Huskies open with victory

SEATTLE – Chris Wilcox scored 22 points, Abdul Gaddy had 17 and Scott Suggs 15 to lead Washington to an 85-63 season-opening win over Loyola Maryland on Sunday night.

Wilcox hit four 3-pointers and Suggs three from long range for the Huskies, who failed to make the NCAA tournament last year despite winning the Pac-12 regular-season title. Aziz N’Diaye added 10 points and 16 rebounds.

“We knew we wanted to get the ball to certain people, especially C.J. and Scott,” Gaddy said. “They are two of our good scorers and we want to find them. And sometimes we look for Aziz to have a good inside-outside attack.”

Dylon Cormier had 19 points, Erik Etherly 15 and Robert Olson 12 to lead Loyola (1-1). The Greyhounds were 24-9 last season and lost to Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Huskies hit 7 of 11 3-pointers in the second half after leading 33-31 at halftime. They were 2 of 6 beyond the arc in the first half, with Wilcox and Suggs each hitting one.

“We played about as good as we could,” Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos said. “They shoot 3s and when we didn’t get back and they start making them, we’re done.”

The play of the 7-foot N’Diaye impressed Patsos.

“If the big guy’s going to play like that all year they’re going to be a lot better than fifth in the Pac-12,” Patsos said about the preseason media pick of the Huskies.

The Huskies, who lost last season’s leading scorers Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten Jr. to the NBA, had four players in double figures.