Washington to face stern local test from Seattle

Washington's zone defense should get a stern test from Seattle's Cameron Tyson on Monday night.

Unofficially, Tyson leads Division I with 28.3 points and 6.3 3-pointers made per game. It gets an asterisk only because Tyson has appeared in fewer than the NCAA standard of 75 percent of games played for the Redhawks (5-0), having sat out the team's two contests against Division III opponents.

"He's a big-time scorer, he's a dynamic scorer," Redhawks coach Chris Victor said. "He had some big games last year and he's going to have some big games this year."

Tyson, who transferred back home to Seattle after being on the Houston team that reached the 2021 Final Four, averaged 14.7 points last season in helping the Redhawks to a share of the Western Athletic Conference's regular-season title.

The career leading scorer at Seattle-area Bothell High School (surpassing the mark of NBA All-Star Zach LaVine), Tyson told the Seattle Times his phone has been "going crazy" with friends reminding him he's leading the nation in scoring.

"I'm trying to keep it as humble as possible and not let it get to me," Tyson told the newspaper. "I feel like when you get unhumble, that's when you get humbled.

"Our team is just very good at finding the hot hand, and these last (few) games, it's just been mine. They found me, and I feel like I've been producing for them."

Washington (5-1) also has enjoyed some early-season success, returning home after claiming the championship of the Wooden Legacy tournament at Anaheim, Calif., with a 68-64 overtime victory Friday against Saint Mary's.

"We found ways to win and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about," Huskies coach Mike Hopkins said. "Win the game in front of you. Get better. And move forward."

The Huskies were led by a pair of transfers in tourney MVP Keion Brooks Jr. (Kentucky) and all-tournament pick Franck Kepnang (Oregon). Brooks had 14 points and 11 rebounds in the title game and Kepnang added 10 points and five rebounds.

"It was big for our team just to get this win and go back to Seattle with the trophy," Kepnang said. "That's what we said coming into the game is that we're coming back home ... with the trophy."

--Field Level Media