The first time the Huskies faced California and Stanford this season, they were shellacked by a combined score of 174-69. Along the way, the Dawgs set the Pac-10 record for the lowest number of points scored in a half with a nine-point first frame against Cal.

Husky players and coaches alike see the upcoming games against the Bay Area schools as a chance for redemption.

“That’s not who we are, it’s definitely not indicative of what we want anyone to perceive and believe,” UW coach Tia Jackson told reporters. “It’s a big hit that we took down there and it’s something that we learned from.”

Senior guard Michelle Augustavo thinks the outcome this time around could be very different.

“We’ve beaten Cal at home before so I know that that’s definitely possible,” Augustavo said. “I just really think both teams are very beatable. I think that it’ll be fun because we’re going to show the real Husky basketball team.”

Last season, Washington (5-14, 1-8 Pac-10) was able to upset the Golden Bears (18-2, 9-0 Pac-10) in Hec Edmundson Pavilion, 74-66. They’ll be looking to attempt a similar feat tonight.

During the Huskies’ forgettable road trip to the Bay Area, they were handicapped by injuries to several players, including freshman Kristi Kingma.

“Having her back in the last few games has been awesome,” Jackson said of Kingma.

Jackson added that Kingma helps free up the Huskies’ other shooters — like leading scorer Sami Whitcomb — and brings firepower to both sides of the ball.

Even Stanford (16-4, 7-1 Pac-10) coach Tara VanDerveer thinks Kingma adds a new dimension to the Huskies.

“They didn’t have Kristi Kingma, so that will be different for [the Huskies], she’s an outstanding freshman,” VanDerveer said on the Pac-10 coaches’ conference call.

For now, no other Husky injuries will have a major impact on playing time.

It also helps that the starting roster is just about solidified, with players returning from injuries and others improving their game.

“We’re more consistent now, the more [we] play with those people the better chemistry we’re going to have,” Augustavo said. ”That helps everybody kind of know their role and know what to expect.”

Improved play, including rebounding by point guard Christina Rozier contributed to stabilizing the roster.

“It took her [longer] than we thought to find her niche,” Jackson said of Rozier. “She’s definitely taking care of the ball a little bit more, making better decisions.”

Washington also tried a different strategy prior to their game against Arizona State — players held a late-night film session after their loss against Arizona.

“The captains and the team got together and they took ownership of what took place, and I think that’s a credit of the maturity that we’ve acquired throughout the season,” Jackson said.

Although the UW ended up losing 80-64, the Huskies felt that their late-night film session was so successful they decided to do it again, at least for the upcoming games against the Bay Area schools.

“It really helps us learn [the game plan] better and really buy into what we’re going to be doing to beat these guys,” Augustavo said.

Reach reporter Honsen Lin at sports@dailyuw.com.