Game: (785) Baylor (1-0) @ (786) Washington (0-0)
Time: Friday 11/08 7:30 PM EST at Alaska Airlines Center
Spread: Baylor -5 ML: N/A Total: 138 at 5Dimes
Tools: Public Consensus | View Matchups | Bet This Game
The Washington Huskies open the season against the Baylor Bears. This game will be played at a neutral site, as part of the Armed Forces Classic.
The Huskies lost five of their top six scorers last season but don’t count Washington completely out as they have a flood of incoming freshman talent including Isaiah Stewart. The Huskies will need to replace 80.2 percent of their scoring from last season but have reloaded with a stellar freshman class led by the 6-9, 250-pound Stewart. Washington also will have former Kentucky, transfer Quade Green that will be immediately eligible to play. The Huskies will also be relying on Nahziah Carter, their most experienced player, averaged 8.1 PPG and 47.8% FG last season. Players to watch include Jaden McDaniels and Isaiah Stewart.
Baylor looked impressive offensively in their first game, scoring 105 points against Central Arkansas. The team shot 56.3 percent from the field and 54.5 percent from three-point range, helping them get the easy win. Jared Butler led the way for the Bears with 30 points and five assists. MaCio Teague added 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Devonte Bandoo finished with 15 points and seven rebounds.
The Bears might have the advantage in guard play, look for the Huskies to use their size inside to try to shift the game to their advantage with seven players listed at 6-9 or taller on its roster, including 6-10 redshirt freshman Nate Roberts. Washington’s matchups with Baylor could cause problems to defend the perimeter giving the Bears the edge with the guard play. This looks like it could be a high-scoring game but the current NCAA trend, on neutral courts, is the Under. Pair that with the size advantage that Washington has and Baylor might have a harder time scoring this game.
Until this young Washington team plays and shows who they are, you can’t count on them to win, especially over an experienced Baylor team but you can count on them to come out and play their heart out in their first game of the year.