BY TODD DYBAS / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

He was ballyhooed for a reason.

Fans who watched Isaiah Thomas score in high school then prep school, were crossing out calendar squares in anticipation of his arrival to the Washington Huskies.

Thomas was expected to score. Bring swagger, really a mild level of braggadocio, a new disposition jolting the Huskies. It's not quite that easy.

The freshman left-hander has been in development and somewhat in restraint. The expected scoring binges have not occurred, though Thomas is second in scoring on the team.

But Tuesday night, with leading scorer Jon Brockman in foul trouble and the game against Morgan State tightening, Thomas took over to score 18 second-half points leading the Huskies to a 81-67 grind of a win over Morgan State.

Thomas finished with 27 points, his highest output of the season, helping hike Washington's record to 9-3 as it braces for the beginning of Pac-10 play Saturday in Pullman.

Brockman's foul issues were an opening and cue for Thomas. With the brawny post player sitting on the bench, looking at the clock hopeful to re-enter the game, Thomas saw space in the lane that is usually taken up by two battling bodies.

The freshman drove into the gap, using his hesitation dribble to pace past Morgan State defenders. Thomas finished 9-for-17 from the field, 8-for-9 from the free-throw line.

"He was letting the game come to him and that's what he's got to do," Brockman said. "It was good to see him show a little bit of what he can do while still running the team."

"I just felt like I needed to take over with Brockman out," Thomas said.

Thomas fulfilled the scoring need, while two other nags were cleared up for one night. The Huskies hit 31 of their 41 free-throw attempts, Morgan State attempting to clobber its way to a win.

Washington also took better care of the ball, turning it over a scant 12 times, four below its average. On a night when The Huskies shot only 42.6 percent from the field, single-night cures for season-long ills moved their winning streak to seven games.

"Our guys did a good job in two areas we really haven't done a good job in," coach Lorenzo Romar said. "It made the difference in the game."

There was an odd site on the bench in the second half, a lower left leg sealed in what could pass as a gray ski boot. The boot was attached to freshman shooter Elston Turner, the key reserve injured with 14 minutes to go in the first half.

Turner was going for a rebound when Rico Myles of Morgan State ran under him, diving low into his leg, the way an NFL offensive lineman often gets injured.

The freshman was holding his left shin, about midway up, when he went down. Turner was shouting in pain as the arena went silent. After initially carrying Turner to the end of the bench, trainers to him to the lockerroom.

Turner returned to the bench with crutches, diagnosed with a left ankle sprain. Romar said Turner's X-rays were negative, the freshman without a fracture or break. The coach said further assessment will be made Wednesday morning.

Without Turner, more minutes are expected for Justin Holiday and freshman Scott Suggs. Suggs has played little this season.

"We've just got to fill in and keep going," Venoy Overton said.

On a night when he wasn't on the floor much and finished with a below-average, for him, five rebounds, Brockman made school history. The senior became the second University of Washington player ever with 1,000 rebounds after grabbing an offensive board in the first half. Doug Smart is the other Washington player with more than 1,000 rebounds, holding the school record of 1,051.

Brockman said he was proud, but unaware he was nearing the accomplishment. His coach claimed being prescient.

"When we recruited him, that's what we thought would happen one day," Romar said. "I always felt like when Jon Brockman came to the University of Washington, he would be the all-time leading rebounder in the history of the school."

Todd Dybas is the editor of Seattlesportsonline.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tdybas@seattlesportsonline.com