Ball St. @ Washington preview

Washington boasts two of the top freshmen in the country in Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels, but sophomore guard Quade Green might hold the key to the team’s championship hopes. The Kentucky transfer looks to continue his recent hot streak Sunday when the 22nd-ranked Huskies face Ball State in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.

Green is averaging 18 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 60 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from 3-point range over the last three games for Washington, which bounced back from a seven-point loss to Gonzaga with Tuesday’s 81-59 win over Seattle. Green made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points and three assists in the victory. “He’s just an exceptional talent,” coach Mike Hopkins told reporters. “Great kid. And he’s just going to keep getting better and better. He makes others around him better. I feel like the pace of his game has helped the pace of our game. His ability to score is a difference maker.” The Huskies begin a stretch of three games in four days against Ball State, which is looking to build on Wednesday’s impressive 65-47 victory over Georgia Tech.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT BALL STATE (6-4): Redshirt freshman Jarron Coleman has been on a tear since taking over as the starting point guard for the past two games, averaging 17.5 points on 77.8 percent shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from 3-point range. The Cardinals received a boost against Georgia Tech from senior guard K.J. Walton, who returned to action after missing the previous four games with an ankle injury and recorded six points and four rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench. Picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference West Division preseason poll, the team averages 10.3 made 3-pointers per game.

ABOUT WASHINGTON (8-2): The 6-9, 250-pound Stewart is averaging 18 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 60.4 percent from the field and turned in a dominant effort against Seattle with a season-high 27 points and 13 rebounds. “He was just kicking our tail inside,” Seattle coach Jim Hayford told reporters. “He’s a potential All-American basketball player. He was too much man for us.” Hopkins has relied heavily on a six-man rotation that includes junior forward Nahziah Carter, who averages 14.1 points and six rebounds.

TIP-INS

1. The winner advances to the semifinals on Monday against either UTEP or Hawaii while the loser moves to the consolation bracket.

2. Washington has seven players listed at 6-9 or taller on its roster, the most in the Pac-12.

3. Ball State is returning to Hawaii for the first time since 2001, when the Cardinals defeated Kansas and UCLA to reach the Maui Invitational championship game.

PREDICTION: Washington 82, Ball State 69