Washington (9-6, 1-3 Big Ten) entered the calendar year with two prime opportunities to turn the tide and flip narratives. Instead, an uncomfortable truth grew louder. This team isn’t good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. Following a pair of double-digit defeats on the road against Indiana and No. 4 Purdue, the Huskies are staring at a stretch that could result in dropping below .500.
Washington’s 81-73 loss to Purdue wasn’t surprising. Purdue (14-1, 4-0) has just one blemish this season and is ranked in the top five in the country. It would’ve been tough enough to win had the game been on Montlake. But beating on the Boilermakers as the visitor? Forget about it. It only took a few trips down the floor to grasp what type of game this would be. Purdue is better in every aspect, and played how a national championship contender should.
Purdue guard Braden Smith had the hot hand, pouring in 23 points on 10-15 shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Hannes Steinbach, Franck Kepnang, Zoom Diallo, and Quimari Peterson all scored in double figures.
Purdue’s quick start led to a comfortable lead throughout the first half. The Huskies trailed 45-28 at the break. One of Washington’s struggles is that rallying from deficits typically requires getting hot from beyond the arc. That is a problem, considering the three-point shooting woes.
The Boilermakers dominated the second half, but Washington eventually made a run when the game was out of reach. Will it lead to a confidence boost? Not sure. Did it make the score respectable? Definitely.
What’s troubling for UW is the stretch mentioned above. After hosting Ohio State, No. 2 Michigan comes to Seattle, followed by No. 12 Michigan State. Then Washington travels to No. 10 Nebraska, hosts Oregon, and battles No. 16 Illinois on the road. Of those teams, only the Ducks are lower than Washington in the Big Ten standings. So even unranked Ohio State will be a challenging bout for Sprinkle’s squad.
At this point, reaching the Big Dance is more than a lofty goal; it’s unrealistic. Washington would play at a level we haven’t seen it operate at in years in a conference filled with elite foes.
I would say buckle up, but what’s the point? We’re used to turbulent rides at this point.