Washington is a different breed of dog for Pitt. Even if the match-up isn’t as big as initially envisioned, it is still an interesting thing when teams come from over 2000 miles away for a game.
The Huskies (16-9, 6-8) have stockpiled some terrific young talent. Unfortunately for them, they’re walking into the Panthers’ den after Pitt was stunned at home 66-53 by Louisville. It will be interesting to watch 7-foot senior center Aaron Gray against former five-star prospect Spencer Hawes, who leads Washington in scoring as a freshman.
Hawes has had a rough year, dealing with some injuries.
Life on the trail can be difficult for young Huskies. Washington freshman center Spencer Hawes battled a bad ankle that contributed to the Huskies’ midseason slump that now makes them NCAA tournament long shots (16-9, 6-8 Pacific-10). But his 22-point outing Wednesday against Washington State, even in a losing cause, could give UW reason for optimism Saturday at No. 5 Pittsburgh as he takes on veteran Panthers big man Aaron Gray.
There are rumors that Hawes may go pro after one year.
According to an NBA Eastern Conference scout who has watched Hawes and several other former area high school standouts play in college, Hawes needs to think hard before he decides to leave Lorenzo Romar’s nest for the rigors of the NBA.
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“He has very good hands, plays well in the open floor for a guy that’s 6-11,” the scout said. “He’s very comfortable with the ball, has a great touch around the basket, nice form with his shot. He is not going to be the quickest or most athletic guy.
“Some guys like Hawes and (Pitt’s) Aaron Gray, those guys were immediately looked at as lottery picks 15 years ago. (But) just because you’re big doesn’t give you that advantage. There are plenty of NBA teams who have won titles without a big center, and if this 6-9 guy is more athletic, they may take him.”
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“He struggles against the more athletic, quicker big (men), and his rebounding skills are good but not great,” the scout said. “He’s gotta get stronger on his lower body. He’s not that imposing force defensively.”
That sounds good for Gray. As does this from a UDub beat writer:
…Pitt has struggled against teams with quick guards, which unfortunately doesn’t really define what the Huskies are right now.
Seth Davis at SI.com is going with Pitt since UW is only 1-7 in true road games and Pitt should (better) be pissed from the Louisville game. Not that Washington isn’t more than a little frustrated after losing at home to Washington State.
The Huskies fell to 6-8 in the Pac-10. They must finish at least 9-9 in the conference just to be considered for the NCAA tournament. They have five games remaining, four of them against Top 25 foes. They probably need to win four of those games.
They’ll be swimming with piranhas, hoping not to be snacked on, for the remainder of the season. The next carnivorous creature: No. 7 Pittsburgh, a physical, disciplined and defensive-minded foe that figures to be a terrible matchup, especially on the road.
The last time they traveled east for a non-con game in February, was in 2004. They lost the game to NC State. It’s also the first time they will appear on the ESPN/ABC since Fall 2004.
