Nov 24, 2006, 16:10 GMT
Seattle, WA - The 16th-ranked Washington Huskies resume their season-opening seven-game homestand tonight, when they welcome the Eastern Washington Eagles to Bank of America Arena for a non-league matchup.
With an 83-74 victory over Sacramento State on Sunday, the Huskies improved to 4-0 on the year, marking the third straight season in which they have started off with a four-game winning streak. Washington, which opened its campaign by winnings its own Basketball Travelers Classic, has now won 18 consecutive regular-season non-conference games. The Huskies have also been extremely tough to beat in Seattle, as they have won 43 of their last 45 home games.
As for EWU, it evened its mark to 2-2 with a pair of wins over NAIA foes. The team was last in action on Tuesday, when it trounced The Evergreen State 106-65. The Eagles however, now take to the road, where they have lost both their outings by double figures.
With regards to the all-time series, Washington owns a 7-1 advantage over EWU, and it has won the last three meetings, including a 91-74 triumph last season in Seattle.
The Eagles have shown that they can score points at a high level, averaging 86.2 ppg, but stopping their opponents from doing so has been a problem, allowing 76.8 ppg. Rodney Stuckey has been simply outstanding for EWU early on and he is averaging a healthy 25.5 ppg. He is also grabbing 4.0 rpg and shooting 38.5 percent from long range. In the team's last outing, Stuckey poured in 26 points and collected five caroms in leading the Eagles to a lopsided win over The Evergreen State. It was the third straight 20-plus point effort by Stuckey, who knocked down 6-of-13 shots from the floor and 11- of-14 at the foul line. As a team, EWU shot a sizzling 61.1 percent from the field, in addition to converting 32-of-45 free-throw attempts.
The Huskies' numbers resemble the Eagles in that they are scoring a healthy 88.5 ppg, but giving up an alarming 75.0 ppg. Quincy Pondexter leads four double-digit scorers with 15.8 ppg to go along with 6.3 rpg. Jon Brockman has been a force in the low post and he is turning in 14.3 ppg and a club-high 8.8 rpg. Justin Dentmon adds 13.3 ppg and a team-best 4.4 apg, while Spencer Hawes rounds out the group with 11.5 ppg. In the club's prior outing, Pondexter netted 22 points and ripped down nine caroms in leading Washington to a nine- point win over Sacramento State. Hawes added 14 points and six blocks, and Brockman contributed 13 points and nine rebounds in the win. Washington shot a solid 54.2 percent from the field in the game, in addition to winning the battle on the boards, 50-38.
© 2006 The Sports Network
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