SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Washington Huskies used a dominant first quarter to set the tone and never looked back, defeating the Southern Lady Jaguars 66-40 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at a sparse Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

A crowd of 2,000 watched the Huskies improve to a perfect 6-0 on the season, while Southern dropped its fifth straight game to fall to 1-5.

Washington seized control from the opening tip, outscoring Southern 19-8 in the first quarter. The Huskies’ defense was stifling, holding the Lady Jaguars to just 25.9% shooting from the field for the game on 15-of-58 shooting. Southern’s offensive struggles were particularly pronounced from beyond the arc, where they made only one of their 12 attempts.

The Huskies, by contrast, found a more efficient rhythm, shooting 45.8% from the floor. They also capitalized on their opportunities at the free-throw line, making 15 of 20 attempts, and out-blocked the Lady Jaguars 9-2.

Avery Howell led all scorers for Washington, pouring in 18 points and grabbing six rebounds. Brynn McGaughy provided a strong interior presence off the bench, contributing 14 points and three blocks. Olivia Anderson also made her presence felt defensively with two blocks in just nine minutes of action.

Southern was led by Demya Porter, who fought hard for 16 points and a game-high seven offensive rebounds. Mykayla Cunningham added four points for the Lady Jaguars, who committed 15 turnovers.

Despite forcing 22 Washington turnovers, Southern could not overcome its own scoring woes. The Huskies maintained a comfortable lead throughout, answering any modest Southern push with a run of their own. After taking an 11-point lead into halftime, Washington extended its advantage by outscoring Southern 18-8 in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

The game was a tale of offensive efficiency, with Washington posting an offensive rating of 96.4 points per 100 possessions compared to Southern’s 59.1, despite both teams having an identical 68 possessions.

Washington will look to continue its unbeaten start to the season when it hosts UC San Diego on Friday. Southern continues a difficult road trip, traveling to face Arizona on Dec. 3.