University of Washington
Concordia (EXH)
Huskies Romp In 99-40 Exhibition Win Over Concordia
November 08, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 8, 2011
SEATTLE - Results don't count in exhibitions, but for the Washington women's basketball team Tuesday's game carried some extra meaning.
First and foremost, this was the season debut for new Huskies coach Kevin McGuff, who took over the storied program after a highly successful nine-year run at Xavier. He brings a resume loaded with success, along with the hope of stabilizing a Huskies team that is five years removed from their last postseason appearance.
His impact was evident right from the start.
Washington overwhelmed NAIA foe Concordia at Alaska Airlines Arena, frustrating the Portland, Ore., school in a 99-40 rout of the Cavaliers. Regina Rogers tallied a double-double for the Huskies, scoring 28 points to go with 13 rebounds. There were no wasted shots either for the senior, who hit 11 of her 14 attempts.
Rogers appeared quicker on the floor, showing off some agility with some spins in the lane. Despite double- and triple-teams from the Cavaliers, Rogers had no problem knifing inside for layups.
"I think the whole team expects (that level of production) out of me," Rogers said. "I've gotten in great shape, and I can always get in better shape, but this is the player I wanted to be and coaches have pushed me to get better."
Jazmine Davis, thrust into the starting point guard role, added 11 points while fellow freshman Aminah Williams chipped in with 14. Mercedes Wetmore, who has moved to shooting guard with the absence of Kristi Kingma (torn ACL), scored 10 points.
A late flurry by Mackenzie Argens gave the senior post 17 points to go with 11 rebounds. But it was her missed free throw at the end of the game that prevented the Huskies from notching 100 points, and the crowd let her have it with an exaggerated sigh.
After the game, McGuff said he challenged his team to amplify the intensity in the second half, chalking up the scattershot first half to nerves and jitters. The latter 20 minutes of basketball, McGuff noted, was more in line with what he wants to see from the Huskies.
"At halftime we really got it together and we played really hard in the second half," McGuff said. "Our depth and athleticism really showed."
Concordia lost their second exhibition of the young 2011-12 season. The Cavaliers are a NAIA D-II power, and are coming off a 24-win season last year. But the Huskies were quickly able to impose their will, forcing 36 turnovers and holding CU to just .192 shooting (10-for-52). Megan Padilla led the Cavaliers with eight points, but made just 2 of 13 shots. Concordia recorded just two field goals in the second half, emblematic of the Huskies' defensive effort.
Since taking over in April, McGuff has made changing the culture a priority. Everything from shootaround to pregame warm-up had a different look and feel. So was the Huskies' on-court attitude. On Tuesday, the Dawgs swarmed on defense and showcased an aggressive motion offense that freed up shooters for easy looks. There was the typical exhibition sloppiness, but the Huskies had no problems responding when challenged.
The regular season tips off when the Huskies host Big West power UC Davis in a 1 p.m. matinee. Davis is coming off an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, a first-round loss to Stanford.
