UW Basketball | Justin Dentmon, Isaiah Thomas lead UW to comeback win

Early on, as their shots rattled out and visiting Florida International appeared poised for an upset, Justin Dentmon's and Isaiah Thomas' steely demeanors said it all. Often they gathered at the top of the key and exchanged a few words.

With a fist pump and a nod, they concluded each gathering and Washington's two sharpshooters continued an all-out assault on the basket.

They darted in the lane, curled off screens and bounced around the perimeter, blitzing the lead-footed Golden Panthers with an assortment of layups, three-pointers and acrobatic jumpers.

When the UW's dynamic duo finished, the Huskies had pounded FIU 74-51 in the second round of the CBE Classic at Edmundson Pavilion on Thursday.

"The lane was just open," Dentmon said. "I told Isaiah, when you see a lane open like that you got to hit. And when they collapse, then you got to kick it and see how they react.

"He did a good job and got some good shots in the second half. I got good shots. It was a field day out there once we started driving."

Dentmon converted 7 of 11 shots, including three three-pointers for 21 points, his most in the past 29 games. Thomas bounced back after a pair of lackluster games and finished with career-best 19 points on 6-for-14 shooting.

"Finally I get a good game," Thomas said, breathing a sigh of relief. "The shots were falling a little bit more."

The Huskies, who improved to 2-1, altered their winning formula on a night when FIU 7-footer Russell Hicks stymied Jon Brockman and snapped the All-America candidate's 39-game streak of double-digit scoring. Brockman had eight points and seven rebounds, which forced Dentmon and Thomas to carry the scoring load.

"Every time he got the ball, the guards were on him," Dentmon said. "We knew that their main focus was to not let him get off and have a good night."

The Golden Panthers (2-1) harassed the UW into 21.9 percent shooting (7 of 32) and 11 turnovers in the first half to build a 26-25 lead at intermission. At that point, Dentmon was 1 for 5 from the field and Thomas 3 for 8.

In the locker room, coach Lorenzo Romar chided the Huskies after a dismal performance in which they trailed against a FIU team that was without four key players.

"He said we were playing like robots," Dentmon said.

Said Romar: "In the second half, we started to move the ball around and look for open shots. We stopped looking for the home run play. Once we began to share the ball, we had only five turnovers and a higher shooting percentage."

Washington fell behind 30-25 early in the second before making a 15-2 run to take the lead. Dentmon scored seven points during the spurt on a three-pointer, a long jumper and a midrange jumper.

Once the Huskies took control, they never looked back largely because they shot 65.6 percent (21 of 32) in the second half and reserve forward Justin Holiday controlled the glass with seven rebounds and steady defense.

"It was very unique to see a guy score two points and have such an impact on the game," Romar said. "It was a great lesson for a lot of people. If you're not scoring the basketball, if your mind is set, you can still impact winning."

The Huskies travel to Kansas City for a semifinal game against defending NCAA champion Kansas on Monday. The winner advances to meet Florida, the 2007 NCAA champions, or Syracuse in the tournament final on Tuesday at the Sprint Center.

"We are ready to play Kansas," Dentmon said. "I think our team will step up."

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com