Huskies win in other ways

Senior point guard and team captain Will Conroy said, "A win is a win. I will take this one million times." 



With North Carolina State in Bank of America Arena, the shots were not falling for Tre Simmons, Nate Robinson, and the rest of the Huskies. Because of incredibly stingy defense from the Wolfpack, none of the Husky shooters were able to get loose for easy baskets. 



Consequently, Washington had to find another way against Julius Hodge and the rest of the 9th-ranked NC State Wolfpack. 



"We were like horses in the stable, ready to go and start a ruckus, but they just wouldn't let us out." Conroy said, "We had to play in a different way." 



The Huskies did play in a different way, and that is how they won.



The severely undersized Huskies managed to out rebound the Wolfpack 43-34 despite being without center Hakeem Rollins and with Bobby Jones fouling out with more than five minutes to go in the game. 



Husky star guard Nate Robinson was held to 2 - 11 shooting and was locked up by the lankier all - American Julius Hodge. 



"Great teams win in different ways," Robinson said, "and that's what we did."

Robinson thought the key to victory was simple, "We out-scrapped them."

"They are good at making you play their style," Conroy said.

NC State did force the Huskies to play a slow down half court game, but down the stretch the Huskies tightened up their defense and made stop after stop throughout the crucial moments of the game.

The most crucial was made by Brandon Roy in the closing seconds of the game when Hodge went up for the tying score. Roy blocked the shot, and as Conroy said with a smile: "It was a good no call."



The ball didn't make it to the rim and Tre Simmons grabbed the board and iced the game with two free throws. 



After the game Robinson, Roy, Simmons and Conroy were all in good spirits about the win. 



"This is my victory bandana," Conroy said, referring to his white bandana with Japanese characters across the top.



Robinson, always full of confidence, said, "We are gonna' get it rolling. ... We are the best team in the country to me." 



Robinson's idea is one that many Husky players hold, and an idea that members of the national media should look into. With a victory over the number nine team in America and with their only loss coming on the road against Gonzaga, a team that just knocked off the third-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. 



With Brandon Roy coming back, the Huskies are primed for the Pac-10 season and there is no telling how far this year's run will go. As Conroy puts it, "We will never get this opportunity again." 



This time, when the opportunity presents itself, these Huskies can win in many different ways. Freshman Joel Smith says the Huskies have something other teams don't. 



"We just got heart when it comes down to the nitty-gritty and I think our team has that." 



Conroy knows that the heart Washington possesses is something special. With this being his final year in college, Conroy knows the importance of this season. 



"It's special," Conroy says, "I can't even describe it."