard Stephen Thompson Jr. was the first to get the Beavers on the board after the 11-0 start with a three pointer of his own. Thompson Jr. would continue to have a solid half finishing with 13 points (4-8 FG, 3-5 3PT, 2-2 FT) as the Beavers entered halftime down 40-27.
The second half was much of the same, as the Beavers could not get three or four defensive stops in a row to get within striking distance. They never had the lead in this game. The Huskies shot 58 percent for the game, led in bench scoring 25-6 and by 10-5 in steals. They had their largest lead of the game at 21 points with 10:53 remaining in the game.
For Oregon State, Thompson Jr. has played very well in both games this week. Tonight he displayed his best talent which is shooting, as he scored 30 points (11-19 FG, 6-11 3PT, 2-2 FT). His play kept his team from getting completely blown out. Thompson Jr. led by example the entire game with his hustle, defense, rebounding, and competitive nature. Tres Tinkle was the only other Beaver player to reach double figures as he scored 18 points (4-12 FG, 10-12 FT) to go along with nine rebounds. Tinkle did a decent job of drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line.
For Washington, Thybulle has extremely quick feet and hands and covers a lot of basketball real estate fast with his lengthy athletic frame. He plays the passing lane well on defense with full anticipation of getting the steal or block, and closes out of shooters to contest jump shots. He is a solid athlete and finisher in the transition game. Point guard David Crisp did a good job of controlling the tempo, and was strong at protecting the ball with his 4-1 assist to turnover ratio. Crisp finished with 14 points (6-12 FG, 2-6 3PT) and four assists while directing and orchestrating the Huskies offense in the right decisions. Crisp got into the paint when necessary and knocked down outside shots. 6’6” sophomore forward Nahziah Carter played one of his better games as a Husky. He produced the most athletic plays in the game with his emphatic dunks throughout the evening. Carter finished with 18 points (8-11 FG, 2-4 FT), three rebounds, three assists and three steals. He is extremely gifted and talented on both ends of the floor, and is extremely dangerous in the transition game, as he can finish over, around, or through the best of them. 6’4” sophomore guard Jaylen Nowell is another talent. He is full of confidence, thrives in competition, and is a complete athletic guard that can do it all with his aggressive mindset and a nice shooting touch, Nowell finished with 19 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 3PT, 8-10 FT).
Oregon State (12-7, 4-3) travels to Colorado to play the Buffaloes (11-8, 2-5) next Thursday, while Washington (16-4, 7-0) hosts USC (12-8, 5-2) who are in second place in the Pac-12.
This article was written by Lorenzo Leaks, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.
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