What did I just watch on Sunday night??? The team that has struggled to score as much as any team in the Pac 12 erupted for 80 points and assisted on 14 of their first 18 made field goals. For a basketball purist like me who celebrates sharing the basketball and creative ways to score it was a work of art.
While I'd like to give the UW all the credit for what happened Sunday night we do have to heap a lot of the blame on a horrific defensive night by the Cougs and their overall lack of athleticism and at least for one night, defensive desire.
So now what? That win really doesn't change much for the Dawgs. It was a win they had to have and they got it. Now you get the opportunity to really help yourself with wins over quality opponents this week in ASU and UA.
What needs to happen for the Dawgs to make the NCAA tourney? Here is my theory based upon how weak the perception is in the Pac 12 and what it's taken for Pac 12 non-champions to get in.
7-3 the rest of the way gets you to 22-9 and 12-6 in conference and likely a 3rd place finish. Under those circumstances I believe that you are in regardless of what you do in the Pac 12 tourney especially if at least one of those wins is over an Arizona school.
6-4 the rest of the way gets you to 21-10 and 11-7 in conference and probably 4th place. There you need to win at least 1 and probably 2 to get into the dance. Anything less than 6-4 and you are done as a prospective at-large team.
What will happen???
I feel like the Dawgs are playing well enough to get 5 wins in their next 9 games. They get one this week, split at home against the Mountain school, two wins vs. the Beavs and split on the road in the Bay Area.
That gets you to 10-7 heading into the final game of the season March 3 at home against the DUCKS who very well could also by 10-7. This game in essence becomes a defacto NCAA tourney elimination game with the winner holding a real shot to go and the loser being out.
Should be a fun February in the Pac 12!