UW Notebook | Blame Weaver's defense for Appleby's struggles

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar had a two-word answer for why Huskies guard Ryan Appleby had so much trouble scoring Saturday night: Kyle Weaver.

"He's one of the best, if not the best, defensive players in the league," Romar said of WSU's 6-foot-6 senior guard.

Weaver shadowed Appleby, who came in averaging 13 points, and held him to six points on 2-for-8 shooting as the Washington State Cougars beat the Huskies 56-52 at Edmundson Pavilion.

It was Appleby's lowest output of the season except for a scoreless outing against Cal State-Northridge when he was injured.

"He's long and he can play five, six feet off of you and still have a hand up, so it makes it tough to even pass because he's in the passing lane at the same time that he's defending you," Appleby said. "He can block it from 10 feet away, it seems like."

Appleby's last shot of the night was a desperation heave with two seconds left on a possession that began with 15 seconds left after Weaver hit the game's final basket. Without a time out, the Huskies looked confused and couldn't get any shots until Appleby finally threw one up.

"We didn't really have a play called because we had no timeouts and everyone was looking at each other like, 'What are we supposed to do?' " Appleby said. "Our game plan all night was to get it inside, and no one was really posting up so we were just trying to get a shot off."

Harshman honored

In a ceremony about 90 minutes before the game, the school officially named the north practice court Marv Harshman Court in honor of the Huskies coach who won 246 games from 1971 to 1985.

Many former players of Harshman's at UW attended the ceremony, including Detlef Schrempf, Louie Nelson, Chris Welp, Steve Hawes, Ray Price and Romar.

Harshman, 90, spoke briefly.

"I don't know if I deserve this, but I'm not going to let you take it back," he said.

A few of Harshman's players at Washington State, where he coached for 13 years before coming to UW, also attended, including Jim Walton.

"This is way overdue," said Schrempf, who said Harshman embodies that "basketball is all about family."

Harshman's former UW players also helped raise more than $500,000 to endow a men's basketball scholarship in his name.

Notes

• The Huskies are back under 60 percent on free-throw shooting at 59.5 percent after going 5 for 13.

• Washington guard Tim Morris tied a career high with 16 points, hitting 6 of 8 shots.

• Washington's 20 first-half points were its fewest since scoring 19 at Wyoming on Dec. 6, 2003. WSU's 17 halftime points were the fewest allowed by UW since 15 by Lehigh on Dec. 23, 2005.

WASHINGTON STATE
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Cowgill	35	1-2	0-0	1-6	1	3	2
Baynes	28	5-10	6-6	0-4	0	4	16
Low	36	4-10	2-2	0-2	1	0	11
Rochestie	28	2-5	0-0	0-1	1	4	4
Weaver	37	4-13	4-6	2-9	3	1	13
Koprivica	9	1-3	0-0	0-0	1	2	2
Harmeling	21	2-3	0-0	0-1	0	0	6
Forrest	6	1-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	2
	200	20-47	12-14	3-24	7	14	56

Percentages: FG .426, FT .857. Three-point goals: 4-14, (Low 1-5, Rochestie 0-2, Weaver 1-2, Koprivica 0-2, Harmeling 2-3). Team rebounds: 1. Blocked shots: 6, (Cowgill 3, Baynes 2, Weaver). Turnovers: 7, (Cowgill, Rochestie 2, Weaver 2, Koprivica, Harmeling). Steals: 10, (Baynes 3, Low, Rochestie 3, Weaver 2, Harmeling). Technical fouls: None.

WASHINGTON
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Wallace	29	1-2	0-2	2-3	2	4	2
Brockman	39	6-18	2-4	6-17	2	2	14
Smith	8	0-1	0-0	0-1	0	0	0
Morris	31	6-8	2-5	1-5	1	4	16
Appleby	31	2-8	0-0	0-0	2	2	6
Overton	7	0-1	0-0	0-1	0	2	0
Dentmon	25	2-2	1-2	0-0	1	0	6
Bryan-Amning	4	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0
Pondexter	26	4-8	0-0	0-5	3	3	8
	200	21-48	5-13	12-36	11	18	52

Percentages: FG .438, FT .385. Three-point goals: 5-11, (Morris 2-2, Appleby 2-6, Dentmon 1-1, Pondexter 0-2). Team rebounds: 4. Blocked shots: 1, (Morris). Turnovers: 14, (Brockman, Smith, Morris 2, Appleby 4, Overton, Dentmon 3, Bryan-Amaning, Pondexter). Steals: 3, (Morris, Dentmon 2). Technical fouls: None.

Washington State	17	39	—	56
Washington	20	32	—	52

Attendance: 10,000. Officials: Randy McCall, Jim Giron, Gregory Nixon.