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Montana-Washington Preview

Nov 29, 2009 - 4:07 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Montana (4-1) at Washington (4-0), 9:00 p.m. EDT

Pac-10 teams have already experienced a number of nonconference losses so far this season, but Washington remains unscathed thanks to one of the nation's top offenses.

The 14th-ranked Huskies will face a the team that's already beaten one Pac-10 school when they host Montana on Sunday night.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Cal State Fullerton, Loyola Marymount, Cal State Sacramento and Portland (twice) are among the schools from less-heralded conferences to post wins over the Pac-10 in the season's first month.

"I don't think the Pac-10 has played that well at this point in nonconference," Huskies coach Lorenzo Romar told the school's Web site. "I still think you can't throw the Pac-10 under the bus yet because as teams get healthier and players become eligible, I think we'll see some different performances."

Washington (4-0) has stayed unbeaten by scoring 90.3 points per game, senior swingman Quincy Pondexter's breakout performances and sophomore guard Isaiah Thomas' continued success.

Pondexter, who never averaged more than 12.1 points in his three previous seasons, leads the Huskies with 24.0 points - on 61.1 percent shooting - and 12.0 rebounds per game. He's had at least 25 points and 11 rebounds in the each of the last three games, including career highs of 30 points and 15 boards in the Huskies' latest victory, 80-70 over visiting San Jose State on Nov. 20.

"He's playing really efficient and leading us," Thomas said. "He's the captain of this team and is supposed to be doing the things that he does. He's been here four years and knows how to get it done."

Thomas endured a 4-of-13 shooting performance and was held to a season-low 16 points in the win. Despite that, he's scored 22.5 points per game after averaging a team-leading 15.5 in his first season in Seattle.

The tandem of Pondexter and Thomas will try to help Romar become the fourth Washington coach to earn 150 wins at the school, but they will have to contend with a Grizzlies defense that's holding opponents to 58.6 points per game.

After suffering its only loss at Denver on Nov. 19, Montana (4-1) bounced back to limit Oregon to a season-worst 33.3 percent shooting in a 68-55 road victory Monday night.

Senior guard Anthony Johnson scored 20 points for the fifth straight game, and junior center Brian Qvale added 15 and 10 rebounds.

Johnson is one of two Grizzlies averaging in double figures with 22.0 points per game, with Qvale averaging 11.6. Qvale also has a team-best 7.6 rebounds per game.

Johnson and fellow senior guard Ryan Staudacher were the only two Grizzlies to score in double figures in last season's 75-53 loss at Washington. Thomas scored 13 to lead the Huskies, who held the Grizzlies to 27.9 percent shooting - a season low.

Washington leads the all-time series 41-9.