Tightwad Hill

WASHINGTON 79 CALIFORNIA 71

I have no idea how Cal only lost this game by eight points (and how it was a two-point game with five minutes to play).

* Cal shot 45% to Washington's 55%. Ryan Anderson was MIA for much of the game before hitting some late shots. Cal missed open shot after open shot.
* The Bears got to the free throw line seven times in forty minutes. Washington shot 24, making 18.
* Speaking of home cooking, the refs let Jon Brockman hand-check and push Anderson all over the floor. On the offensive end, he led with his elbow time after time and was only called for it once. That said, Brockman played an unbelievable game. He took the game over towards the end.
* The charging call on Theo towards the end of the game was the worst call in a big situation I've seen this year.
* Cal got beat on the glass 34-21, though the Bears limited UW to six offensive boards.
* It's beyond me what Ben Braun was doing with Anderson, who was guarded by Brockman. Sticking Ryan in the post allowed Brockman to stay in the paint and collect almost every defensive board. Why not put him on his horse by running Anderson on the baseline?
* While I'm piling on Ben, why did Randle start the second half after playing poorly in the first? That five minute stretch before Ayinde came back was the difference in the ballgame. I know Ayinde isn't 100%, but this was a must-win game and you knew Washington was going to crank it up defensively to start the half.
* The NIT is now a reach goal.

posted by Tightwad @ 7:46 PM