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Thursday, January 31st, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 09:02:59 pm
The Cardinal led by as many 21 points, and Washington really was never in this one after the opening minutes. The Huskies can't afford many more losses this season, and certainly not at home. And things may be only marginally easier Saturday, given Cal's upset of Washington State tonight in Pullman. Some highlights: Star of the game: Stanford sophomore forward Brook Lopez scored a career-high 31 points. He also had 13 rebounds, three blocks, three assists and a steal. Key stats: Washington shot 28.8 percent from the field, the lowest percentage of the season. … The Huskies were 0-for-7 on 3-pointers in the second half. … Stanford outrebounded UW, 41-36. Key run: After a couple of quick early field goals, the Huskies missed eight straight shots over the next seven minutes – including three that were blocked by the Lopez twins – as Stanford established control early, 15-7. Observations: This was Washington’s worst home loss - and first double-digit loss at home – since an 86-62 loss to Gonzaga in December 2003. … UW’s Tim Morris, who started his career at Stanford, scored four points against his old teammates. … Stanford’s Mitch Johnson, a junior from Seattle (O’Dea), had eight points and seven rebounds. … UW missed 10 of its first 13 free throws before hitting their next eight. … UW’s Jon Brockman said he was limited by a groin injury. … In the crowd were UW recruit Isaiah Thomas of Tacoma, now attending a prep school in Connecticut; and the mother of freshman Matthew Bryan-Amaning, visiting from Ghana. Quotable: “I don’t know what it was. I don’t want to discredit the job Stanford did. They thoroughly beat us. But I would have liked to have played with a little more passion tonight with so much at stake.” – UW coach Lorenzo Romar.
Categories: Huskies
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Posted by Don Ruiz @ 07:53:58 pm
The Huskies missed eight straight shots over a several-minute stretch early -- including three blocks -- and Stanford took early control. They haven't really let up. Brook Lopez is doing the most damage with 15 points and five rebounds. Washington's Jon Brockman had six points and five rebounds, while Ryan Appleby also has six points on a pair of threes. Stanford is dominating the boards, 20-13. Stanford is dominating points in the paint, 16-6. Washington is shooting 34.8 percent. Several of those numbers have to improve if UW is going to have any chance in the next 20 minutes.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 07:00:02 pm
Former Husky Brandon Roy was named today to his first NBA All-Star team.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:01:42 pm
The Huskies don't lose at home much, and they've won five straight over Stanford at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. However, the Cardinal comes into its big game tonight as a two-point favorite. If they're right, that would be a huge two points to the Huskies' postseason hopes. Meanwhile, some interesting folks are expected to be watching tonight. Matthew Bryan-Amaning's mother is here from Ghana. And UW recruit and former Curtis star Isaiah Thomas is expected to attend also. Unfortunately, there is no TV coverage. However, I'll click in here as news breaks, then again with a halftime report, and then again with postgame notes and quotes. (And speaking of TV, next week's home game against Southern California, which hadn't been scheduled for coverage, will be shown live (7 p.m.) on FSN Prime Ticket and Fox College Sports, but tape delayed on regular FSN.)
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 10:33:04 am
Football coach Tyrone Willingham made it official today, naming Ed Donatell as the Huskies' new defensive coordinator. Willingham said that Donatell won't bring any particular defensive style to impose, but rather will run whatever defense they decide will suit their personnel. Here is my story. Here is the UW announcement. And meanwhile, Jon Tenuta, whose name floated a time or two as a candidate for the UW job, signed on today with Notre Dame.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 10:28:17 am
Coach Tyrone Willingham will officially introduce his new defensive coordinator this morning. Obviously, I'll click right back in once the announcement is made.
Categories: Huskies
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 04:52:19 pm
As most Huskies fans know, the Seattle Times today concluded a four-day look at criminal and other wrongdoing within the football program, with emphasis on Rick Neuheisel's 2001 Rose Bowl team. Many fans have been upset that the series digs up mostly old dirt and that the timing could hurt the current recruiting class and the university's chances of getting the Legislature to approve public dollars for the Husky Stadium renovation. Here is a response from the university, including statements from acting athletic director Scott Woodward and football coach Tyrone Willingham. Also, here is a News Tribune editorial on the series. (And though not directly related, here is a News Tribune editorial on the stadium-financing issue.) As for me, I was hooked for three days. However, I thought the most crucial day would be Day Four, when they promised to show how those problems of years ago are affecting the program today. I thought they were less successful in doing that, and so I see the series mostly as a cautionary tale of the past. Interesting history, not quite the vital and useful current events I had hoped. However, that is a very different criticism from some I have heard voiced by many fans on other UW blogs and message boards. Many fans seem to believe that this is a deliberate hatchet job by the Times, intended to hurt recruiting or doom the stadium funding plan or to boost the current -- presumably cleaner -- coach, Tyrone Willingham. Those things I don't believe. It's just not the type of motivation I've seen in more than 30 years in the business. And as a purely practical matter, a series of that depth takes months of reporting, and therefore it was begun long before anyone knew UW would go to the Legislature for funding, and probably even before it was clear that there would be a super recruting class to affect. (And I don't know why this series would affect it... most of the key characters are no longer at the university.) Finally, I think it would be wrong for any Coug or Duck or fan of any other school to read the bottom line as necessarily exclusive to UW. I think the series should be read as bigger than that. It reveals not a bad university but a bad motivation -- an imbalance of athlete over student. UW certainly wasn't alone in that. But all of that is a perspective from outside the Times newsroom. Here is a final link to the KJR Web site where in their On Demand section you will find a link to their Wednesday night interview with David Boardman of the Seattle Times. And here is a link to Stewart Mandel of SI, who calls the series "the most thoroughly reported, meticulously written investigative project I've read in my nine years covering this sport."
Categories: Huskies
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Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:07:24 pm
At the start of the season, UW leading scorer and rebounder Jon Brockman said he is having fun in college and will certainly return for his senior year. Asked Tuesday, he gave a hazier answer -- that he's focusing on college now and will decide anything else after the season. That doesn't mean he's going. Brockman doesn't currently project as a lottery pick ... or even necessarily a first-round pick. And he admits he could increase his stock by improving his free throw shooting, his outside shot and his ball handling in a senior season. Also Tuesday, coach Lorenzo Romar said that while the 6-foot-7 Brockman isn't as tall as the NBA would like for a power forward, he also believes that Brockman will "find his way into the NBA" ... eventually.
Categories: Huskies
• 7 comments
Sunday, January 27th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 09:32:24 am
The list of Wooden Award (college basketball player of the year) condidates has been cut from a preseason list of 50 to a mid-season list of 30, and UW forward Jon Brockman remains among them. Brockman is second in the nation with 11.5 rebounds per game. He leads the Pac-10 with 13 double-doubles. He leads UW and is fourth in the conference with a 19.1 scoring average.
Categories: Huskies
• 2 comments
Saturday, January 26th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 01:53:21 pm
The Huskies had no runs in them in the second half and the Wildcats won as easily as the score makes it sound. Huskies fall to 3-4 in the conference. However, they took consolation on the road split and hope to take care of business as they begin a four-game homestand Thursday against Stanford. Star of the game: Arizona freshman Jerryd Bayless hit nine of 11 shots, including five of six 3-pointers. His 26 points were the most by a UW opponent this season. Key stats: Arizona shot 62.2 percent from the field, negating Washington’s 52.6 percentage. … Arizona hit 13 3-pointers. … Jon Brockman, UW’s leading scorer and rebounder, played only 27 minutes due to foul trouble. Key run: Arizona scored the final eight points of the first half, ballooning its five-point lead to 45-32, and headed to the locker room with the crowd roaring. Observations: Arizona set two high marks for a UW opponent this season: highest shooting percentage and most 3-pointers. … The Wildcats were shooting over 70 percent into the game’s final minutes before missing their last five shots. … UW center Joe Wolfinger scored 11 points in his first significant playing time since the start of conference play. Quotable: “It’s a great lesson to young kids and anyone. He hasn’t played very much very often lately. But he comes to practice and works every day and doesn’t complain. (Saturday) he got an opportunity and made the most of it.” – Washington coach Lorenzo Romar on Wolfinger. Next: 7 p.m. Thursday, vs. No. 20 Stanford, Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:55:32 pm
Jon Brockman picked up his second foul less than five minutes in, and the Huskies had to go about seven minutes without him. That sure didn't help, but the Huskies hung around without their star, trailing 30-21 when he returned. However, Arizona made a nice run down the stretch -- with Brockman on the court -- and the Wildcats seem well in control right now. Jordan Hill leads everyone with 13 points and seven rebounds. He certainly benefitted from Brockman's absence, but he was a game-changer against Washington State on Thursday, and he's doing the same on both ends today. Despite the absence, Brockman leads UW with 10 points, Matthew Bryan Amaning leads the Dawgs with four rebounds. The other story of the half has been the refs, who are who called 21 fouls in 20 minutes of play.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:57:35 am
Just two and three seasons ago, an Arizona-Washington men's basketball game was crucial to the title race of the Pacific-10 Confernce. These days both teams are smack in the middle of the league race at 3-3. In an odd way, that makes today's game in Tucson more important than the old days. The winner moves into the top half of the league race and in solid NCAA position, while the loser goes back into the bottom half and the road to the big dance gets that much tougher. A win could loom particularly large for the Huskies, who after today will play four straight home games, setting up the possibility of a real mid-season surge. Here is my story from today's paper. And meanwhile, Bruce Pascoe's story in the Arizona Daily Star uses his game preview for an interesting look at this season's cluttered league race. Finally, we'll have our usual game-day blogging plan: pre-game news if/when it breaks, then halftime and postgame notes and quotes. Tip is at noon, and the game is on FSN.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:52:48 am
Here's the piece that ran this morning on UW's continuing plans for public funds for Husky Stadium. Here's our piece on likely new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. And here's a release from the UW Web site on ticket prices for the coming season.
Categories: Huskies
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Friday, January 25th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 01:27:23 pm
It appears that Ed Donatell, a longtime NFL coach most recently serving under Jim Mora with the Atlanta Falcons has been offered and will accept the Washington defensive coordinator job. Donatell, 50, is a former UW graduate assistant under Don James in 1981 and '82. He went on to assistant jobs at Pacific, Idaho and Cal State before moving to the NFL as an assistant with the Jets, Broncos, Packers and Falcons. UW says no official announcement is scheduled, but amid all the rumors of the past weeks, it appears that this time the Huskies have gotten their guy. Here is a quote that I found of him discussing his defensive philosophy: “I want to apply the application that’s going to allow us to be successful. But any coordinator loves a four-man front that you can depend on, that gives you coverage opportunities. But I love to blitz. When I can see the opportunity and the advantage to it, I love to do that because it helps your aggression.” And here is a USA Today story from when Donatell got the Atlanta job.
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 10:51:56 am
I'll be back talking UW athletics with Dave "The Groz" Grosby at a new time, 1:35 p.m. Friday on KJR, 950-AM. I would suspect we'll discuss this increasingly interesting UW basketball trip to Arizona and the latest on the Husky Stadium renovation. The conversation also will be streamed over the Internet.
Categories: Huskies
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Thursday, January 24th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:03:19 pm
Very nice win for the Huskies, beating the No. 24 team on their home floor, where the Sun Devils had been 11-0 this season. Because everybody's a lot looser after a win, the Huskies had fun talking about coach Lorenzo Romar's outburst early in the first half, when he was trying to get his team to stop rushing bad shots. For emphasis, he threw down his clipboard, but he didn't quite get the angle right, and the thing went sliding across the court. He said he didn't intend to do that, but the display got his Huskies' attention and obviously, they won. The win also moves the Huskies to .500 in the conference race at 3-3, same record as their next opponent: Arizona. With those losses to Syracuse and Texas A&M and Pitt in the preseason, the Huskies best chance for the postseason seems to be finishing in the top half of the Pac-10, so things are getting interesting there, too. Some other notes: Star of the game: UW forward Jon Brockman had a game-high 21 points and 16 rebounds in recording his 13th double-double of the season. He also played tough defense on Arizona State’s Jeff Pendergraph, who ended the night with nine points on 3-for-10 shooting. Key stats: Arizona State shot 32.1 percent from the field. Washington shot 38.6. … The Huskies survived a 2-for-10 shooting night from Ryan Appleby. Observations: Washington has now beaten ASU 11 straight times. … UW senior guard Tim Morris had a career-high eight rebounds. … This was the Sun Devils’ first home loss of the season. … The win pulled UW even at 3-3 in conference play, while knocking the Sun Devils instantly out of the league lead, and probably out of next week’s national rankings. Quotable: “If he was 5-foot-11 and weighed 150 pounds, I still think he’d be how he is. It’s just the mentality he has. … Sometimes guys are just going to do what they do just because they have it in their head that nobody is going to stop them.” - Pendergraph on Brockman. (Great quote, eh?) The Huskies will practice around midday today at Arizona, and we'll get to talk to Romar and the players then. I'll jump back after that with any new developments. The game is noon Saturday. And unlike last night, this one will be on TV back to Puget Sound.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:55:41 pm
Well, let's start with this: James Harden seems to be feeling just fine. Dazzling player. A younger Brandon Roy in some ways. And the Sun Devils' chief weapon with 13 points. The Huskies started with real troubles getting through the ASU zone, so they tried shooting over it for a while. And finally, that started working. At one brief point when ASU seemed to be pulling away at 22-15, Joel Smith hit back-to-back threes to get the Huskies back in it. UW is led by Brockman with 10 points and nine rebounds, so nearly a halftime double-double. Smith has nine, Morris eight, so the veterans are leading the way. The half also featured Lorenzo Romar about as angry as I've seen him during one timeout, punctuated by a clipboard that came bouncing out of the UW huddle and onto the middle of the court. Neither team shooting wekk -- UW 34.4 percent, ASU 29.6 percent. Bottom line: The game is right there for either team. ASU needs it to stay atop the conference. But there also is all kinds of upside to UW stealing a big road win tonight with Arizona up next.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:50:05 pm
ASU freshman James Harden, the No. 5 scorer in the Pac-10, is listed in the starting lineup for tonight's game against Washington. Harden had been considered a gametime decision since suffering a groin injury against Stanford. Washington's starting lineup is unchanged. By the way, the Phoenix area is getting heavily into the spirit for next week's Super Bowl. There were banners all around the airport, and Spike, the Super Bowl mascot, is here at the basketball game tonight. Both teams in final warmups now: Huskies in purple, Sun Devils in white. I'll click back at halftime, or earlier if news breaks.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:24:24 pm
Apparenly getting half of the Husky Stadium renovation money -- $150 million -- from the state Legislature isn't going to be as easy at it initially seemed. And apparently the money isn't coming this session, if at all. Here is the takefrom The News Tribune newsroom.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 04:51:14 pm
Arizona State freshman sensation James Harden, the No. 5 scorer in the Pac-10, is warming up with his teammates about an hour before tip. However, while his shooting seems lights-out, he does not seem to be moving very well. His status is a big deal in this game, and there's no clear message yet ... except maybe that if he plays he won't be at 100 percent.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 02:47:35 pm
Oh, how the Huskies' perceptions have fallen. I was driving in from the airport and dialed into a Phoenix sports-talk station. The announcer was saying that given the choices in the area tonight, he'll probably skip the Sun Devils and go watch Coyotes hockey. Saturday, however, when Washington State comes to town, then, he said, he'll go watch ASU. He also speculated that Arizona State should have enough to beat the Huskies, even if freshman James Harden doesn't play. On that topic, however, I haven't heard any firm news since arriving. It still appears to be a gametime decision. Meanwhile, I'll post back if I hear anything from the arena. And with NO TV tonight, I'll try to post a little more detail at halftime and after the game.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:31:00 am
Internet speculation out of Atlanta says that Jon Tenuta could wind up at the new defensive coordinator at UW. However, there seems to nothing new about to break. Tenuta was defensive coordinator and briefly acting head coach at Tech. Here is his resume from the Georgia Tech web site.
Categories: Huskies
• 4 comments
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 09:04:53 pm
The Huskies left for the Valley of the Sun on Wednesday. Ahead for them are a pair of important games ... made all the more important because neither seems out of reach: Arizona State at 6 p.m. Thursday and Arizona at noon Saturday. My preview story in the Thursday paper focuses on the key freshmen at Arizona State and Arizona, but especially on the two UW freshmen who aren't playing much but who apparently are making progress behind the scenes: Darnell Gant and Justin Holiday. I spoke to each this week. Here are a few of their thoughts: HOLIDAY, on when he will return to the court: I just have to keep playing, doing what I’m doing. When he needs me, he needs me and I’ll be able to come in and do what I can do. And Gant, who is redshirting, on what he's learning this season: "I think that redshirting was a great opportunity for me to improve on my skills, increase my work ethic and try to work hard on everything that needs to be done. … My defense is getting better. When I got to college the guards are faster than they were in high school, so I have to adjust. Now I’m getting better at my help-side defense where now I’m able to block shots at this level. It’s all coming from a jump from high school to college, and I feel that I’m making that adjustment very rapidly." Turning back to the task ahead: WASHINGTON (11-7 OVERALL, 2-3 PAC-10) Statistical leaders: For UW, F Jon Brockman, 18.7 ppg and 11.6 rpg; G Venoy Overton, 3.5 apg. For ASU, G James Harden, 18.6 ppg; F Jeff Pendergraph, 6.9 rpg; G Derek Glasser, 4.4 apg. Scouting report: The availability of Harden, the No. 5 scorer in the league, could be a game time decision due to a groin injury. … The Sun Devils are off to their best start since the 1980-81 team, which featured Byron Scott, Alton Lister and Fat Lever. … ASU plays an aggressive zone defense. The Sun Devils lead the league in steals, and 3-point shooting and are second in assist-to-turnover ratio and field-goal percentage. They rank 20th nationally in scoring defense (59.2 ppg). … ASU guard Derek Glasser leads the Pac-10 in assist-to-turnover ratio. … Brockman was selected Pac-10 player of the week for his play against the Oregon schools last week. … ASU is 11-0 at home this season after going 7-11 last season. Next: Noon Saturday, at Arizona, McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz.; FSN.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 01:00:15 pm
Guard Adrian Oliver, who left the UW basketball program earlier this season, has formally become a San Jose State Spartan, as has been widely expected. Here is the release from San Jose State.
Categories: Huskies
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:06:46 pm
Oregon's proposed new $200 million basketball arena seems to be slowly moving closer to reality. And now the place has a face, as the university released artists drawings of the place, which could hardly look more different than the existing Mac Court. Here are the drawings and the latest news on the arena's progress toward reality.
Categories: Huskies
• 9 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 07:44:48 am
Wow, what a sinking ship of a season they're enduring in Corvallis. In other Pac-10 personnel news, Arizona State freshman sensation James Harden suffered a groin injury over the weekend. Coach Herb Sendek said this morning that Harden's status is day-to-day, which means we may not know if he'll play against the Huskies until the starting lineups are announced Thursday.
Categories: Huskies
Monday, January 21st, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 03:32:12 pm
UW forward Jon Brockman has been named Pac-10 player of the week for his play in the Huskies wins over Oregon and Oregon State. Here is the conference news release:
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 10:46:48 am
OSU coach Jay John's loss to Washington on Saturday was his last one. Amid building rumors and pressure, the school has now relieved him of his duties. Here is the announcement from Oregon State.
Categories: Huskies
• 3 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 09:45:35 am
I happen to be the Washington voter for the AP men's basketball Top 25 this season. Here's this week's poll results, and here's the ballot I sent in:
Categories: Huskies
• 2 comments
Sunday, January 20th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 04:15:42 pm
Our weekly quick look at Huskies basketball: LAST WEEK SOMETHING TO BUILD ON SOMETHING TO WORK ON THE WEEK AHEAD POSTSEASON OUTLOOK
Categories: Huskies
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Saturday, January 19th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:10:52 pm
The Beavers didn't quit. In fact the game got rough, and almost out of hand at the end. But the Huskies finally pulled one out that they couldn't afford to lose. And the Beavers and embattled coach Jay John got another frustrating loss. Some highlights: Star of the game: UW forward Jon Brockman scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds – both game highs. It was his 12th double-double of the season, most in the Pacific-10 Conference. Key stats: Washington scored 10 fastbreak points, Oregon State scored none. … The Beavers hit only one of 14 3-point attempts (7.1 percent), that one coming in the final minute. The Huskies weren’t much better, hitting two of 11 (18.2). … Both teams got 19 points from the foul line, but OSU did it in 21 attempts, while UW took 30. Key run: Over the last four and a half minutes, Washington hit nine consecutive shots, charging back from five points behind. Observations: UW junior guard Justin Dentmon suffered a fractured right front tooth and needed six stitches after catching an elbow from OSU’s Josh Tarver in the final minutes. … UW two playing freshmen each set career highs: 12 points for forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning, and seven assists for point guard Venoy Overton. … Brockman was assessed with his first technical foul since he was given one in high school for hanging on the rim. Quotable: “I’ve never seen Jon lose his temper for longer than half a second. When you play as physical a game, I’m surprised he’s not in more skirmishes. I don’t mean hauling off and hitting someone or getting kicked out, but just once in a while something might break out. ... To Jon’s credit you rarely see things happen like that.” – UW coach Lorenzo Romar, on Brockman’s technical. Next: 6 p.m. Thursday, at Arizona State, Wells Fargo Arena, Tempe.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 04:30:41 pm
The Trojans beat fourth-ranked UCLA today. When the score was announced at Hec Ed, the crowd cheered. But this may not really be in UW's best interest. Washington's best path to the postseason right now seems like an upper-half finish in the Pac-10 standings. And while no one expects the Huskies to get ahead of UCLA, there did seem to be a chance of nudging ahead of USC. That, however, became tougher today.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 03:55:03 pm
We've all got enough color-commentator in us to know what you're not supposed to let a big underdog do. You're not supposed to let them hang around. The Huskies are letting the Beavers hang around. The Huskies have given away five points at the free throw line, which has become their habit. But they've also missed a lot from close range. Both teams are shooting around 40 percent, and the Huskies are dominating the boards. UW is being led by its juniors: Brockman eight points, Dentmon seven. Calvin Hampton leads OSU with 10 points. Bottom line, things look OK. Except it seems like they should have a 10 point lead, and it's only four. That often comes back to bite you.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 11:26:28 am
Washington is favorited by 14 points over Oregon State in their 3 p.m. game today. The Beavers seem to be so much of a mess right now that it almost seems like a trap game if the Huskies aren't concentrating. However, that really hasn't been the case much with Lorenzo Romar teams. Both with his tournament teams and over the past season and a half, the Huskies have generally beaten the teams they should beat. I expect that to be the case again today. In any case, we're just hours away from finding out. The game is on FSN, and I'll click in here with pregame, halftime and postgame reports.
Categories: Huskies
Friday, January 18th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 02:48:21 pm
A staggering bunch of Oregon State Beavers come to Hec Ed to meet the Huskies on Saturday. For a great behind-the-scenes look at a crumbling season, check out this full-access story by John Canzano of the Oregonian. Meanwhile, we just got a few minutes with coach Lorenzo Romar (who said he isn't interested in giving any reporters such access). He also doesn't have any idea what affect the OSU distractions might have on the Beavers, but he's comfortable that his team won't take anything for granted. The basics: OREGON STATE (6-11 OVERALL, 0-5 PAC-10)
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 12:52:45 pm
I'll be back talking UW athletics with Dave "The Groz" Grosby at a new time, 2:20 p.m. Friday on KJR, 950-AM. As always seems to be the case, there should be no shortage of things to talk about between the Husky Stadium proposal and the basketball win over Oregon. The conversation also will be streamed over the Internet.
Categories: Huskies
• 2 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:20:33 am
Yesterday was a big day for UW athletics. Most importantly, there was the plan to go to the Legislature for half the money needed for a $300 million renovation of Husky Stadium. Here is our news story on that. And here is columnist John McGrath's take on the issue. And here is the take from the Huskies Web site. Thursday also brough the Huskies first win of the Pac-10 basketball season, a fast-paced win over Oregon. Here is our game coverage.
Categories: Huskies
Thursday, January 17th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:04:40 pm
Badly needing a win, the Huskies got one, their first in Pac-10 play and with Oregon State coming up Saturday. I thought the story of the game was the pace. It had been a while since the Huskies had an opponent who wanted to get it up and down the court, and they reacted well. It was a really fun game for the nice Hec Ed crowd. The other story was Ryan Appleby coming out of his two-game slump. And then there was the continued development of freshmen Venoy Overton and Matthew Bryan-Amaning. If they grow up fast, this team may yet live up to Jon Brockman's belief that they can still make the postseason. Some notes: Star of the game: Brockman produced his Pac-10 leading 11th double-double of the season with a team-high 21 points and 16 rebounds. Key stats: Washington held Oregon 12 points below their Pac-10-leading scoring average. … The Huskies had 17 assists and 11 turnovers in a fast-tempo game. … UW dominated the boards, 45-33. ... Free throws continue to be a problem for the Huskies who went 15-for-26 (57.7 percent). Key run: Oregon clipped Washington’s lead to three-points in the final two minutes. Then Venoy Overton found Ryan Appleby, who hit a 3-pointer that set up a strong stretch run by the Huskies. Observations: Appleby had 19 points after being shutout over the previous two games. … This was Oregon’s seventh straight loss in Hec Edmundson Pavilion. … Oregon’s Maarty Leunen, who came into the game tied with Brockman for the Pac-10 lead with 10 double-doubles, had 22 points and but only six rebounds. … UW’s first win in league play leaves Oregon State as the only Pac-10 team without a conference win. Quotable: “It is Brockman, No. 1. He is just a relentless rebounder, and they are a relentless rebounding team, so you need to be a relentless block-out team.” ¬– Oregon coach Ernie Kent on the rebounding disparity. Next: 3 p.m. Saturday, vs. Oregon State, Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
Categories: Huskies
• 3 comments
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:48:48 pm
Wow, just like the old days. Bodies flying up and down the court, shots swishing through the nets, crowd roaring. Lots o' fun at Hed Ed tonight. Obviously, the Ducks are dictating the tempo, because this game is nothing like the Huskies' first three conference games. But the Dawgs are keeping up just fine. Despite the fast pace, it's the big guys battling for scoring honors: Jon Brockman and Maarty Leunen with 13 each. Also encouraging -- beyond what shows up on the stats sheet -- is the play of UW freshmen Mathew Bryan-Amaning and Venoy Overton. Both growing up quickly tonight, with MBA building on what he showed last weekend at USC, and with Overton apparently feeling comfortable in his match with Oregon's quick but small Tajuan Porter. A reminder, it's on FSN, and it's hard to imagine there much on TV tonight as much fun as this one has been. I'll be back after the game with notes, quotes and final thoughts.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 02:48:15 pm
The Husky Stadium renovation committee briefed the board of regents today on a scaled back $300 million renovation plan, with half of the funds coming from state money. Interim athletic director Scott Woodward says early reaction from the Legislature has been good, and a quick check by The News Tribune legislative team is backing that up. If the Legislature goes thumbs up, ground could be broken after the coming season, the 2009 season could be played at Qwest Field, and the Huskies could move into their new digs for the 2010 season. However, Woodward held out some hope that the Huskies might not have to go off campus. Those new digs would include a new lower bowl much closer to field, which would be lowered and the track removed. The scaled-back piece is the west end zone, which will still be moved about 100 feet closer to the field, but which will no longer include the coaches offices, team shop and other support facilities that would have made it something of a front door to the UW football program.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 02:30:14 pm
Washington's Feb. 16 men's basketball game at Oregon State that was previously listed as TBA is now set for 4 p.m. and will be shown on FSN.
Categories: Huskies
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:50:18 am
If you don't think home court is a major thing in college basketball, just look at today's lineup of Pac-10 games, where ever home team is favored. That included the Huskies, who are two-point favorites over the Oregon. UW fans must hope that the odds-makers are right, because the Huskies are down to very little margin for error from here -- they'll pretty much need to sweep their remaining home games, split on the road and pick up a tournament game or two for any NCAA hopes. Here is my preview story from today's paper, which deals with the Huskies' need to get some offense tonight -- as well as their recently improved defense -- in order to keep up with the high-scoring Ducks.
Categories: Huskies
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Wednesday, January 16th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:12:23 pm
The Huskies return to action at the unusual start time of 6 p.m. Thursday with an almost desperately important home game against Oregon (12-4, 3-1) at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Tickets remain available, and the game will be telecast on FSN. The game shapes up as a change of pace for UW, who opened the Pac-10 season with three primarily defensive teams: WSU, UCLA and USC. The Ducks, meanwhile, score -- and allow -- more points than anyone else in the Pac-10. It will be interesting to see if the Huskies can keep up. Some notes: Series: Washington leads 179-101 overall and 106-33 in Seattle. The teams split last season with each winning on its home floor. The Ducks have lost six straight in Seattle. Statistical leaders: For Oregon, G Malik Hairston, 18.1 ppg; F Maarty Leunen, 9.9 rpg; G Kamyron Brown, 4.5 apg. For UW, F Jon Brockman, 18.1 ppg and 11.1 rpg; G Venoy Overton, 3.2 apg. Scouting report: Oregon leads the Pac-10 in scoring offense, averaging 82.3 points per game. However, the Ducks are last in scoring defense, allowing 73.1 ppg. Oregon also is last in the league in turnover margin (minus-0.5) … Since Dec. 1, the Huskies are allowing an average of 63.9 ppg and haven’t allowed more than 75 to any opponent. … UW leads the Pac-10 in 3-point percentage (38.7) and offensive rebounds (15.3). … UW guard Ryan Appleby hasn’t scored in two consecutive games and his scoring average has fallen to 9.3 ppg. … This game pairs the Pac-10 leaders in double-doubles: Brockman and Leunen, who have 10 each this season. … Leunen passed 1,000 career points last week, joining teammates Hairston (1,411) and Bryce Taylor (1,247). … All five seniors on the UO roster have already earned their degrees. Next: 3 p.m. Saturday, vs. Oregon State, Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
Categories: Huskies
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 06:14:50 pm
UW basketball coach Lorenzo Romar has used different lineups in all three Pac-10 games so far – all losses – and he said he hasn’t yet decided on his lineup for Thursday, when Oregon visits Hec Edmundson Pavilion. What he said today that I found especially interesting today was that he might be better off with football rules, because right now he seems to have an offensive team and a defensive team and even a ball-handling team, but not as much versatility as he would like. “It's been more difficult than in other years to come up with the group that best fits our team because you’ve got to kind of mix and match," he said. "If we have this group in there, maybe we don’t have the best scorers. Well, if we put the best scorers maybe we don’t guard as well. Well, let’s put this group together but then maybe it’s hard to pass because these guys aren’t as good as passers. Let’s put them together, but then maybe we have no shooters. That’s been probably the toughest part in selecting a lineup and maybe why there have been so many changes." Meanwhile, the Ducks lead the Pac-10 in scoring and will present a different challenge from the defensive-oriented teams the Huskies have faced in league play so far: WSU, UCLA and Southern California. Finally, Romar said he believes Ryan Appleby will bounce back after being held scoreless in his last two games. And Appleby said that, too.
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 11:25:28 am
UW receiver Marcel Reece and tailback Louis Rankin have been selected to take part in a Texas-against-the-world college all-star game Feb. 1 in El Paso. Here is that UW news release.
Categories: Huskies
Monday, January 14th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 08:53:43 am
Here's our weekly look back and look ahead for Huskies basketball: LAST WEEK SOMETHING TO BUILD ON SOMETHING TO WORK ON THE WEEK AHEAD POSTSEASON OUTLOOK
Categories: Huskies
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Saturday, January 12th, 2008
Posted by Don Ruiz @ 05:29:33 pm
Here is my game story, and here is the take from the LA Times. The bottom line is that UW leaves LA in the unwanted company of Oregon State as the only Pac-10 teams without a conference win, and the Huskies understand the trouble they have gotten themselves into. "If you get too deep in this league, if you lose too many, you put yourself in a real real tough situation, and we’re in a pretty tough situation right now," senior guard Tim Morris said. "We’re a little buried in the hole, and we have to dig outselves out. It’s not that we have any teams coming up that are going to be easy to play." Other notes: Star of the game: USC forward Dwight Lewis led all scorers with 17 points. On an afternoon of poor shooting by both teams, he was the rare player to hit most of his shots: seven of 12 from the field, two of three from the free throw line. Key stats: Washington committed 20 turnovers. … The Huskies turned 22 offensive rebounds into only eight second-chance points. … UW shot 33.3 percent from the field. … This was Washington’s third straight game scoring 55 points or fewer. Key run: After trailing for the first 28 minutes and 41 s |
