The Washington Huskies closed out their nonconference schedule with a statement win on December 29, 2025, defeating the Utah Utes 74-65 at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. In front of a lively crowd of 7,721, Washington showcased its evolving identity, relying on a core group of starters to secure a victory that felt, at times, much closer than the final score suggested.
For Utah, this was a night defined by what didn’t happen as much as what did. The Utes battled hard and never lacked for energy, but the margins proved razor-thin. Every missed shot, every possession that didn’t end in points, became an opportunity for Washington to punish them at the other end. In the end, it was those little moments—missed layups, contested jumpers, and a lack of secondary scoring—that separated the two teams.
Washington’s win was built inside the paint and on the defensive end. The Huskies shot 50.9% from the floor, a mark that owed much to their dominance on two-point attempts, especially after halftime. While they struggled from deep (just 3-of-15 for 20%), they made up for it by converting 12-of-16 twos in the second half—including several dunks and layups that brought the crowd to its feet. Utah, meanwhile, shot just 39.1% overall and 29.2% from three, numbers that highlight their struggles to generate and finish quality looks.
The defining stretch of the game came midway through the second half. With 15:39 remaining, the Utes trailed by just two points. Over the next seven minutes, however, Utah went cold—connecting on just 3-of-11 field goals—while Washington surged, hitting 8-of-10 two-point shots. The Huskies’ lead quietly grew from two to nine, not with a barrage of threes or a single knockout blow, but with relentless efficiency in the paint and at the free-throw line. By the time Utah regained its footing, the damage was done. The Huskies had seized control, the crowd was fully engaged, and the Utes were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way.
Washington’s frontcourt was a force all night. Hannes Steinbach and Franck Kepnang combined for 24 rebounds, seven blocks, 12 free-throw attempts, and a staggering +32 combined plus/minus. Steinbach, in particular, was a difference-maker, recording his Big Ten-leading eighth double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. "It’s nitpicky, but I didn’t think he played very good at all and he had 20 and 11," head coach Danny Sprinkle remarked, underscoring the high expectations he holds for his star. Kepnang, meanwhile, anchored the defense with 10 boards and a career-high-tying six blocks, making life miserable for Utah’s post players.
But it wasn’t just the big men who shined for Washington. Zoom Diallo dazzled with a game-high 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting, adding a career-high seven assists. His ability to knife into the lane and finish through contact kept the Utes off balance all night. Desmond Claude was equally impressive, pouring in 21 points on 8-for-14 shooting and dishing out three assists. The trio of Diallo, Claude, and Steinbach accounted for all but nine of Washington’s points—a throwback to the Huskies’ last three-headed scoring performance back in 2016.
Utah, for its part, found consistent production from just two sources. Terrence Brown, the junior guard who transferred from Fairleigh-Dickinson, came into the night averaging 21.5 points per game. He exploded for 17 points in the first half on 8-of-13 shooting, but Washington’s Quimari Peterson clamped down after halftime. Brown went 0-for-6 from the field in the second half, finishing with 21 points but struggling to create as the game wore on. "Quimari is just a tough ass kid, man," Sprinkle said. "He’s a kid every coach wants on their team. He never pouts. He doesn’t care about shots. This is a player of the year in his conference. This is one of the most highly recruited point guards, combo guards, in the country. And he’s never said one thing about not getting shots. He’s like, ‘Coach, what do you need me to do?’"
Keanu Dawes, Utah’s junior center, was the other bright spot, finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds. He provided the Utes’ best interior efficiency and defensive presence, but the lack of a third scorer proved fatal. No other Utah player reached double figures, and the rest of the rotation combined to shoot under 35% from the field. The Utes’ vaunted duo of Brown and Dom McHenry—one of the highest-scoring backcourts in the country—couldn’t get untracked together, as McHenry struggled to find his rhythm against Washington’s physical defense.
The Huskies’ game plan was clear: shrink the floor, own the paint, and force Utah into tough, contested jumpers. Every time the Utes missed, Washington capitalized—turning defensive stops into fast-break opportunities or deep post seals. The Huskies didn’t need to light it up from three-point range; they simply made every Utah mistake count. By the final minutes, Utah’s margin for error had vanished entirely.
Still, Utah made a late push. Dawes hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 66-63 with just over three minutes remaining, but Diallo answered with a mid-range jumper and a driving layup to push the lead back to seven. In the final minute, Claude drained a clutch jumper, and Diallo sealed the win at the free-throw line.
For Washington, the victory was more than just another notch in the win column. It was a crucial confidence boost ahead of a daunting stretch of 18 straight Big Ten games, starting with a road trip to Indiana and No. 5 Purdue. The Huskies improved to 9-4 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play, while Utah fell to 8-5. "I thought it was just a good preparation tonight to prepare us for what’s coming now," Steinbach said. "It was a good test to see what we’re made of. … We still have a lot of room to improve and we have a lot more potential."
Injury notes for Washington included sophomore guard Wesley Yates III, who recently underwent surgery for a broken wrist and has an uncertain return timetable, and sophomore center Lathan Sommerville, who is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a knee injury but avoided structural damage.
As the Huskies turn their focus to the Big Ten gauntlet, they do so with renewed belief in their core and a clear sense of what it takes to win when the margins are thin. For Utah, the lesson is just as clear: effort and energy can keep you in the fight, but depth and execution are what carry you across the finish line—especially on the road, against a physical and balanced opponent.
