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CS Northridge-Washington Preview

Dec 6, 2009 - 4:27 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Cal State Northridge (4-3) at Washington (5-1), 10:00 p.m. EDT

So far this season, Washington has proved the main flag bearer for the struggling Pac-10, but even it couldn't stay unbeaten in non-conference play.

Before a marquee matchup next week, the 12th-ranked Huskies will try to rebound from their first loss Sunday night against visiting Cal State-Northridge.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Cal State-Fullerton, Loyola Marymount, Sacramento State, Oral Roberts and Montana are among the schools to record wins over Pac-10 teams already this season.

However, Washington - the conference's only ranked school - had stayed above the wreckage by winning its first five games.

That perfect run ended Thursday night with a 99-92 overtime defeat at Texas Tech. It looked like the Red Raiders won on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of regulation, but the shot didn't stand up to official review.

That didn't deflate Texas Tech as it outscored the Huskies 19-12 in the extra period, taking apart a Washington defense that had given up an average of 66.2 points in its first five games - all at home.

"It took us a half maybe to understand how to play basketball, both ends of the floor," coach Lorenzo Romar said. "We made some careless efforts rotating and getting back on defense and gave them some easy baskets in the first half."

Quincy Pondexter kept the Huskies' high-powered offense rolling with a career-high 31 points. Washington (5-1) is among the nation's scoring leaders with 86.0 points per game.

After averaging a career-best 12.1 points last season, Pondexter has scored a team-best 22.3 points per game this season, and sophomore guard Isaiah Thomas is not far behind in averaging 20.2 points.

The Huskies should have enough to outlast the Matadors (4-3), who have given up 80 or more points in four games already this season. Washington, though, might have to be careful to avoid looking ahead to its Dec. 12 game against No. 16 Georgetown at the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif.

Cal State-Northridge delivered its best offensive performance of the season in Thursday night's 95-93 home victory over Idaho. Senior guard Kenny Daniels led the way by hitting 12 of his 17 shots for 39 points, the most by a Matadors player in nearly 43 years.

Daniels has averaged a team-best 19.7 points while shooting 56.4 percent from the field this season, and he's one of two players scoring in double figures, along with senior forward Willie Galick (11.1 ppg on 56.5 percent shooting).

No current Northridge player appeared in the teams' previous meeting on Dec. 22, 2007, an 80-66 home victory for Washington. Huskies junior guard Venoy Overton, however, scored a then-career high 14 points and Pondexter had two points in 15 minutes off the bench.

Washington leads the series 3-0 with all its wins coming at home.