Washington's Wisconsin Loss and Indiana Showdown

Lance Simons

Welcome to the Huskies Central Podcast. I'm your host Lance Simons. And not with me today, M.I.A. April Sharp. April is Roughing it in Maui. Alright, Husky faithful, let’s dive into what could only be described as a good old-fashioned, uh, Wisconsin walloping. The Huskies traveled to Madison for the first time since 1958. And folks, not only did we leave with jet lag, but also with the dubious honor of our first-ever loss against the Badgers. Love making history, just wish it wasn’t that kind of history, you know?

Lance Simons

The final score? 88 to 62. Yeah, that’s a 26-point blowout. You could call it a game, but honestly, it felt more like an audition—where we played the role of the supportive, but hapless, extras. John Blackwell from Wisconsin? This guy went off. Dropped 24 points, snagged 10 rebounds, and made it look like he was filming his own personal highlight reel. Meanwhile, on our end, Great Osobor led the Huskies with—wait for it—11 points. Uh… I mean, at least he hit double digits, right?

Lance Simons

Now Mekhi Mason, I’ll give him this—he’s been hot lately from beyond the arc. Guy’s knocking down threes like they’re layups. He hit 3-of-5 from deep in this game, 16-of-30 the last four games. So, there’s a silver lining. A small, tiny, really faint silver lining, but it’s there!

Lance Simons

The real kicker, though, was the first half. We were down 43 to 28 after 20 minutes of play. And rebounds? Oh, man. Wisconsin grabbed 41 compared to our 26. That’s not "getting out-rebounded," that’s like walking into Krispy Kreme only to find the racks empty. Just heartbreaking.

Lance Simons

And I gotta mention, Coach Sprinkle tried every plan in his playbook. He went for man defense, throw-in match-up zones, sprinkle a little on-ball trapping in there—but it didn’t matter. I mean, Blackwell scored 19 points in the first half alone. Guy probably left the gym wondering why we didn’t just hand him a crown and call it a day.

Lance Simons

Look, it wasn’t just Blackwell either. Wisconsin had four players hit double-figures. Double-figures, people. Meanwhile, we’re over here trying to turn water into wine with just one guy hitting the mark. Oh, and can we talk turnovers? We racked up 10 of those bad boys. That's like just handing Wisconsin a tray of easy baskets. What were we doing out there, gift-wrapping points?

Lance Simons

Alright, that’s enough gloom for now. We have plenty more to breakdown about this game, but hey, there’s always the next one. Let’s hope for a little more bark and a lot less, uh, whimpering in the next outing.

Lance Simons

Okay folks, now let’s talk about the postseason. Our chances? Let’s just say, it’s like trying to keep a snowball intact while trekking across the Mojave Desert. We’re sitting at 4-13 in the Big Ten and 13-15 overall. If we want any shot—and I mean like, miracle-level shot—at making the Big Ten Tournament, we gotta sweep the next three games and, uh, pray that the basketball gods decide to be extra generous. Spoiler alert: they haven’t been so far.

Lance Simons

Now, Coach Sprinkle tried, you know, shaking things up defensively against Wisconsin. Match-up zones, man-to-man, trapping—it didn’t matter. The Badgers just sliced through us like they were holding magic wands instead of basketballs. And our stats? Woof. We shot just 31.8 percent from three. That’s real estate agent levels of missing your targets, folks.

Lance Simons

And let’s not even get into free throws. Oh wait, yes we will. Three for eight. Thirty-seven point five percent. With numbers like that, our basket might as well have been covered in saran wrap. Seriously, you gotta hit those to stay competitive, and we just… didn’t.

Lance Simons

Looking back, this year feels oddly familiar, doesn’t it? I’m flashing back to some of our rougher seasons—you know, seasons where optimism became a dirty word and "better luck next year" felt like our official slogan. And what’s the common thread? Inconsistent shooting, shaky defense, and getting crushed on the boards. It’s like we’re replaying the greatest hits from our most disappointing albums. Same tune, different year.

Lance Simons

Ugh, and the turnovers. Ten of those beauties gifted Wisconsin easy points, and yet, we’re supposed to believe we can muster a miracle to make the tournament. I'd say it’s frustrating, but honestly, at this point, it just feels, uh, inevitable.

Lance Simons

Alright, Husky fans, let’s pivot here—because wallowing in that Wisconsin loss isn’t gonna win us any games. We’ve got Indiana coming into Alaska Airlines Arena on Saturday, March 1st. Perfect opportunity to hit reset and make things right, right? You know, if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that when we’re at home and the Dog Pack is barking loud enough, anything can happen.

Lance Simons

But okay, let’s be real. We’ve still got some kinks—big kinks—to iron out. Defense has gotta tighten up. Offense? Yeah, we can’t keep shooting free throws like we’re trying to bounce them off a trampoline. And rebounds, man. We’ve gotta stop letting the other team treat the glass like it’s theirs to redecorate. These things? Non-negotiable if we want to give Indiana a run for their money.

Lance Simons

Speaking of changes, have you seen what’s happening behind the scenes? Marcus Griffin and Jaleel Wadood—these guys are hustling. Marcus is out there revamping high school recruitment like a champ. This guy has an eye for hidden talent, and honestly, with what he pulled off at Cal, I’m excited to see where he takes us. We’re talking big-picture moves here, folks. Not quick fixes, but shifts that could make the future a lot brighter.

Lance Simons

And Wadood? He’s like the charismatic cousin you bring to family gatherings to help smooth things over. Deep LA ties, and a charm that could probably sell snow to an Eskimo. Bring these two forces together, and suddenly, our recruiting game doesn’t just look promising—it looks electric. They might not save the season, but they’re laying down tracks for the seasons to come.

Lance Simons

Now, before I forget, let’s take a little detour down memory lane—a much happier lane, if you will. Remember that win against Arizona back in 2009 at Alaska Airlines Arena? Triple overtime. Heart-stopping. Exhausting. And the crowd, oh man, the crowd. It was like the roof wasn’t even there anymore, the energy was just—we were walking on air. That’s what home court advantage can do, folks. It turns the impossible into a celebration. And yeah, I know this Indiana team is tough, but what I wouldn’t give for something like that again. Can we make that happen, Husky nation?

Lance Simons

So here’s the game plan, folks: we show up loud, proud, and ready to lift these guys up. We’ve seen what happens when the team clicks, even just for a quarter or two. It’s time to see it for sixty minutes. And if Great Osobor finds his stride on the boards, if DJ Davis stays snappy off the bench, and if we—you know—actually hit our free throws? Who knows, we might just shock everyone with a win.

Lance Simons

Alright, Dog Pack, you’ve got your marching orders: show up, be loud, and let’s turn Alaska Airlines Arena into that old fortress it used to be. I’ll see you all there, and hey, bring me back a win, will ya? Go Dogs!

Lance Simons

And that’s all for today, folks. Always a treat talking Huskies basketball with you. Stay loud, stay proud, and let’s get ready to shock Indiana on Saturday. Take care, and as always, go Dogs!