Change of focus as undefeated Dawgs go for one more

For the second year in a row, the Washington men's basketball team has exploded out of the gate with five straight wins. Now the No. 11 Huskies will try to take another step forward during their fast start tonight against Idaho.

While the UW (5-0) has started out undefeated, its play has not always been representative of its record. The team has turned the ball over 105 times in five games, averaging 21 times per contest.

The Huskies have also had to come back against some of their lesser competitionS. Against both Sacramento State and Eastern Washington, the Huskies had to claw back from double-digit deficits to get the win.

"It's just a lack of focus," said guard Justin Dentmon. "We're playing too fast. We need to be fast, but not in a hurry."

In an effort to get the team to play better, coach Lorenzo Romar decided to shake things up in the starting lineup. Out is junior Ryan Appleby, and in is freshman Adrian Oliver.

Appleby will be moving back into the role he inhabited for most of last season as the first man off the bench. Romar hopes the move will help boost the team's chemistry and benefit his junior guard as well as Oliver.

The coach said that Oliver had been close to cracking the lineup, but had needed to shore up his defense. He did that and more against the Eagles last Friday. After Rodney Stuckey torched the Huskies for 21 points in first half, Oliver was able to hold him scoreless for nine minutes in the second.

He also scored 14 points and added nine rebounds, propelling him above Appleby.

"He has been coming for a while in some areas," Romar said. "He gets to the foul line so he's aggressive. He gets rebounds and he's going to go out and compete at a high level."

While Oliver will be counted on to take care of the ball on offense, he will also have to keep up the defensive intensity that warranted his insertion into the starting lineup.

"If you don't play defense you don't play," Oliver said. "If you take a play off, you'll get exposed and then you're out of the game."

He and the rest of the Huskies will try to not get exposed by an Idaho team that Romar called "quick and tenacious."

The Vandals will be counting on guard Keoni Watson, who has accounted for 17 points and 1.6 steals per game.

The real test for the Huskies will be whether they can keep their focus on Idaho and not on their matchup with Gonzaga on Dec. 9th.

"We have to be patient," said freshman Spencer Hawes. "We're not looking past anyone, even with Gonzaga coming up."

Sophomore Jon Brockman said that the best way to stay focused is to look at the games in the early going as the Huskies competing against themselves. With a top-25 ranking and mountains of expectations, they cannot let up.

"Last year's team was able to grow faster because of the experience," Brockman said. "Now we have a ton of new guys and it's going to take longer to get to the top. We just have to keep pushing."

Reporter Justin Chartrey: justinchartrey@thedaily.washington.eduJUSTIN CHARTREY

THE DAILY

For the second year in a row, the Washington men's basketball team has exploded out of the gate with five straight wins. Now the No. 11 Huskies will try to take another step forward during their fast start tonight against Idaho.

While the UW (5-0) has started out undefeated, its play has not always been representative of its record. The team has turned the ball over 105 times in five games, averaging 21 times per contest.

The Huskies have also had to come back against some of their lesser competitionS. Against both Sacramento State and Eastern Washington, the Huskies had to claw back from double-digit deficits to get the win.

"It's just a lack of focus," said guard Justin Dentmon. "We're playing too fast. We need to be fast, but not in a hurry."

In an effort to get the team to play better, coach Lorenzo Romar decided to shake things up in the starting lineup. Out is junior Ryan Appleby, and in is freshman Adrian Oliver.

Appleby will be moving back into the role he inhabited for most of last season as the first man off the bench. Romar hopes the move will help boost the team's chemistry and benefit his junior guard as well as Oliver.

The coach said that Oliver had been close to cracking the lineup, but had needed to shore up his defense. He did that and more against the Eagles last Friday. After Rodney Stuckey torched the Huskies for 21 points in first half, Oliver was able to hold him scoreless for nine minutes in the second.

He also scored 14 points and added nine rebounds, propelling him above Appleby.

"He has been coming for a while in some areas," Romar said. "He gets to the foul line so he's aggressive. He gets rebounds and he's going to go out and compete at a high level."

While Oliver will be counted on to take care of the ball on offense, he will also have to keep up the defensive intensity that warranted his insertion into the starting lineup.

"If you don't play defense you don't play," Oliver said. "If you take a play off, you'll get exposed and then you're out of the game."

He and the rest of the Huskies will try to not get exposed by an Idaho team that Romar called "quick and tenacious."

The Vandals will be counting on guard Keoni Watson, who has accounted for 17 points and 1.6 steals per game.

The real test for the Huskies will be whether they can keep their focus on Idaho and not on their matchup with Gonzaga on Dec. 9th.

"We have to be patient," said freshman Spencer Hawes. "We're not looking past anyone, even with Gonzaga coming up."

Sophomore Jon Brockman said that the best way to stay focused is to look at the games in the early going as the Huskies competing against themselves. With a top-25 ranking and mountains of expectations, they cannot let up.

"Last year's team was able to grow faster because of the experience," Brockman said. "Now we have a ton of new guys and it's going to take longer to get to the top. We just have to keep pushing."

Reporter Justin Chartrey: justinchartrey@thedaily.washington.edu