Sweet Sixteen Preview: Washington

Kelsey Plum has been the player you have heard about all week from the University of Washington. However in this preview we will be discussing the Washington Huskies. And yes there is more to this team than just one player. This team just went to the Final Four last year. This is going to be a tough matchup for the Bulldogs. But when you make the Sweet Sixteen, there are no easy games anymore.

How to Watch

The game will be televised on ESPN2 at 6 pm. No whip around coverage this time. The game can be heard on 100.9 FM if you live in the Golden Triangle Area or 95.8 FM if you live in Tupelo. As per usual you can get audio online at HailstatePlus or Tunein. The Game can also be streamed on WatchESPN.

Recent Success Gives Washington Experience

Mike Neighbors is in his 4th season as the head coach of Washington. He took the Huskies to their first ever Final Four last season and this is his third NCAA Tournament Appearance. The Huskies went through a tough road last season defeating Pennsylvania, Maryland at College Park, Kentucky at Rupp Arena, and Stanford before ultimately falling in the Final Four to Syracuse.

More of a dynamic duo than just a one horse train

Kelsey Plum is averaging 32 points per game. Chantel Osahor is the only other player averaging double digits for the Huskies. So yes the team is not just Plum. The key for Mississippi State will be to limit every other Washington Player. Let Plum get her points, and if you shut everyone else down, then you will win easily with the depth Mississippi State has.

Common Opponents Favor MSU

As far as common opponents go, Washington did defeat Missouri 79-66 early in the season. IF you remember Mississippi State defeated that same team by 16. They also played Southern California and Oregon. They won both meetings against USC and split with Oregon. In fact they lost that Oregon game by 1 on a neutral court in the PAC 12 Quarterfinals. Mississippi State defeated Oregon on a neutral court in Hawaii 75-63 earlier this season.

Post Players point to a huge advantage to State

Half of Washington’s points on Monday Night came from Chantel Osahor and Kelsey Plum. Osahor is their post player and she is 6’2. I expect MSU to have a huge advantage here with Teaira McCowan and Chinwe Okorie. This is the key to the game if you ask me.

Russell Westbrook is a Mississippi State Fan so there is 0% chance MSU Loses Now

It’s true I have proof. First Robin Roberts and now Russell Westbrook. We now have the best women’s basketball fanbase in the SEC by far. Not close. Catch these hands.

HailstateWBK Twitter

Prediction

Hey good news. MSU isn’t playing a Sweet Sixteen game in Bridgeport CT. But at the end of the day, Mississippi State’s depth is just going to be too much for Washington. Don’t get me wrong, they are an incredible team and for Kelsey Plum to be the all time leading scorer in Women’s Basketball in a tough conference like the PAC 12 shows just how incredible she is. She will live up to her hype. But so will Mississippi State. Instead of just predicting the final score, I am going to predict Plum’s points as well

Final: Mississippi State 98 Washington 85 Kelsey Plum 34

Here is an excerpt of It Just Means Four previewing the Washington Game. Check it out every Friday. Also Available on iTunes.