Eastern Washington @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 27, 2018 ) Eastern Washington 59, Washington 83

Washington hosts Eastern Washington on Wednesday in its final tune-up before Sunday’s showdown against No. 9 Gonzaga. Freshman forward Isaiah Stewart is averaging 17.1 points and 7.9 rebounds to lead the 23rd-ranked Huskies, who have won four straight following a 13-point loss to Tennessee in Toronto on Nov. 16.

The 6-9, 250-pound Stewart recorded 16 points and 15 rebounds in Monday’s 77-55 win over South Dakota, which entered the contest as the nation’s top 3-point shooting team but was 4-of-23 from beyond the arc against the Huskies. Freshman forward Jaden McDaniels continued to impress with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting, while junior guard Nahziah Carter added 12 points and nine rebounds. “I think as coaches you're not as optimistic as you’d like to be at this time of year,” Huskies coach Mike Hopkins told reporters. “But I think the one thing I learned over time as an assistant for years is every coach is complaining about their team this time of year. That’s why you play the preseason. You wish you could be perfect, but we're not. You’ve just got to get better.” Washington continues its seven-game homestand against Eastern Washington before facing Gonzaga, whose only loss came to Michigan last Friday.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON (4-2): Freshman point guard Ellis Magnuson was named Big Sky Conference player of the week after recording 13 points and nine assists in last Tuesday’s 87-82 win over Belmont. Coach Shantay Legans has three players averaging in double figures, led by junior guard Jacob Davison (16.2 points per game), sophomore wing Kim Aiken Jr. (14.2) and senior forward Mason Peatling (11.0). Aiken Jr. has posted four double-doubles this season for the Eagles, who were picked to finish first in the Big Sky preseason coaches poll.

ABOUT WASHINGTON (6-1): Hopkins made a change in the starting lineup for the first time this season on Monday by replacing junior forward Hameir Wright with sophomore guard Jamal Bey, who scored a career-high 14 points in 30 minutes. The Huskies are holding opponents to 59.7 points per game, but Hopkins would like his squad to cut down on their average of 14.4 turnovers per contest. While the freshman duo of Stewart and McDaniels have done much of the heavy lifting, the Huskies have also received steady play from Carter (14.9 points per game) and sophomore guard Quade Green (7.4).

TIP-INS

1. Washington has won the last 11 meetings against the Eagles and owns a 15-1 lead in the all-time series.

2. The Huskies are seventh in the country in blocks, averaging 6.4 over seven games.

3. Washington is 36-5 at home under Hopkins.

PREDICTION: Washington 82, Eastern Washington 61