Washington Huskies Basketball

Washington Huskies

1953 was the only Final Four the Huskies have attained. They have only four Sweet Sixteen appearances but this shouldn't slow this team, especially with the Pac-10 up for grabs. Usually you never hear that but UCLA basketball along with USC football have been knocked out lately. Washington has the opportunity to establish the program on a national stage.

The Huskies have had great players, Nate Robinson and Brandon Roy and this year looks no different.

Key Departures-Justin Dentmon(14.4 ppg) Jon Brockman(14.9 ppg)

A Look back at 08-09

Landing Isaiah Thomas gave Washington a new look and therefore they had the juice to compete with at a national level. The Washington Huskies began 7-3 with a blowout 73-54 loss to Kansas and a blowout of 83-65 against Oklahoma State. After a decent start, their fourth loss came to Cal on January 10. From there they swept the Beavers of Oregon State and the Oregon Ducks on the road.

They didn't let off the gas and hammered #11 UCLA in what was one of the program's biggest wins. Next game, Arizona, and  they layed a big egg while giving up 106 points to a subpar offensive team.

Washington's two wins over DeMar Derozan and USC were their tickets to the NCAA selection Committee. The Huskies ended up winning 27 games in the regular season and a Pac-10 tournament game, awarding them a #4 seed to coach Lorenzo Romar and the squad. They defeated Mississippi State only to lose to #5 Purdue 76-74 in the second round, subsequently ending their hopes.

 

 

Arrivals G Abdul Gaddy, PF Charles Garcia, PF Clarence Trent, SG C.J. Wilcox

 

Projected Lineup

PG Isaiah Thomas 5'8 185 lbs. Sophmore-Led the Hiuskies in scoring averaging 15.5 points as a freshman and looks to be more effective as a sophmore. Not a terrific shooter from long distance and shot under 70% from the free-throw line. With Thomas' potentia, he should improve his teammates as well as himself.

 

SG Abdul Gaddy 6'3 190 lbs. Freshman-One of the top guards of the 2009 Class. He lacks explosiveness but is as smooth as they come. Gaddy shoots well and fundamentally, he's elite. Gaddy and Thomas should excite the Pac-10 and be one of nation's top duos.

 

SF Quincy Pondexter 6'6 215 lbs. Senior-He's a solid small forward who can rebound on both ends. Pondexter is comparable to Marcus Ginyard of North Carolina but is a better offensive-minded player. Not a 3-point shooter at all but is an important piece and certainly an experienced player.

 

PF Darnell Grant 6'8 225 lbs. Sophmore-He's only a sophmore but the Huskies will need his size. Grant only averaged 3.1 ppg and is not a legite threat at this point. Nevertheless, coach Lorenzo Romar will need his effort night after night in order for Washington to win.

 

PF Mathew Bryan-Amaning 6'9 240 lbs. Junior-Matthew had a subpar sophmore year with 6.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg. He is the X-factor for the frontcourt and will need to step up and play consistent defense and score easy baskets. This should be his coming out party and will help the Huskies dance later in the year.

6th Man Venoy Overton is an exceptional defender and works hard when needed. Venoy averaged 20.5 mpg and will get playing time because of the hustle and defense. Romar can always count on Overton at any point in the game.

 

Top Games Not much out of conference excitement but the Huskies will take it.

• @Texas Tech: December 3. The Red Raiders won't make too much noise throughout the year, but a non-conference road win goes far for the NCAA Selection Committee.
• Georgetown: December 12. The Hoyas are on a mission and this should  be a tremendous matchup of premiere guards and experienced players.
• @UCLA: January 21. The Bruins may have wet the bed last year but Ben Howland will have Pauley Pavilion rockin'.
• Standford: February 13. Washington beat Stanford by a combined eight points in two meetings. Johnny Dawkins will have his team prepared this season.

09-10 Outlook

Lorenzo Romar will have his Huskies locked and loaded when they face Wright State Nov.11. The Huskies will have another great campaign in the Pac-10 once more.

Abdul Gaddy should be a fantastic addition with his ability and skill level.

Isaiah Thomas will have to play well and lead the team in order to win big. He is without question the best thing since Brandon Roy left.

The backcourt is loaded with firepower and quickness. Don't be shocked if the Huskies go with a three-guard approach. Gaddy, Thomas and Overton can all play the lead guards but they all can play together, most importantly. The combination of Gaddy and Thomas will break down defenders in a heartbeat.

The frontcourt however is suspect. Mathew Bryan-Amaning playing alongside Grant is a bulging weakness, not only because of their scoring ability but their height. The team only has three key players over 6'7.

Washington may lose in games against a team with a little more frontcourt presence. like Arizona State with at least three at 6'10 or above. THis may very well be the only noticeable weakness.

Washington should win the Pac-10 pretty easily with their returning group. USC lost the head coach and a lottery pick in Derozan, UCLA is out and for the count, losing their top guards in Collison and Holiday.

I look for the Huskies to remain in the top 15 all season long and win the Pac-10 easily but with some tough conference road matchups...As for Isaiah Thomas, he may fight his own teammate for Pac-10 Player of the Year.

Washington likely won't miss the Sweet Sixteen and can go further led by Thomas and Gaddy.

The University of Washington’s Men’s Basketball Program is ready to make another run for the Pac-10 title and an attempt for a National Title.  The season tips off November 4^th, against Central Washington University.  Coach Lorenzo Romar will have some time to figure out the X’s and O’s to prepare his young squad for a highly anticipated season.

The Huskies had a good offseason!  They have prepared hard for battle this season.  When you have guys like Jamal Crawford, Nate Conroy, Nate Robinson, Brandon Roy,  Spencer Hawes running in open gym all summer long with the Huskies. The team can learn a lot from those guys as well as the ends and outs of producing at a high level of play.

The open runs have been intense and fun but very competitive.  Abdul Gaddy is looking like a poised PG that the Husky fans haven’t seen before on the court.  The huskies have had scoring PG’s in the past ala Will Conroy, Nate Robinson and current Husky Isaiah Thomas. 

The starting five for the Huskies hasn’t been announced yet.  Romar has been quoted saying “Darnell Gant, Isaiah Thomas, and Quincy Pondexter will be starters.  If the season started tomorrow I could see the starting five like this.

Gaddy brings in a pass first mentality with the ability to get past his defender with his left or right hand. Gaddy’s basketball I.Q. is at an all time high compared to any PG who has walked into Hec Ed. With the ability to find any player on the court!  Gaddy will make the game easier for his teammates.

Isaiah Thomas is looking like where he left off last year and that is on a mission to be one of the best players in College this year.  Thomas is getting to the rim with ease and looking very comfortable on the court with Gaddy.  Playing off the ball is where Thomas excels most.  It’s going to be scary for defenders, because the young fella is getting better and better.

Thomas made a couple of commitments to work on his game this summer.  Some of those were working on his shooting from the arc and free throws.  “My shot is back to the Curtis days” Thomas said when asked about his shooting. For those who don’t remember, Thomas was and still is one of the best shooters to come out the state of Washington.  If Thomas’s shot is falling like the good old Curtis days, then don’t be surprised if Thomas averages around 21 points per game.

Quincy Pondexter is the lone senior and will be expected to be the leader of the team this year.  Pondexter’s up and down career at the University of Washington is something fans have talked about for years.  Last year in the second half of the season Pondexter was the one to step up and show what he is capable of doing by being consistent.

Reports of this summer have been that Pondexter has worked on his ball handling control and taking his player off the dribble and driving to the basket much more fluent than he has done in his career.  Also Pndexter's back to basket game has been reported that he has improved that part of his game as well.  As long Pondexter stays poised and control he can be a special player and the spark plug for the Huskies this year. 

Darnell Gant’s numbers weren’t as high as the rest of the starting five of last year’s team but his basketball I.Q. and knack to be at the right place and right time for rebounds was huge.  Gant has been working on getting bigger this summer and word is that he is 230 lbs right now.  The presence of Gant being on the floor defiantly helps the Huskies this year, especially with Brockman furthering his career with the Sacramento Kings.

Rumbles of talks this summer is that Gant’s 12-15 foot jump shot is looking very reliable.  Husky fans who remember from last year, Gant had a bunch of open shots he took last year and didn’t drop into the basket.  If Gant’s shot is reliable this yr then that gives coaches another headache on an already loaded Husky Squad.

Matthew Bryan-Amaning is 100% injury free and has been seen banging down low with Spencer Hawes this summer in the blocks at open runs.  Bryan-Amaning went overseas to play as well and had a good show out. 

Some might have counted out M.B.A. but he has got stronger and better with the ball this summer.  Bryan-Amaning’s back to the basket game has been impressive and grabbing down rebounds with force as well this summer has had him looking something like a beast down low.

Romar’s bench will be a key asset to the team’s run into March.  No team in March survives without a bench and it has been proven time over time. 

Be on the lookout for my assessment on the University of Washington’s bench in the near future.

Which top teams will the Huskies be taking on in their non-conference schedule?

The Huskies will be hosting the Athletes in Action Basketball Classic at Hec Ed to kick off the season. They have one official road game in their non-conference schedule against Texas Tech. The Dawgs will face off against powerhouse Georgetown on a neutral floor at the John Wooden Classic in December.

Here is a general breakdown on the different teams the Huskies have scheduled for their non-conference slate.

Note: All non-conference games will be televised except for the Belmont game.

Athletes in Action Basketball Classic

This is a great way to start the season. The Huskies face off against a solid set of opponents. Wright State and Belmont are by no means automatic wins, both teams tasted success last season and could give UW a run for their money. The set of three games caps off with a game against Portland St. and former Husky, Phil Nelson.

With three games in three days, this is good game conditioning for the Huskies. If the Huskies can use their home court to their advantage, they should start the season with a 3-0 record and a solid win against a potential tournament team in Portland State.

Wright State (November 13th)

Wright State finished last season on high mark finishing with a 20-13 record. They were close to securing a berth in the NCAA tournament, but lost in the Horizon league tournament semifinal game to Butler. Wright State is returning both of their top scorers from last season, seniors Todd Brown and Vaughn Duggins.

Brown and Duggins both guards, averaged around 12 points per game last season. This will be a first test against experience for the young guards of UW.

Belmont (November 14th)

Belmont also finished last season with a 20-13 record. They played a close game last season against Tennessee, with the Volunteers escaping with a two point victory. Belmont loses four of their top five scorers from last season. Senior G/F, Jon House who averaged 8.3 points per game will be leading the Belmont Bruins against the Huskies.

Portland State (November 15th)

After Ken Bone's departure to WSU, the Vikings have hired Tyler Geving as their head coach. Geving served as the associate head coach under Bone the past two seasons. Portland State returns two double digit scorers in Phil Nelson and Dominic Waters.

There are also two players with Seattle-area connections on the Portland State roster. Melvin Jones, a graduate of Cheif Sealth, is transferring from North Idaho Junior college and will be entering his junior year of eligibility.

Nigel Peter-Denman, a graduate of Ballard high school, has transferred from the University of Denver and will be entering his junior year of eligibility.
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San Jose State (November 20th)

The Huskies will face off against UW-transfer Adrian Oliver. Oliver was one of the team's top scorers last season, averaging 17.1 points per game. In his first three games last season, Oliver scored 80 points.

He dropped 37 points on Boise State and 31 points on San Fransisco. It will be fun to see who Romar throws out to defend his former player (Justin Holiday maybe?).

Montana (November 29th)

This team is loaded with players from Washington, six out of the fourteen players on the roster have some sort of connection to the state of Washington. Anthony Johnson, a graduate of Stadium high school and a transfer from Yakima Valley Community College is the Grizzlies' leading returning scorer, averaging about 17 points per game.

at Texas Tech (December 3rd)

This marks the Huskies first and only non-conference road game. This game comes conveniently at the middle point of the non-conference season with five games coming before it and five games being played after it.

This will be a stiff test, but Texas Tech is coming off a tough season, finishing with a 14-19 record. They dropped eight out their last ten games last season.

Cal State Northridge (December 6th)

Cal State Northridge made it all the way to the NCAA tournament last season. Even though they had to face Memphis in the first round, making the tournament is a great accomplishment for a relatively unknown program.

They return their leading scorer in guard, Deon Tresvant who averaged 13.3 points per game last season.

Georgetown (December 12th) John Wooden Classic (Anaheim)-

You can view an in-depth preview of the match up at Montlake Fast Break. This game in my opinion, is the Huskies biggest test in their non-conference schedule.

Without Jon Brockman, the Huskies are left vulnerable at the post position both on offense and defense. It will be interesting to see how Romar plans to defend Greg Monroe. Matthew Bryan-Amaning's performance will be critical in this game.

Portland (December 19th)

Hopefully this game will not turn out to be a repeat of last season's opening season loss. Portland finished with a respectable record of 19-13. The Pilots return four of their top five top scorers.

Luke Sikma (son of Jack Skima), will take on an expanded role this season as he enters his junior year.

Texas A&M (December 22nd)

The Aggies mark the Huskies' third and final major non-conference opponent. Six foot three guard, Donald Sloan is their returning leading scorer, he averaged around 12 points per game. The Aggies have their eyes on another NCAA tournament berth for 2010.

San Francisco (December 27th)

Definitely scheduled as a "tune-up" game, with the Huskies entering conference play after this game. USF struggled in the WCC last season, finishing with an 11-19 record. They return their top scorer, Dior Lowhorn, who averaged 20 points per game last season.

Seattle University (January 26th)

This game comes right in the midst of Pac-10 conference games for the Huskies. However, the Huskies will only be facing WSU that week, so this game essentially serves as that second game that the team would usually have.

Cameron Dollar makes his coaching debut against Romar in this game, it should be more competitive than last season's match between the two.

As the 2009 Summer AAU season comes to an end.  Three Local favorites from the state of Washington are top targets for the Washington Huskies along with another prospect from Portland, Oregon. 

Talent has been at an all time high for the state of Washington within the last 10 or so years.  Producing the likes of Brandon Roy, Terrance Williams, Jamal Crawford, Doug Christie, Jon Stockton, Jason Terry, Nate Robinson, Spencer Hawes, etc.  The future is in good hands right now in the Pacific Northwest!

We start off with highly touted 6-foot-4 180-pound Junior Toney Wroten Jr.  When you look at Wroten, you are just amazed with how mature his body is.  Coach Romar has had his eye in this kid for quite sometime along with every coach in the nation.  Wroten's ability to see the court is off the charts.  Wroten has a nice feel for the game and plays the game with passion.  Being a left handed player playing the PG position is also a plus in Wroten's bag of tricks.  Wroten traveled with his well known AAU team Seattle Rotary and had an up and down summer but shined when the lights were on in Vegas.  Wroten showed every college coach what he can do on the court and dominated by passing and getting the rim at will. The Dawgs will have a hard time keeping this guy at home.  Wroten's family will be in his ear trying to keep him home. Wroten's Dad, Uncle, and Cousin Nate Robinson, all former alumni from the University of Washington, it will be hard not to listen at least at the idea of staying home.  Wroten's recruiting will most likely string out till next summer.  The Huskies are in good shape and will be pushing hard for Wroten for the 2011/2012 season to fit in there up and down system.

 

Next up we have 6-foot-10 270-pound Center Josh Smith.  Smith is the #1 Center and prospect in some recruiter’s eyes in the nation.  Smith is Wroten's AAU teammate on the summer circuit.  When you look at Smith, you can't get over the size of the kid.  Smith is a kid that will impact a game right when he steps on the court.  With the softest hands anyone has seen in a long time to go along with his ability to block many shots.  Coach Romar and Coach Ben Howland have been at war recruiting Smith.  Every tournament Smith played at this summer it was likely you will find Coach Romar or Coach Howland at Smith's games.  Smith just like Wroten had a rough summer but also shined once Smith hit the big stage in Vegas.  Dominating every game by blocking shots with will, hitting shots while getting fouled.  Smith showed why every college coach would want him on their team as well.  The challenge will be keeping Smith at home as well.  Word is UCLA is the lead runner on landing Smith.  If that's the case, Coach Romar won't go out without and fight to try to keep Smith at home. 

Seattle Rotary has produced a lot of good talent and here is another target the Huskies are aiming for.  Junior 6-foot-1 175-pound PG Gary Bell.  As you can see Seattle Rotary was loaded this summer.  Bell didn't shine as much as Smith or Wroten this summer in Vegas but College coaches saw what Bell can do on the court.  Poised and in control, Bell can handle the load of a PG in the heat of battle.  Bell was the most consistent of the three this summer.  Wroten and Bell are two targets to fill the holes when Isaiah Thomas and Abdul Gaddy leave to further their careers in the NBA.  The Huskies will be happy to land either Wroten or Bell to fill the PG position.  Bell has a nice feel for the game with a nice jump shot and basketball IQ.  Calm and collective this kid is gaining scholarships from all over the Pac ten along with the Gonzaga bulldogs. Coach Romar would be happy with either Wroten or Bell to help out with the program in the future.

Last up we have Portland's own Senior 6-foot-8 220-pounds SF Terrance Jones.  Talk about someone who's stock rose to the top this summer.  Jones dominated every Tournament he played in and gained Scholarships to about every College in the nation.  The Huskies have been on Jone's from day one before the summer blowup.  Left handed, Jones style of play is so difficult to guard he can get to the rim with ease, pull up for a jumper, rebound, block shots.  The kid is a do it all player when he is at the top of his game.  Jones led his team in Vegas to win the AAU title.  Jones would fill in the gap when Senior Quincy Pondexter leaves the program after the upcoming season.  Coach Romar will have a tough decision with only one scholarship available for the 2010 class.  Either Smith or Jones would be a nice addition. 

 

The Huskies have a lot of talent in their backyard and need to capitalize on it.  The last couple of years the Huskies have lost Peyton Siva, Avery Bradley, Terrance Williams, Marcus Williams, Rodrick Stewart, and Lodrick Stewart.  Local fans haven't been happy with that.  With the upcoming season looking promising again for the Huskies! It will sure help their chances on landing these prospects to wear the gold and purple.  Updates on the recruiting of these prospects will be posted in the near future.

After a successful season, it is time to start looking forward to the 2009-2010 season for the UW basketball team. Their is some high expectations for this team, with FOX Sports recently ranking them No. 7 in their national forecast for next season.The losses of Jon Brockman and Justin Dentmon are significant, but this Husky team is loaded and will most likely compete near the top of the Pac-10 next season.

Quincy Pondexter will be the most significant returning player for the Huskies. His performances at the end of the Pac-10 regular season and during the NCAA tournament were star-worthy. He has proved to be unstoppable in the post and a threat to always penetrate and make play off the dribble.

He'll need to work on his perimeter shooting to morph into an elite NBA prospect. More importantly, Pondexter will be the only senior on the team next season. He'll have to become a more vocal leader and help a relatively young basketball team.

The second most important returning player is Isaiah Thomas. We saw glimpses of dominance throughout the season, but at times Thomas did look like a freshman. It's been amazing how he's been able to score over taller and larger defenders this past season. At times, he's scored at will.

He'll benefit tremendously with the arrival of Abdul Gaddy. Speaking of Gaddy, he will undoubtedly change the dynamic of this team. With Thomas, Overton, and Gaddy in the backcourt, the Huskies' backcourt is one of the top in the nation.

For awhile I thought Venoy Overton was a useless inconsistent player. But now I understand why Romar went out and got Overton to play for the Huskies. Venoy is one of the best perimeter defenders in the Pac-10, if not in the nation. He seems to have an immediate impact defensively every single time he steps out on the floor.

I'd like to see him make better decisions with the basketball on the offensive end. He's been careless in transition and in the half-court offense.

If the Huskies are to be a NCAA tournament contender next season, Matthew Bryan-Amaning and transfer, Charles Garcia Jr., will have to soften the blow left by Jon Brockman's abscense. Both of these players will need to improve their rebounding prowess, most notably, MBA.

We also saw MBA's performance decline toward the end of the season. He lost a lot of confidence when his play started to decline. I'm asking a lot out of MBA, but he has the potential to be a top flight forward if he works hard this offseason.

Justin Holiday was a solid defensive stopper, Romar used him in a lot of special situations during the tournament. If he improves his offensive game, he'll see increased playing time.

With the arrival of Charles Garcia Jr., there's a strong chance Darnell Gant will see decreased playing time. He wasn't exactly a beast on the boards, but his height allowed for him to be an above-average defender. He's shown the ability to hit 15 footers when left wide open, but he needs to improve his post-up game dramatically to be taken seriously by opposing defenders.

The last significant returning player will be Elston Turner. Turner hit big shot after big shot during the NCAA tournament. He was the sole 3-point specialist last season. He brings a lot to the table, and is primed to breakout in his upcoming sophomore season.

Besides Gaddy, redshirt freshman Tyreese Breshers, and incoming signees, CJ Wilcox and Clarence Trent will most likely not receive significant playing time next season. Wilcox could take on an Elston Turner type of a role, but it's hard envisioning these players having an immediate impact like their teammate Gaddy will have. This will also be a telling season for Scott Suggs who will be a sophomore next season. He saw sparse playing time, but does have the skills to make an impact next season.

Roster Breakdown:

Starters
G-Abdul Gaddy FR
G-Isaiah Thomas SO
F-Quincy Pondexter SR
F-Darnell Gant SO
F-Matthew Bryan-Amaning JR

Bench
G-Venoy Overton JR
G-Elston Turner SO
G-Scott Suggs SO
G- Tyreese Breshers FR
G- CJ Wilcox FR
F- Clarence Trent FR
F-Justin Holiday JR
F-Charles Garcia JR

And also a quick prelim look on how I think the Pac-10 teams rank right now:

1. UW
2. USC
3. UCLA
4. California
5. Oregon St.
6. WSU
7. Oregon
8. Arizona St.
9. Arizona
10. Stanford
    

Pac-10 can get another 4-5 teams in the tournament next season, but there is a LOT of time between now and then so we'll see how the offseason works out for these programs...

photo source: [daylife]

Perhaps the biggest recruiting target for Lorenzo Romar both physically and theoretically, Josh Smith, a junior from Kentwood High School, is currently pondering what college he will attend after he graduates in 2010.

He currently has 12 scholarship offers from the top college basketball programs across the nation, including the University of Washington. According to his Scout.com profile he currently has a high interest in UCLA and medium interest in UW and Louisville.

UCLA has been the top team on the west coast and in the nation making the Final Four for three consecutive years from 2006-2008. If Smith wishes to jump to the NBA after one or two years, UCLA has also proved to a be an effective place where he can get the proper exposure for the NBA.

Also, UCLA has churned out several top NBA talent out of its program recently. Jordan Farmar, Kevin Love, Aron Afflalo, and Russell Westbrook are few of the many Bruins that have been drafted in the couple past years. These things might explain his "high interest" in UCLA.

For UW, Romar is probably selling the benefits of staying close to home. Smith will be in a more comfortable environment. He won't have to adjust as much, as he would if he went to college out of state. Also, depending on the style of system he wants to be in, UW offers a much-more player-centric offensive system.

Romar gives his players a lot of freedom on offense, and this could only mean good things for Smith. He is guaranteed at least one year with Abdul Gaddy, and he may get a shot to play with Isaiah Thomas as well, if Thomas doesn't leave early.

Louisville's only selling point right now is it's strong connection to Seattle basketball. Rick Pitino has successfully nurtured Seattle native Terrance Williams into one of the best players in college basketball. Smith's former Rotary teammate, Senior Peyton Siva, is headed to Louisville this upcoming season. It doesn't hurt when the Cardinal were one of the best teams in college basketball this past year.

I have a strong feeling that Smith does not wish to go to the East coast. Duke, North Carolina, and Ohio St. have all offered, but Smith is currently showing little interest in those schools. His decision will most likely come late this summer or in the fall. We'll have you updated on UW's chances of grabbing this special player.

The Huskies find themselves back in the NCAA tournament after a successful regular season, capped by winning the Pac-10 conference regular season title. Out of all the teams entering the tournament from the Pac-10, the Huskies have boasted the most wins against tournament teams.

The Huskies have beat:

• No. 15 seed Morgan St.
  
• No. 13 seed Cleveland St.
• No. 13 seed Portland St.
• No. 12 seed Arizona
• No. 8 seed Oklahoma St.
• No. 6 seed UCLA
• Two wins over No. 10 seed USC
• Two wins over No. 6 seed Arizona St.

Lorenzo Romar is ready for his third go around with another talented team.  With a tough bracket, the Huskies will be tested from their first round game right off the bat. The Mississippi St. Bulldogs create some matchup problems for the Huskies.

Most notably, Jarvis Varnado, a 6'9" forward with some maniac shot-blocking ability. He’s the best shot-blocker in the nation. Inevitably, Jon Brockman will be shut down offensively.

Against USC shot-blocker, Taj Gibson, Brockman was ineffective offensively, scoring only 10 points in two games.

However, Brockman contributed in a different way, grabbing a combined 27 rebounds in those two games. Brockman won’t have a huge game for the Huskies, but his rebounding prowess will still play a major factor in the Huskies’ success.

The Bulldogs have also strived on their guard play. It will be a dual between Thomas/Dentmon and the experienced Barry Stewart.

Dentmon has been cold as of late, but after watching him all season, you know he can get hot at any moment. He’s hit clutch shot after clutch shot for the Huskies.  Without a doubt, he’s become the consummate go-to player for the Huskies during crunch time.

Isaiah Thomas has also shown the desire to have the ball in his hands during crunch time. He’s no ordinary freshmen, and it is unlikely he’ll freeze up on the big stage of the NCAA tournament.

Thomas loves being in the spotlight, I predict a strong tournament performance from I.T.

If the Huskies are to advance, they’ll most likely face off against No. 5 seed Purdue.

The Boilermakers are a scary team for the Huskies to play in the second round. Purdue has strong post defense and is a better 3-point shooting team than the Huskies.

Again, Jon Brockman will have trouble against the duo of Robbie Hummel and JaJuan Johnson. Against MSU and Purdue, the play of Quincy Pondexter will be critical. He has come up big for the Huskies when Dentmon, Thomas, and Brockman have had off-games.

If Pondexter can play at a high-consistent level, then the Huskies will likely find themselves in a Sweet 16 rematch against the other Huskies, the University of Connecticut.

LOS ANGELES –Sami Whitcomb had 28 points and five rebounds and Laura McLellan scored 15 points and seven rebounds as the Washington Huskies beat the Oregon Ducks 69-43 Thursday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the women's Pac-10 tournament.

Whitcomb, a junior guard, hit 11 of 18 from the floor. Oregon attempted to rally from a 12-point second-half deficit behind 15 points from sophomore forward Ellie Manou and 13 from junior guard Micaela Cocks -- but it was not enough to take on the hungry Washington team.

Ducks junior guard Taylor Lilley went down in the first period with a concussion, ending her playing in Thursday's game.

"That's real unfortunate and I guess it's a bit of a reflection of our season," Oregon head coach Bev Smith said of Lilley. "We battled through injuries all year, and having Taylor in and out of our lineup, she's a pretty important person for us. But I think our team has battled through that before and I think Washington was very opportunistic in taking advantage of that, and that is what good teams do".

Washington took command of the game early and led 32-24 at the half. Whitcomb had 14 points in the first half and was followed by junior forward/center Laura McLellan, with nine.

“I was just excited about this game," Whitcomb said. "We were all really fired up and we wanted to come out here and just send a message from the beginning. We executed on defense and I think that opened a lot for us offensively.”

Oregon's freshman forward Amanda Johnson had nine; Manou scored five.

"For all of our abilities, capabilities and vulnerabilities we didn't end the season as we would have wanted; we probably didn't start the season as we wanted, but in between that I think there was some growth and I think that's what you try to ask for as a coach, as a teacher and mentor," Smith said.

The Oregon Ducks fall to 6-13/10-20. The Washington Huskies 4-15/8-21 will take on the second-seeded California Golden Bears (15-3 24-5) Friday at 5pm at the Galen Center.

“We think it's a pretty solid match-up," Washington coach Tia Jackson said, referring to playing Cal on Friday. "Are they a great team? Absolutely. Are we playing some really good basketball right now? Yes, and it's pretty comparable to how Cal is doing. We're going to enjoy this until midnight tonight. Tomorrow's a new day. It's what March Madness is all about.”

Courtesy of SportsPageMagazine.com
Photo Courtesy of Eric Wade