Huskies Hold Off Colorado on Road for 3rd Consecutive Win

In opposition to Colorado, Keyon Menifield was within the beginning lineup for the College of Washington basketball staff and Koren Johnson joined him simply two and half minutes into their recreation in Boulder, forming an all-freshman backcourt.

By now, it should not be misplaced on anybody that because the Huskies get youthful, they appear to be getting higher. 

On Thursday evening, this typically fresh-faced UW unit took the lead for good as quickly as these two first-year gamers obtained on the ground collectively, practically gave all of it again however got here away with a 75-72 victory.

The result was good for a 3rd consecutive win for the Huskies (12-8 general, 4-5 Pac-12) and a season sequence sweep of the Buffaloes (11-9, 3-6). Colorado led solely 4-2 in shedding simply its second residence recreation.

UW coach Mike Hopkins recently has been confronted with the fragile determination of making an attempt to show his staff over to his gifted first-year gamers extra whereas not shedding his older guys within the course of.

Everybody gave the impression to be on board with it on this Rocky Mountains tour, particularly senior ahead Keion Brooks, who led all scorers with 25 on 9-for-12 capturing, together with 3 of 5 3-pointers. The younger guys know that he must have the ball. 

Braxton Meah, the UW’s 7-foot-1 heart, equipped 10 factors and 12 rebounds.

As for the freshmen, Menifield completed with 10 factors on 4-of-7 capturing, whereas Johnson added 9 factors on 3-of-7 marksmanship.

The Huskies practically frittered away a 13-point lead over the ultimate 13-plus minutes, getting sloppy whereas going through the Buffaloes’ doubling full-court press.

It did not assist that Johnson fouled out with 3:04 remaining and Menifield slipped and fell with a minute and a half remaining and needed to depart the sport shaken up, leaving the Huskies with out their younger ballhandlers.

Fittingly, Menifield got here again in and knocked the ball away on the sport’s ultimate possession, stopping a last-second Colorado shot. 

Menifield began for the seventh consecutive recreation, changing senior PJ Fuller, whose function and minutes have been reduce considerably.

Hopkins nonetheless began senior Noah Williams, however he despatched Johnson, coming off a pair of performances worthy of Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors, into the sport not lengthy after tipoff with the groups tied at 4-4.

The Huskies instantly went on a 7-0 run, capped by Johnson’s 3-pointer from the left facet. 

Menifield dropped in a pair of treys himself, the second giving the UW a 10-point lead at 25-15.

After coping with a late Colorado run to shut the half, the Huskies took a 33-26 result in the locker rooms.

Following the break, the UW got here out extra refreshed — what else do you do with freshman on the ground — and constructed its largest lead at 48-35 on Brooks’ 3-pointer with 13;21 left to play.

Turnovers had been the one factor that prevented a blowout because the Huskies obtained sloppy making an attempt to complete it off, committing 22 turnovers in all, and that enabled Colorado to creep inside the ultimate margin earlier than pulling away.

The Huskies end up this two-game highway journey with a Saturday cease at Utah, with tipoff at 5 p.m. PT.

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