University of Washington Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball
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Huskies seek first three-game road win streak since 1986.
Jan. 26, 1998
Thurs., Jan. 29 - UW at USC, 7:00 p.m. PST (No TV)
Los Angeles Sports Arena (15,509); Los Angeles, Calif.
Sat., Jan. 31 - UW at #8 UCLA, 1:00 p.m. PST (ABC TV)
Pauley Pavilion (12,819); Los Angeles, Calif.
The Washington Huskies (12-4, 5-2) attempt to put the sting of Saturday's last-second loss to fifth-ranked Stanford behind them as they prepare for their annual trip to Los Angeles. Last year's visit to southern California resulted in the Huskies being swept. Washington visits USC (6-11, 2-5) on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. A win would mark the first three-game road winning streak since 1986 for the Huskies who swept Oregon and Oregon State on their last excursion away from Seattle. That was their first Pac-10 road sweep since 1987, dating back 41 pairs of road games to a sweep in Los Angeles. Washington plays at eighth-ranked UCLA (15-3, 5-2) on Saturday, Jan. 31, a game that will be televised live at 1 p.m. on ABC Television. The Huskies lost their last 11 games at Pauley Pavilion, including a 91-88 overtime loss two years ago that was reminiscent of Saturday's heartbreaking loss to Stanford. Cameron Dollar made a shot from halfcourt to lift the defending champion Bruins over Washington on March 7, 1996. The last time the Huskies were victorious at Pauley was in 1987. The UW had its three-game winning streak halted Saturday as Kris Weems hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give No. 5 Stanford a 74-72 victory in Seattle.
Steady Improvement: Washington's overall and Pac-10 records have improved each of the previous four seasons under Coach Bob Bender.
Year Overall Pac-10 (Place) Non-Conf. 1994 5-22 3-15 (9th) 2-7 1996 16-12 9-9 (5th, tie) 7-2 1995 10-17 6-12 (7th, tie) 4-5 1997 17-11 10-8 (6th) 7-2
Television / Radio: The Washington game at UCLA will be televised live on ABC, Saturday, Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. Mark Jones calls the action with color commentary from Terry Gannon. All Washington men's basketball games are broadcast live on KOMO Radio (AM 1000) and its affiliates by play-by-play announcer Bob Rondeau. The radio broadcasts can be accessed via the internet at: http://www.audionet.com/schools/washington/
Probable Husky Starting Lineup: Washington Huskies (12-4, 5-2 in Pacific-10 Conference) Pos. No. Name Hgt. Wgt. Yr. Hometown Pts. Rebs. F 22 Patrick Femerling 7-1 255 Jr. Dusseldorf, Germany 6.8 7.2 C 50 Todd MacCulloch 7-0 280 Jr. Winnipeg, Manitoba 18.4 9.4 G 4 Deon Luton 6-4 200 So. Del City, Okla. 15.0 2.6 G 5 Jan Wooten 5-10 185 Sr. Elizabeth, N.J. 5.4 1.8 G 24 Donald Watts 6-4 200 Jr. Kirkland, Wash. 17.4 3.9
Notable: Junior guard Donald Watts, who never had a 20-point game in two previous seasons, leads the Huskies in scoring during Pac-10 games with a 21.7-point average in the seven conference tilts. Watts has a team-high eight 20-point outings . . . Fifth-year Coach Bob Bender has 60 wins to rank fifth among all-time Washington coaches. He needs one more to tie Andy Russo (1986-89) in fourth place . . . Deon Luton averages 18.0 points on 46 percent shooting in seven Pac-10 games, improving from 12.7 points and 31 percent in nine non-conference games.
If Washington Wins . . .
The USC Series:
Last Meeting: Washington 94, USC 84 (March 8, 1997; Seattle, Wash.) -- Mark Sanford scored 14 of his 21 points in the first half as Washington took control early en route to a 94-84 victory over USC in the regular season finale at Edmundson Pavilion. The win capped Washington's first winning conference campaign since 1987. Trailing 17-13, Washington scored 10 unanswered points, five from Jamie Booker, to take a 23-17 lead with 10:15 left in the first half. Mark Sanford hit back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite a 12-5 run that netted a 41-23 advantage with 4:00 left. USC closed to 48-38 by halftime and drew within 87-82 on a 3-pointer by Rodrick Rhodes with 2:00 left in the game. Washington scored seven straight points to repel the rally. The Huskies outrebounded USC 44-30, paced by 14 from Todd MacCulloch who had a double-double with 18 points. Patrick Femerling registered 10 rebounds for the second consecutive contest. Booker scored 18 points for Washington and Deon Luton added 17 on 6-for-6 shooting. The Huskies shot a season-best 61.4 percent from the floor (27-44), including a torrid 80-percent (12-15) second half. Washington won despite a school-record 34 turnovers and the 32-points of Rhodes. Elias Ayuso added 21 points for the Trojans who also got 13 from Stais Boseman. USC was whistled for 36 fouls, resulting in a 32-22 Husky scoring margin at the free throw line.
Last Meeting in Los Angeles: USC 77, Washington 58 (Jan. 2, 1997; Los Angeles, Calif.) -- Rodrick Rhodes scored eight of his 17 points during a late first-half run, lifting USC to a 77-58 triumph over Washington at the Sports Arena in the Pac-10 opener for both teams. The Huskies built their largest lead at 27-20 with 7:48 left in the first half. USC closed the half with a 19-5 surge to claim a 39-32 advantage at intermission. The Trojans opened the second half with a 9-2 run and increased the lead to as many as 22 points. The eventual 19-point margin marked the most lopsided setback in 43 games for Washington, dating to an 88-63 loss at Oregon on Feb. 16, 1995. Turnovers and poor shooting plagued the Huskies who had 29 miscues and shot just 36 percent (22-61) from the field. Mark Sanford led Washington with 16 points and 11 rebounds while Jan Wooten contributed 10 points. Stais Boseman added 14 points for the Trojans who also got 11 from Elias Ayuso. USC shot 46 percent (30-66) from the field.
Wonderful Watts: Junior Donald Watts has drastically raised his level of play, ranking second on the team with 17.4 points per game. That figure is an 8.5-point improvement from last season's average of 8.9 points. He has eight 20-point games to his credit after entering the season with a career-high of 19 points. Watts is shooting 51 percent from the field (87-of-172) after hitting 22- and 36-percent, respectively during his first two years. Watts leads all Washington scorers during Pac-10 play with a 21.7-point average. He averaged 13 free throw attempts in six Pac-10 games before the Stanford game in which he did not go to the line. Watts electrified Husky home crowds this season with his late-game heroics. He swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer with two opponents closely guarding him to force overtime against Saint Mary's. In the extra session, Watts hit the game-winning trey from the top of the key with 28.3 seconds remaining in the regular-season opener. He has twice tallied a career-high 28 points, against Arizona and California. In the exhibition opener against Brewster Packing, Watts lifted Washington to an 88-87 victory with a 3-pointer as time expired. Watts leads the team with 50 assists.
Hot Shots: The Huskies are shooting 48.9 percent as a team with three starters hitting better than 50-percent of their shots. Todd MacCulloch, who led the nation last season at 67.6 percent, leads the current squad at 65.8 percent while Patrick Femerling is shooting 54.9 % and Donald Watts 50.6. The UW is shooting 50.4 percent in Pac-10 play and 39 percent on 3-pointers while scoring 82.0 points per game in conference outings. Washington was the nation's seventh-most improved field goal shooting squad in 1997, converting 48.3-percent of its shots as a unit to rank second in the Pac-10. That figure was a 4.72% improvement from the 1996 season. The 1996 Huskies ranked seventh among Pac-10 teams (43.6 percent) after ranking last in 1995 (41.7) and 1994 (40.8). Last year's team shot better than any UW unit since 1989 (49.2%). The Huskies shot better than 50 percent during 11 games last year, one more than in Bob Bender's first three UW seasons combined.
Shootin' Luton: Sophomore Deon Luton has accounted for over half (40-of-77) of Washington's 3-pointers, including 28 treys over the last nine games. Luton already is tied for fourth among all-time Huskies with 66 career 3-pointers. He has heated up recently, averaging 18.9 points per game in the last eight outings with five 20-point performances. In those eight games, Luton is shooting 48 percent from the field (58-121) and 44 percent (24-54) from 3-point range. Prior to the last eight games, Luton shot 27 percent (28-104) from the field and 30 percent (16-53) on 3-pointers. Luton ranks second on the team with 48 assists, already surpassing his total of 31 assists from last season. He has 13 double-figure games.
Player of the Week: Todd MacCulloch was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week on Jan. 19 after amassing 49 points and 23 rebounds while converting 21-of-25 shots from the field during Washington's first conference road sweep since 1987. He had 31 points (14-15 shooting) and 15 rebounds at Oregon and 18 points with eight rebounds at Oregon State. MacCulloch, who was the Dec. 1 player of the week, joins Chris Welp as the only Huskies honored twice in the same season by the conference. Welp, who garnered three career Pac-10 weekly awards, won twice in 1986. Mark Sanford and Detlef Schrempf join MacCulloch and Welp as the only other Huskies to win weekly conference honors twice during their career.
Mistaken Identity: Todd MacCulloch worked as a volunteer at the Final Four in Seattle in April of 1995 and had autograph requests from spectators who mistook him for former 7-foot Oklahoma State center Bryant "Big Country" Reeves. "I'd take it as a compliment if my game is ever compared to his," MacCulloch remarked during the 1995 Final Four.
Provincial Playboy: A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada, Todd MacCulloch probably never dreamed his travels in the United States would take him to Playboy magazine headquarters in Chicago. He was selected as a 1998 Playboy All-American and joined nine other players and Coach Lute Olson in a photo shoot for the December 1997 issue. The other Playboy All-Americans are: Mike Bibby (Arizona), Zendon Hamilton (St. John's), Drew Hansen (Utah, scholar/athlete), Raef LaFrentz (Kansas), B.J. McKie (South Carolina), Paul Pierce (Kansas), Miles Simon (Arizona), Kenny Thomas (New Mexico) and Robert Traylor (Michigan). "It's kind of scary. You don't buy that magazine to look at someone like me," MacCulloch exclaimed of his apperance in Playboy. Featured on the cover was another Canuck, the 1995 Miss Canada.
Climbing the Charts: Todd MacCulloch recorded his fifth career 30-point game on Jan. 15 with 31 points against Oregon. Only three other players have had as many as five 30-point performances during a Washington career. Following is the list of all-time Husky 30-point leaders: 1-Bob Houbregs (1951-53) 13; 2-Steve Hawes (1970-72) 6; 3 (tie)-Todd MacCulloch and Louie Nelson (1971-73) 5.
Big Mac: Junior 7-foot center Todd MacCulloch led the nation in field goal shooting last season at 67.6 percent (163-241). He is currently shooting 65.8 percent (121-184) from the field to rank among the top-5 nationally. MacCulloch outplayed Brad "Big Continent" Millard of Saint Mary's in the season opener, amassing 20 points and 14 rebounds to 11 points and six boards for Millard. MacCulloch scored a career-best 38 points last year at James Madison, a figure that was the eighth-highest scoring game in Husky history and the most since Chris Welp had 40 against UCLA in 1986. He hit the game-winning layup as time expired at Portland this year to cap a 33-point performance. Against Arizona State, MacCulloch amassed 30 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. He had 31 points and 15 rebounds at Oregon on Jan. 15. That was MacCulloch's third 30-point outing this season. He is one of only three players to register two 20-rebound performances during a Washington career. He has 16 career double-doubles with seven of them coming this season. MacCulloch was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week on Dec. 1 and Jan. 19. He is the fourth Husky to earn multiple Pac-10 weekly honors. MacCulloch joins Chris Welp as the only Huskies honored twice in the same season by the conference. Welp, who garnered three career Pac-10 weekly awards, won twice in 1986.
Last Game: Stanford 74, Washington 72 (Jan. 24, 1988; Seattle, Wash.) -- Kris Weems hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer as fifth-ranked Stanford remained undefeated with a 74-72 triumph over Washington at Edmundson Pavilion. Stanford won its school-record 18th straight game. The Cardinal are one of only two undefeated teams remaining, joining Utah. Donald Watts hit a six-foot baseline jumper with 5.1 seconds remaining to put the Huskies ahead 72-71. Weems took the inbounds pass, drove across midcourt and sank the game-winning shot just right of the top of the key. Weems finished with 14 points as all five Cardinal starters scored in double figures. Arthur Lee led Stanford with 17 points, Tim Young scored 14, Peter Sauer tallied 11 and Pete Van Elswyk had 10. The Cardinal extended a 37-34 halftime edge to as many as 12 points at 52-40 with 15:39 left in the game. Washington went on a 22-9 surge to take its first lead at 62-61. Watts capped the run with a 3-pointer at 5:39. Watts finished with 21 points to pace the Huskies who also got 12 from both Deon Luton and Jan Wooten. Todd MacCulloch, who entered the game ranked second among Pac-10 players in scoring and rebounding, was limited to five points and three boards. Young had 12 rebounds for Stanford which outrebounded the Huskies 40-24.
Femerling Returns: Junior forward Patrick Femerling rejoined the team Dec. 7 and scored 13 points with five rebounds at Brigham Young on Dec. 9. He missed the previous four games while playing with the German National Team. Femerling was supposed to return for the Dec. 6 game at Oklahoma State, but a concussion suffered in the final game for Germany prevented him from making his scheduled flight from Europe. The 7-foot-1 center/forward registered eight points, six rebounds and four blocks in the opener against Saint Mary's before immediately leaving en route to Dusseldorf, Germany. He participated for the Germans in three qualifying games for the 1999 European Championships. The European Championhips are a critical part of Germany's process to qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. Femerling previously participated with the German Nationals in exhibition games during the summer of 1996 against Lithuania and Yugoslavia. He was joined on the German National Team by 7-foot center Chris Welp who played at Washington from 1984 to 1987 and amassed a school-record 2,073 career points. The German nationals defeated Bulgaria and Belgium, but lost to Slovenia. Femerling averages 6.8 points per game on 55-percent shooting for the Huskies. He ranks second on the team with 7.2 rebounds per game, including three double-digit performances.
This is the Army Mr. Femerling: During the summer of 1996, Patrick Femerling performed his mandatory military service as a German citizen. He spent a 10-week tour of duty with the German Army. Part of that time, Fermerling went through manuevers in his sneakers because no size-16 army boots were available.
Successful in Seattle: The Huskies have an 8-2 home record and have won 20 of their last 25 games in Seattle. Their only home defeats came against Arizona and Stanford, both ranked No. 5 at the time of the game. Washington has a 4-2 road record. The UW averages 81.3 points at Edmundson Pavilion, 11.0 more than their 70.3-point road production. The UW outshoots opponents 49.3-percent to 46.5 at home.
The UCLA Series:
Last Meeting: UCLA 87, Washington 85 (March 6, 1997; Seattle, Wash.) -- Charles O'Bannon scored 19 of his career-high 31 points in the second half, rallying ninth-ranked UCLA to an 87-85 victory over Washington at Edmundson Pavilion. UCLA clinched its third consecutive Pacific-10 Conference championship. The Bruins shot 57 percent for the game on 36-of-63 shooting from the field. O'Bannon connected on 13-of-17 shot attempts. Washington suffered its ninth consecutive loss against UCLA, the only Pac-10 team Coach Bob Bender has never defeated. The Huskies shot 65 percent (33-68) in the first half en route to a 52-44 halftime advantage. They led by as many as 16 points in the first half. The lead was 47-31 before UCLA closed the half with a 13-5 run, including six points from O'Bannon. The Bruins took the lead for good on a layin by J.R. Henderson with 3:12 left in the game. Charles O'Bannon followed with a short jumper at 1:42 to push the margin to 81-78. UCLA converted 6-of-8 free throws inside the final 30 seconds to secure the victory. Jamie Booker paced Washington with a career-high 27 points. Todd MacCulloch added 18 points, on 8-for-10 shooting, and Mark Sanford had 14. Patrick Femerling led a 34-31 Husky rebound advantage with 10 boards. Toby Bailey scored 18 points and nine assists for the Bruins who also got 14 from Jelani McCoy and 10 from Cameron Dollar.
Washington Versus Ranked Foes:
Court Report: Todd MacCulloch needs one blocked shot to tie James Woods (1977-80) for second on the UW career list with 80. The school record is 186 blocks established by Chris Welp (1984-87) . . . Patrick Femerling ranks No. 6 on the career list with 64 blocked shots . . . Deon Luton has accounted for over half of the team's 3-pointers, hitting 40 of Washington's 77 treys . . . The Huskies have not lost a game this season in which they led at halftime, winning all nine such contests . . . A trio of Huskies, Todd MacCulloch (18.4), Donald Watts (17.4) and Deon Luton (15.0) account for 66 percent (50.9) of the team's 77.2 points per game . . . Patrick Femerling is averaging 8.3 rebounds in Pac-10 games with three double-digit efforts . . . Washington defeated three teams that played in last year's NCAA Tournament with wins over Saint Mary's, Old Dominion and California . . . The Huskies have an 11-0 record this season in games when they post a better field goal percentage than the opposition. Last year's Washington team was 15-0 when outshooting opponents. The Huskies won the last 28games in which their field goal percentage was superior, dating to a loss at Stanford on Feb. 24, 1996 . . . The Huskies have used only two different starting lineups all season and the current lineup has started the last 10 games.
1997 Review: Washington registered a 17-11 record in 1997, marking its finest winning percentage (.607) since 1986. The Huskies placed sixth in the Pac-10 with a 10-8 mark, its best since 1987. The UW made its second straight National Invitation Tournament appearance, losing 67-63 at Nebraska in the first round. Junior Mark Sanford led the team in scoring (17.0) and rebounds (8.0). He earned his second All-Pac-10 selection before declaring for early entry to the NBA Draft where he was the 30th choice overall by the Miami Heat. Honorable mention All-Pac-10 pick Jamie Booker completed his career as the all-time Husky steals leader with 195. Center Todd MacCulloch led the nation in field goal accuracy at 67.6 percent. Highlighting the season were three victories over NCAA Tournament teams, including a 92-88 upset of national champion Arizona on Feb. 2 in Seattle.
"I would hope that everyone who follows Husky basketball never forgets how far we have come. There is no doubt that our improvement has come at a time when it wasn't real easy. This league has been so good with two out of the last three NCAA champions and last year's unprecedented success." Bob Bender
Huskies on the Rise: The Washington Huskies have improved their record during each of Coach Bob Bender's first four seasons. His inaugural team in 1994 had a 5-22 record followed by a 10-17 mark in 1995, 16-12 in 1996 and 17-11 last year. If that trend continues, the Huskies could make a serious bid for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1986. The improvement has been difficult due to the parallel rise of the Pacific-10 Conference which has produced two of the last three NCAA champions and advanced four teams to the Sweet 16 last spring. Bender has participated in 11 NCAA Tournaments as a player and coach. He has reached the NCAAs at every school he's been associated with -- except Washington. The Huskies hope to fill that void and end another trend. Washington is the only Pac-10 school that has not earned an NCAA Tournament bid during the 1990s.
Newcomers: The Huskies' current class of first-year players represents the classic case of quality over quantity. Only two scholarship freshmen joined the team, but the highly acclaimed guard tandem shared 1997 Player of the Year honors in Washington state. Michael Johnson (Ballard HS) is the all-time leading scorer for Washington's large classifications with 2,271 points. He averaged 27.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists as a senior. The 6-4 guard was rated 14th in the Long Beach Press Best in the West poll. Dan Dickau, a 6-foot point guard, led Prairie High School into the state semifinals, averaging 20 points and seven assists per outing. He was listed No. 11 in the Best in the West rankings. Another newcomer is sophomore Greg Clark, a transfer from Long Beach State who has three years remaining after sitting out this season. The brother of Detroit Tigers' standout first baseman Tony Clark, Greg was a top-five Best in the West selection in 1996. Joining the three scholarship newcomers is freshman walk-on Bryan Brown. The 6-3 guard prepped at Mercer Island High School which won the Washington state Class AAA championship. He is the son of former Seattle Sonic guard Fred Brown. Making the team during the Oct. 20 walk-on tryouts was 6-4 forward David Verschueren and 6-3 guard Jason Lombard.
Returning Talent: Three starters and seven lettermen from last year's team return. Joining that group is 6-6 forward Thalo Green who red-shirted his first year at Washington. Green was the 1996 Oregon prep Player of the Year at South Salem High School. The Huskies boast a formidable frontline featuring 7-foot center Todd MacCulloch. A Playboy preseason All-American, MacCulloch led the nation in field goal shooting last year at 67.6 percent and ranked second on the team with 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Starting guards Donald Watts and Jan Wooten also return and will likely be joined by sophomore Deon Luton in a three-guard alignment. Projected to start at forward is 7-1 junior Patrick Femerling, the team's top shot blocker with 36 in 1997. Chris Thompson started the first 15 games at point guard last year and will battle Wooten for playing time. Thompson distributed 95 assists in 1997. Sophomore Chris Walcott, a 6-7 forward, backs up the frontline starters. Adding depth to the guard corps is sophomore Andrew Moritz who walked on last season.Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Following are summaries of the three high school seniors who signed letters of intent to attend Washington next year.
Doug Wrenn--6-7 forward, Seattle, Wash. (O'Dea HS)
Rated among the
national top-20 by numerous publications . . . Helped O'Dea to the 1997
Washington state title, averaging 17 points per game . . . Ranked No. 4 in Best
in the West poll.
Senque Carey--6-4 guard, Redwood City, Calif. (St. Francis HS)
Averaged 26 points, 12.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game as a junior . . .
Helped St. Francis to a 26-3 record . . . Ranked 96th nationally, No. 20 among
point guards by Clark Francis in Hoop Scoop.
Grant Leep--6-7 forward, Mount Vernon, Wash. (Mount Vernon HS)
Averaged 18.2 points and 8.5 points as a junior, helping Mount Vernon to state
runner-up finish . . . Honorable mention Street & Smith's All-American.
Washington Player Briefs (As of Jan. 26, 1998):
#32 Bryan Brown, 6-3, 225, Freshman, Mercer Island, Wash.
Walk-on; Mercer Island HS team won 1997 state AAA title; MVP of the 1997
state tournament; Father, "Downtown" Fred Brown, was a Seattle Sonic (1972-84);
Brother, Terik, plays at Oregon
Greg Clark, 6-6, 220, Sophomore, La Mesa, Calif.
Transfer from Long Beach State who will red-shirt; Injured and did not play as a
freshman for the 49ers; Brother of Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark; A first-team
1996 Best in the West recruit
No #12 Dan Dickau, 6-0, 170, Freshman, Vancouver, Wash.
Had career-high 11 points vs. Arizona; No. 11 Best in West recruit;
Prairie HS team lost in state AAA semifinals to Brown's Mercer Island team;
Collects Pete Maravich memorabilia
#22 Patrick Femerling, 7-1, 255, Junior, Dusseldorf, Germany
Double-double (11/12) vs. ASU; Missed 4 games playing with German
Nationals; Had 13 points at BYU in his return; Toured with Germany in 1996,
played vs. Arvydas Sabonis & Vlade Divac
#42 Thalo Green, 6-6, 215, RS-Freshman, Salem, Ore.
Had 10 points & 6 rebs at Oklahoma State & at BYU; Sat out 1997 season
with injury red-shirt; Played 1 game last year ; 1996 Oregon Prep Player of the
Year from state champ South Salem HS
#23 Michael Johnson, 6-4, 195, Freshman, Seattle, Wash.
Had 10 points vs. Boise State; Grabbed 7 boards against WSU; All-time
top state prep scorer for large schools with 2,271 career points; No. 14 Best in
the West recruit; Scored 27.1 ppg as a senior
#4 Deon Luton, 6-4, 200, Sophomore, Del City, Okla.
Had 20-plus points 5 of last 8 games; Has 40 of team's 77 treys;
Distributed 48 assists in 14 games after having 31 all last year; Top scoring
debut for a UW freshman with 22 points vs. BYU last year
#50 Todd MacCulloch, 7-0, 280, Junior, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Has 5 career 30-point games; Had 30 pts./21 rebs. vs. ASU; Playboy
All-American; Led NCAA in shooting (67.6 %); 38 points in 1997 game were 8th
most in UW history; Had 76 points in prep game
#11 Andrew Moritz, 6-1, 165, Sophomore, Seattle, Wash.
Played 5 games; Scored 2 points vs. Old Dominion; Played 5 games in
1996; Earned roster spot at walk-on tryouts in 1996; Prep teammate of Arizona's
Jason Terry at Seattle's Franklin HS
#14 Chris Thompson, 6-1, 185, Senior, Edmonds, Wash.
Career-hi 6 rebounds at Oregon State; Had 10 assists vs. WSU in 1997,
the sixth double-digit effort by a UW player in the 1990s; Started first 15
games in 1997; Second on 1997 team with 95 assists
#20 David Verschueren, 6-4, 220, Junior, Issaquah, Wash.
Played 2 games; Earned roster spot during walk-on tryouts on Oct. 20;
Memboer of Husky baseball team last year as a left-handed pitcher; Lettered in
prep baseball, basketball, football and tennis
#33 Chris Walcott, 6-7, 210, Sophomore, Bellevue, Wash.
Sprained right ankle vs. Arizona; Had double-double vs. Boise St.;
Averaged 7.4 boards in 4 starts; Earned scholarship after walking on in 1996;
Led Sammamish to 1995 Wash. state prep title game
#24 Donald Watts 6-4, 200, Junior, Kirkland, Wash.
Has eight 20-point games; Career-hi 28 points vs. Arizona & Cal; Hit
winning trey vs. St. Mary's; The 1995 Washington prep player of the year; Son
of NBA star Slick Watts (Sonics 1973-78)
#5 Jan Wooten, 5-10, 185, Senior, Elizabeth, N.J.
Had 12 points, 8 assists and 0 turnovers against #5 Stanford; 1996
Transfer from Belleville (Ill.) Area JC; Played with Brevin Knight on AAU team
and vs. Stephon Marbury in high school
Bender Bio: Bob Bender, 40, begins his fifth season as head coach at Washington after starting his career with a four-year stint at Illinois State (1990-93). He has a 60-66 record at Washington, including a 17-11 record in 1997 capped by the Huskies' second straight National Invitation Tournament appearance. Washington's record has improved each season under Bender, including a 16-12 mark in 1996 after which he was voted the Pac-10 Coach of the Year by his peers. The UW was 5-22 in 1994 and 10-17 in 1995. Bender's nine-year career record stands at 120-123. Illinois State was 61-57 under Bender, earning two Missouri Valley Conference championships, one conference tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth in 1990. Prior to his head coaching debut, Bender served as an assistant on Mike Krzyzewski's Duke staff from 1983 through 1989. The Blue Devils qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of Bender's six seasons on the staff, including four trips to the Final Four. Bender is the only individual to play on two different teams in the NCAA Championship game. He was a freshman on Bobby Knight's undefeated 1976 Indiana championship team and played point guard at Duke from 1977-80, including an appearance in the 1978 title game against Kentucky.
Husky Talk: Tune in to KOMO (1000 AM) every Tuesday night at 6 p.m. for "Husky Talk," a half-hour call-in and interview show featuring head coach Bob Bender and KOMO's Bob Rondeau.
TV/Radio: The next television game for Washington is Saturday, Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. Pacific Time (6 p.m. Eastern Time) against Arizona. A live television broadcast is scheduled for Fox Sports Net. Barry Tompkins calls the action with color commentary from George Raveling. All Washington men's basketball regular-season games are broadcast live on KOMO Radio (AM 1000) and its affiliate by play-by-play announcer Bob Rondeau. All Husky radio broadcasts can be accessed via the internet at the following address: http://www.audionet.com/schools/washington/
Husky Tickets: Good seats are available for all Washington home games on a season and invidual game basis. Reserved seats for men's basketball games are $14 (except Arizona and UCLA which are $16). General admission tickets, which go on sale the Monday preceding each game, are $6 with high school, senior citizen and child tickets available for $3. The first 500 UW students are allowed in free. Also offered is a family plan ticket (1 adult, 4 children or 2 adults, 3 children) for $13. Call or visit the Husky Ticket Office, located in room 101 of the Graves Building or by telephone at (206) 543-2200 for information. Individual game reserved tickets will also be available for sale through all TicketMaster outlets and phone centers. Fans will have access to purchase Husky tickets at 90 locations throughout Washington. Seattle-area locations include Tower Records, The Wherehouse and Payless Drugs. Tickets may also be purchased over the phone by calling TicketMaster at (206) 628-0888 or via the internet at www.ticketmaster.com.
