The focused Huskies swarmed to a 48-26 halftime lead over Cleveland State. The unfocused Huskies watched as that lead was whittled to three points over the next nine minutes. Finally, the focused Huskies rode back in to rescue, securing their first win of the young season, 78-63, in the first round of the College Basketball Experience Classic.

“I thought we definitely made progress tonight – not only from the Portland (loss on Saturday), but from the Western Washington exhibition,” coach Lorenzo Romar said. “We guarded in the first half very well, and I thought we played as a team with energy. I thought we shared the ball. I thought we were very efficient. In the second half, we came out flat. It’s just something we have got to be able to solve, coming out in the second half and maintaining the intensity we had in the first half.”

Jon Brockman had 23 points and 13 rebounds, both game highs. Quincy Pondexter contributed to the big first half with 13 points but added only two in the second. Justin Holiday provided defense, energy and a career-high 11 rebounds. Joe Wolfinger had 12 points and five rebounds, and he hit a late 3-pointer that was a dagger to CSU hopes.

Guard Cedric Jackson led the Vikings with 20 points.

“I think this Washington team plays defense really hard, and that is one of their strengths,” CSU coach Gary Waters said. “The big guy (Brockman) is a man amongst boys.”

For whatever its lacks in name recognition, Cleveland State (1-1) came in with credentials: an National Invitation Tournament team last season with four of its starters back, the consensus pick to win the Horizon League this season, and the nation’s ninth-rated mid-major according to CollegeInsider.com.

However, the Huskies (1-1) seemed to outwork them from the opening tip, and by halftime, the issue seemed settled.

And then those other Huskies came out to start the second half.

“We played a good first half and then came out in the second have and weren’t solid,” Brockman said. “I think the good thing you can take away from it is we bent, but we didn’t break. We bent, we were bending quite a bit for a while, but were able to (survive) it.”

With the lead down to five, Tacoma freshman Isaiah Thomas nailed a 3-pointer from the corner. As the ball sailed toward the hoop, Brockman was fouled. He went to the line and added two free throws that made it a five-point play and bought the Huskies a little breathing room at 63-53.

“I have confidence in my shot,” Thomas said. “I was open, and I shot it.”

Thomas ended with eight points – off the bench. He was replaced by Venoy Overton in the starting lineup after he was late for pregame warm-ups.

“That’s a team rule,” Thomas said. “(I was) exactly one minute late. … We go out to the court as a team at 6. I was getting my ankles taped. It was my fault. I take the blame for it.”

The Huskies return to action at 7 p.m. Thursday, hosting Florida International the second game of this CBE regional. Regardless of the result of that game, these evolving Huskies will advance to Kansas City, Mo., where they hope to put their Tuesday survival experience to use against defending national champion Kansas in a semifinal game Monday.

“You get a 22 point-lead, you get real comfortable and you think it’s going to be the same as the first half way,” Brockman said. “We were victims of that, and we can’t let that happen. When we play against Kansas, we’re not going to get a second chance like that.”

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