Huskies set sights on next challenge

LOS ANGELES — "On to the next."

That's Isaiah Thomas' motto. The Washington sophomore guard says it after every game. It's a reminder not to dwell on the past.

"If we take it game by game and day by day, we'll be fine," he said after his team won the Pac-10 tournament. "Who's next? That's what we're worried about."

Except this time, the Huskies must wait until the NCAA selection committee announces the tournament pairings Sunday afternoon.

Before UW's 79-75 victory over California on Saturday, most bracket projections seeded the Huskies between Nos. 11 and 13 and the Bears between Nos. 7 and 9.

After the game, a few Huskies assumed they'd swap positions with Cal, while others weren't concerned about who they'll play or where they'll be sent.

"It really doesn't matter," sophomore guard Elston Turner said. "We're just happy that we get to play somebody that doesn't know how we play."

Junior guard Venoy Overton believes Washington, which has won 12 of its past 14 games, is peaking at the right time.

"We're going to be a dangerous team," he said. "Whoever gets picked to play Washington, I feel sorry for them because we're a hungry team right now.

"Whoever we draw, we draw, and I'll feel good about our chances no matter what. No matter if they're a higher seed or not, because we're playing the best basketball we've ever played."

Road warriors

After losing its first seven games on the road, Washington has won six consecutive games away from home.

"Nobody is saying we can't win on the road anymore," coach Lorenzo Romar said, chuckling. "It's funny how perception changes."

What's better?

Opinion was split among the Huskies on whether their tournament title made amends for not repeating as regular-season champions.

Overton favors the tourney title.

"Coming into the year, we don't worry about winning the (regular-season) title,"' he said. "We worry about the postseason.

"I think that this is more important than any other championship. The Pac-10 tournament. That's the real deal. That proves who's the best."

Forward Quincy Pondexter said: "It doesn't make up for it, but it makes you feel a lot better."

Romar believes the regular-season championship is more meaningful.

"This was fun, but it doesn't compare with winning a regular-season championship," Romar said. "Eighteen games versus three. I think 18 is more important. But we're very grateful for this."

Notes

• Pondexter scored 18 points on Saturday, which gave him 1,743 for his career and ties him with Todd MacCulloch for fourth on UW's career scoring list. Pondexter needs 31 to catch Bob Houbregs.

• UW makes its 15th appearance in the NCAA tournament and its fifth in the last seven years.

• The Huskies are 2-2 in tournament finals. They lost in 1987 and 2004 before winning in 2005.