University of Washington
Arizona
Rogers Reaches Milestone As Huskies Rally Past Arizona
February 19, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2012
TUCSON, Ariz. - The dogs were out at the McKale Center, but it was the Huskies who put on the biggest show.
In a nationally televised matchup, the Washington women's basketball team picked up a monster win on the road, rallying for 68-59 win on Sunday afternoon in the desert. With the victory, the Huskies improved to 14-11, 6-9 in the Pac-12 Conference.
"We made some plays there in the second half and that's what you have to do if you want to win on the road," head coach Kevin McGuff said afterward.
Regina Rogers finished with 22 points, moving her into the prestigious 1,000-point club at Washington. The senior from Seattle was dominant throughout the game, making 6 of 10 shots from the floor, in addition to a career-high 10 of 13 from the line. Where Rogers made her impact was in the low block, putting Arizona's posts in foul trouble and forcing Wildcats coach Niya Butts into unplanned substitutions.
"We got together at the beginning of the second half, saying we needed to share the ball and take good shots," Rogers said.
Jazmine Davis scored 17 points in support, doing most of her work in a second half where the Huskies shot 54 percent from the floor. The x-factor, though, was Mollie Williams, who tied a career-high with 13 rebounds. She also hit a key 3-pointer late in the game to help the Huskies secure victory.
As part of a promotion, fans who attended the game were allowed to bring their canines as guests. Many of the 1,774 in attendance brought their pets, some dressed in Arizona colors. The raucous atmosphere helped the Wildcats out of the gates, as U of A's zone defense flummoxed the Huskies. What particularly stressed UW were the slashing drives from Davellyn Whyte, one of the toughest players to guard in the Pac-12. The junior finished with 16 points, but was 0-of-7 from deep. The Wildcats came into the game 12th in the nation with a .370 percentage from deep, but made just 4 of 25 shots against the Huskies.
Washington went to the locker room trailing 29-25. After Arizona hits its first two shots to start the second half, the Huskies took over. What propelled the Dawgs was a 20-5 run, spearheaded by two Davis' three pointers, a Mercedes Wetmore three pointer, and a Rogers' three-point play in the low post. After an inconsistent first half, Davis was a calming influence in the final 20 minutes for the Huskies, orchestrating their offense with aplomb.
But the Huskies still had to hold on for the finish, as a couple of questionable fouls disqualified Rogers and Mackenzie Argens. That left Williams to play center, and she responded with a couple of big rebounds and a key swat of a Whyte layup. Williams finished with three blocks, none bigger than her last.
Following the game, Rogers said he had no idea she was even near the 1,000-point club, but was clearly elated when she heard the news. Her three-year career at Washington has had its ups and downs, but has been at her best when the Huskies needed her most.
"I'm really excited, I didn't know I had it," Rogers said. "There's been a lot of great players at Washington in the group and to be included is a big honor."
The Huskies are off for a week and then will host the Apple Cup rivalry on Sunday afternoon, a game that will be broadcast on FSN.
