University of Washington Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball
 Huskies take a trip south to visit Stanford and USC. |
Huskies ride three game win streak into Maples Pavilion.
January 22, 1999
Sat., Jan. 23-UW at #3 Stanford; 3:00 p.m. PST (ABC TV)
Maples Pavilion (7,391); Stanford, Calif.
Thurs., Jan. 28-UW vs. USC; 7:00 p.m. PST
Edmundson Pavilion (7,900); Seattle, Wash.
The Washington Huskies (10-6, 3-3) bring a three-game winning streak into their meeting with third-ranked Stanford (16-2, 6-0) on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 3 p.m. in Maples Pavilion. The game will be televised live on ABC. Washington, which lost its last five games at Stanford, has never won a road game against a team ranked higher than fourth in the Associated Press poll. The last time the Huskies posted a win over a team ranked higher than fourth was a 69-68 upset of No. 1 UCLA on Feb. 22, 1979 in Seattle. Washington registered its first Pac-10 road win on Thursday with an 87-73 win at California. The Huskies climbed into fourth place in the conference standings with their third straight win. Washington won two conference home outings last week, beating Oregon 86-76 in overtime and topping Oregon State 70-50. The UW returns to Seattle next week for a four-game homestand.
High-Ranking Foes: Washington has a 57-161 record in all-time meetings with ranked opponents, including a 13-46 mark during the 1990s. The Huskies are 1-2 this season against ranked foes, falling 69-48 to No. 1 Connecticut (Dec. 1) in Chicago and and 88-86 at No. 8 Arizona (Jan. 9). They defeated No. 11 New Mexico 70-61 (Dec. 24) at Seattles KeyArena. Washington has a 23-94 all-time record against Top-10 foes and is 3-21 during the 90s. The last UW win over a Top-10 team was a 92-88 triumph over 10th-ranked Arizona on Feb. 2, 1997 in Seattle. The Huskies lost their last 10 meetings with Top-10 teams. The last UW win over a top-three team was a 69-68 win over No. 1 UCLA on Feb. 22, 1979.
Player of the Week: Senior center Todd MacCulloch was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 23.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in a home sweep of the Oregon schools. MacCulloch shot nearly 80 percent, hitting 19-of-24 field goal attempts. He had 20 points and 13 rebounds against Oregon State and 27 points and 12 boards versus the Ducks. MacCulloch earned the weekly Pac-10 award twice last year. He is the second Husky honored this season as guard Deon Luton was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week on Nov. 30.
TV/Radio: Saturdays game at Stanford will be televised live on ABC at 3 p.m. Pacific Time. Mark Jones calls the action with color commentary from Terry Gannon. All UW mens basketball games are broadcast live on KOMO Radio (AM 1000) and its affiliates by Bob Rondeau. Every radio broadcast can be accessed via the internet at: http://www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/washington/
Probable Husky Starting Lineup:
Washington Huskies (10-6, 3-3 in Pacific-10 Conference)
Pos.-No. Name Hgt. Wgt. Yr. Hometown Points Rebs.
F - 21 Greg Clark 6-6 220 So. La Mesa, Calif. 4.2 3.0
C - 50 Todd MacCulloch 7-0 280 Sr. Winnipeg, Manitoba 18.7 11.1
G - 5 Deon Luton 6-5 205 Jr. Del City, Okla. 14.6 1.8
G - 3 Senque Carey 6-3 200 Fr. East Palo Alto, Calif. 6.4 2.4
G - 24 Donald Watts 6-4 200 Sr. Kirkland, Wash. 10.8 3.2
Bay Area Blues: The Bay Area trip has been one of the most difficult Pac-10 road swings for the Huskies during the last decade. Washington was swept last year in the Bay Area for the eighth time in its last 11 visits. Since 1988, the Huskies have a 4-19 combined record at California and Stanford. Washington won 87-73 Thursday, its third win in the last 12 games at Cal. The Huskies won only once in their last 11 visits to Maples Pavilion where they have lost five consecutive games. Sixth-year Husky Coach Bob Bender has a 2-9 record in the Bay Area, including an 0-5 record at Stanford. Maples Pavilion and UCLAs Pauley Pavilion are the only two Pac-10 venues at which Bender has not won a game.
The Stanford Series:
Tenth-ranked Stanford won 93-70 on Feb. 19 at home.
Last Meeting: #10 Stanford 93, Washington 70 (Feb. 19, 1998; Stanford, Calif.) - Kris Weems was the only Stanford double-figure scorer, amassing 32 points in the 10th-ranked Cardinals 93-70 victory over Washington at Maples Pavilion. Stanford completed a sweep of the season series. Weems converted 13-of-18 field goals, including 4-of-6 shots from 3-point range. After falling behind by as many as seven points early, the Huskies rallied to take two brief one-point leads. Washington claimed its final lead at 21-20 on a 16-foot jumper by Thalo Green with 8:39 left in the first half. The Cardinal responded with eight straight points. Weems tallied 10 points inside the final eight minutes of the half, helping Stanford to a 44-33 halftime advantage. The margin grew to as many as 27 points in the second half. Washington was led by the 19 points and eight rebounds of Todd MacCulloch, an improvement from his five-point, three-rebound effort during the first meeting with the Cardinal. Deon Luton scored 17 points and Donald Watts added 14 for the Huskies. Mark Madsen, who missed the game in Seattle, had 11 rebounds to lead a 46-30 Stanford advantage. Stanford shot 48 percent for the game (32-67), including an 8-for-18 effort beyond the arc. UW hit 2-of-12 shots from 3-point range.
Poll Patter: Washington is not listed among the Top-25 in the two major polls. The Huskies were tied for the No. 25 spot in the Dec. 14 ESPN/USA Today coaches ratings before falling out. Washington dropped out of the Associated Press poll after being ranked No. 22 on Dec. 7. The Huskies opened the season in the No. 14 spot of both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls, their first preseason ranking in 14 years. The last time a Washington team received preseason mention in the AP media poll was a No. 8 ranking on Nov. 27, 1984. This was the first time the Huskies have been recognized by the AP at any juncture of the season since Dec. 30, 1984 when they were No. 15. That Marv Harshman-coached Washington team featured Detlef Schrempf and was coming off a Sweet 16 appearance in the 1984 NCAA Tournament. Washington plays five teams in the Top-25, including two of the top three. Top-ranked Connecticut defeated the UW 69-48 on Dec. 1 at the Great Eight Classic in Chicago. Stanford, a Final Four qualifier with all five starters returning, is No. 3 in the Associated Press rankings.
Road Accomodations: Washington Media Relations assistant Dan Lepse will travel with the team and be available to handle any media requests. Washington arrives in the Bay Area on Wednesday evening, Jan. 20 and will stay at the San Mateo Regency Plaza-Phone: (650) 573-7661 Fax: (650) 573-0533. Messages can also be left on Lepses office voice mail: (206) 685-3120.
Notable: Washington registered its highest point totals of the season during its last two outings, totalling 86 points against Oregon and 87 at California . . . Todd MacCulloch posted the third 30-point game of his career on Thursday at Cal . . . Senior center Todd MacCulloch has 178 rebounds (11.1 rpg), over three times more boards than any other Husky (Greg Clark and Chris Walcott are second with 48) . . . Washington overcame a 36-34 halftime deficit on Thursday at Cal to win for the first time when trailing at intermission. The UW lost its first five games this season when it was behind at halftime . . . The UW is 9-1 when leading at halftime, losing only at Arizona . . . Donald Watts is averaging 5.2 assists per game during Pac-10 play, including 10 assists at Arizona (Jan. 9) that marked the first double-figure assist outing by a Husky since Chris Thompson had 10 vs. Washington State on Feb. 15, 1997 . . . Sixth-year Coach Bob Bender has a 78-78 record at Washington, the third time he has evened his record this season. He followed with a three-game losing streak both previous occasions and never reached the winning mark. Bender, who opened his Husky coaching career with a 15-39 mark after two seasons, has a 63-39 record over his last four seasons.
Snake-Bit: The last-second 88-86 loss at Arizona on Jan. 9 was the latest in a recent string of heart-breaking, buzzer-beaters against the Huskies. Washington lost two games in the final seconds last week and suffered three last-second setbacks against Top-10 teams within the past year.
Jan. 3, 1999 Washington State 72, UW 71 Pullman, Wash.
Jan-Michael Thomas hits deep 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining
March 19, 1998 #6 Connecticut 75, UW 74 Greensboro, N.C. (NCAA Tournament)
Richard Hamilton puts back his own miss at the buzzer in East Region semifinal
Jan. 24, 1998 #5 Stanford 74, UW 72 Seattle, Wash.
Kris Weems weaves through UW defenders in backcourt and hits trey at buzzer
Date Score Location
Jan. 9, 1999 #8 Arizona 88, UW 86 Tucson, Ariz.
Richard Jefferson puts back missed Jason Terry 3-pointer at the buzzer
Dickau - OW!: Sophomore point guard Dan Dickau had surgery on Jan. 15 to repair a fracture on his left heel (calcaneus bone) that was discovered by x-rays on Jan. 13. He is out for the season. Dickau broke the navicular bone on top of his left foot during the summer that sidelined him from July to October. A bone spur that developed in that location was removed during the Jan. 15 surgery. Dickau started 11 games this year, averaging 4.6 points and a then team-high 34 assists. A seven-point performance in a last-second, 88-86 loss at No. 8 Arizona on Jan. 9 appears to be Dickaus final appearance of the 1999 season. He averaged 3.6 points per game last year and was an honorable mention All-Pac-10 freshman selection. Dickau was the 1997 Washington Class AAA prep Player of the Year out of Prairie High School in Vancouver. "I feel bad for Dan because no one has woked harder to help this team have success," said Coach Bob Bender.
Last Game: Washington 87, California 73 (Jan. 21, 1999; Oakland, Calif.) -Todd MacCulloch missed only one shot while amassing 31 points and 17 rebounds in Washingtons 87-73 victory over California at the New Arena in Oakland. MacCulloch missed his first shot before connecting on his final 13 attempts en route to the seventh 30-point game of his career. Washington (10-6, 3-3) led for much of the first half as MacCulloch tallied 22 points before intermission. Califonria (11-5, 2-4) claimed a 36-34 halftime edge on a jumper by Geno Carlisle at the buzzer. The Huskies took control in the second half as Senque Carey and Deon Luton, held scoreless in the first half, scored 13 and 12 points, respectively. Five players tallied double-figure points for the UW, including Donald Watts with 13 and Chris Walcott with 11. Thomas Kilgore came off the bench to tallly a team-high 19 points for the Golden Bears who also got 13 from Francisco Elson and 12 from Michael Gill. Washington shot 54 percent (27-50) while limiting Cal to 41 percent (30-74). The Golden Bears hit only one 3-pointer in 11 attempts while Washington converted 5-of-10.
Instant Replay: Washington won its first Pac-10 road game, defeating California 87-73 on Thursday behind the 31-point, 17-rebound performance of Todd MacCulloch . . . The Huskies swept the home series from the Oregon schools for the third straight season, posting an 86-76 overtime decision over Oregon (Jan. 16) and a 70-50 triumph against Oregon State in its Pac-10 home opener (Jan. 14) that halted a three-game losing streak. They were beaten 88-86 on a last-second shot at No. 8 Arizona (Jan. 9), lost 96-72 at Arizona State (Jan. 7) and 72-71 at Washington State (Jan. 3). Washington capped its fourth consecutive seven-win non-conference season Dec. 30 with an 81-72 win over Portland. The Huskies upset 11th-ranked New Mexico 70-61 (Dec. 24), dealing the Lobos their fist loss of the season. Washington halted a three-game losing streak on Dec. 19 with a 73-53 victory over New Mexico State. That was the first UW home game since the season-opening 70-63 win over UNC Wilmington on Nov. 16. The Huskies lost 82-71 at Gonzaga (Dec. 8) after suffering a 69-61 setback at Boise State (Dec. 5) that gave BSU a school-record 17-game home winning streak. UW lost 69-48 to top-ranked Connecticut (Dec. 1) at the Great Eight Classic in Chicago. That loss halted a four-game season-opening winning streak that culminated with a 76-60 triumph over Georgia Tech in the title game of the Big Island Invitational in Hilo, Hawaii. Washington posted a 20-10 record last season, earning its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1986. The Huskies advanced to the Sweet 16 with wins over Xavier (69-68) and Richmond (81-66).
The USC Series:
The all-time series that began in 1925 is tied at 54-54.
Washington swept the series last season for the second time in the last three years. UW won 101-86 on Jan. 29 in Los Angeles and 91-66 on Feb. 26 in Seattle.
The Huskies have a three-game winning streak and won tsix of the last seven meetings with USC.
Washington has a 31-23 advantage over USC in Seattle, including wins in the Trojans last four visits to Edmundson Pavilion.
Fourth-year USC Coach Henry Bibby has a 1-4 record against Washington.
Sixth-year Washington Coach Bob Bender has a 7-3 record against USC.
Last Meeting: Washington 91, USC 66 (Feb. 26, 1998; Seattle) - Deon Luton victimized USC for the second time this season, scoring 14 of his 22 points in the first half of Washingtons 91-66 win at Edmundson Pavilion. Luton scored 22 points, including 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. In the first meeting with the Trojans, Luton hit a school-record seven treys in a career-high 31-point performance. Washington took control early, utilizing a 12-2 run to go ahead 16-5 five minutes into the game. The Huskies led 45-29 at halftime and opened the second half with an 11-2 surge. The margin increased to as many as 28 points. Early foul trouble limited Husky Todd MacCulloch to 13 minutes, but he still produced a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Patrick Femerling matched that 10-board total as the UW outrebounded USC 37-28. Thalo Green responded to his first collegiate start with a career-high 11 points for the Huskies who also got 11 from Donald Watts. Reserve Gary Johnson led all Trojan scorers with 17 points. Gary Williams added 14 points for USC which shot only 38 percent (22-58). Washington converted 56-percent of its field goal attempts (33-59).
Pac-10 Pride: In each of the last two seasons the Pacific-10 Conference advanced four teams to the Sweet 16, more than any other league. Arizona, Stanford and UCLA, which reached the last two rounds of 16, were joined last spring by Washington and by California in 1997. Two of the last four national champions came from the Pac-10 (UCLA in 1995, Arizona in 1997).
Sonics & Sons: Four former Seattle SuperSonics have sons on the 1999 Washington basketball roster. The list of former NBA players (and sons) includes, Fred Brown (Bryan), Lonnie Shelton (Marlon), Slick Watts (Donald) and Paul Westphal (Michael). A graduate of Iowa, Fred Brown is the Sonics all-time leading scorer with 14,018 points. Brown played his entire 13-year NBA career in Seattle and was a 1976 all-star. Lonnie Shelton was a 1975 All-Pac-8 Conference selection at Oregon State. He played 15 NBA seasons and was a 1982 all-star. Shelton played from 1979-83 in Seattle. Brown and Shelton were members of Seattles 1979 NBA Championship squad. Slick Watts led the NBA in assists (8.1) and steals (3.2) in 1976, the first player in history to top both categories during the same season. The six-year NBA veteran played in Seattle from 1974-78. Paul Westphal was a two-time (1970 & 71) All-Pac-8 pick at USC. The five-time NBA all-star played during the 1980-81 season in Seattle and returned this summer as head coach of the Sonics.
Shootin Luton: Junior Deon Luton holds every Washington school 3-point shooting record. He hit three 3-pointers at Washington State (Jan. 3) to break the Husky career record of 119 treys established by Eldridge Recasner (1987-90). Luton owns Washington records for a career (130), single-season (75 in 1998) and single-game (7). He hit seven treys at USC on Jan. 29, 1998. The Huskies have an 8-2 record this season and are 29-9 during his career when Luton hits more than one 3-point basket. Luton was voted the Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 30. He was the MVP of the Big Island Invitational after scoring 41 points on 55-percent shooting (16-29), including 46-percent 3-point accuracy (6-13). Luton was a 1998 honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection. Last year he accounted for over half (75-of-147) of Washingtons 3-pointers. Luton converted 5-of-7 treys in the NCAA second-round win over Richmond. He had three 3-pointers and hit a 17-foot jumper with 11 seconds remaining that proved to be the game-winning basket in the first-round against Xavier. Luton has 29 treys this season, more than double that of any other Husky (Dan Dickau is second with 11).
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. "Id take it as a compliment if my game is ever compared to his," MacCulloch remarked during the 1995 Final Four.
Century Club: Todd MacCulloch became the seventh player in Husky history to reach the 1,500-point plateau with a 31-point outing at California on Jan. 21. He vaulted ahead of the 1,478-point total of Doug Smart (1957-59) and into the No. 7 spot among Washington career scorers with 1,500 points. Sixth among all-time Husky scorers is Louie Nelson (1971-73) with 1,504 points.
All-Time Washington Career Scoring Leaders
No. Player (Years) Points No. Player (Years) Points
1. Chris Welp (84-87) 2073 6. Louie Nelson (71-73) 1504
2. Bob Houbregs (51-53) 1774 7. Todd MacCulloch (96-99) 1500
3. Eldridge Recasner (87-90) 1700 8. Doug Smart (57-59) 1478
4. James Edwards (74-77) 1548 9. Detlef Schrempf (82-85) 1449
5. Steve Hawes (70-72) 1516 10. Bill Hanson (60-62) 1425
Board Member: Todd MacCulloch became the eighth player in Husky history to reach the 800-rebound plateau with a 17-board outing at California on Jan. 21. He moved ahead of the 792-rebound total of James Edwards (1974-77) and into the No. 8 spot among Washington career rebounders with 808 caroms.
All-Time Washington Career Rebounding Leaders
No. Player (Years) Rebounds No. Player (Years) Points
1. Doug Smart (57-59) 1051 6. Dean Parsons (52-55) 876
2. Doug McClary (51-53) 997 7. Bruno Boin (56-59) 832
3. Chris Welp (84-87) 995 8. Todd MacCulloch (96-99) 808
4. Bob Houbregs (51-53) 971 9. James Edwards (74-77) 792
5. Steve Hawes (70-72) 945 10. Ed Corell (61-63) 768
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 KOMOs Bob Rondeau.
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 twice selected to the Playboy All-America team. MacCulloch and nine other players on the 1999 All-America squad along with Utah Coach Rick Majerus are featured in the January 1999 issue of Playboy. The other members of the 1999 All-America team are: Elton Brand (Duke), Mateen Cleeves (Michigan State), Khalid El-Amin (Connecticut), Evan Eschmeyer (Northwestern), A.J. Guyton (Indiana), Richard Hamilton (Connecticut), B.J. McKie (South Carolina), Andre Miller (Utah) and Wally Szczerbiak (Miami, Ohio). MacCulloch was selected as a 1998 Playboy All-American and joined nine other players and Coach Lute Olson in Chicago during a photo shoot for the December 1997 issue. The other 1998 Playboy All-Americans were: Mike Bibby (Arizona), Zendon Hamilton (St. Johns), 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). "Its kind of scary. You dont buy that magazine to look at someone like me," MacCulloch exclaimed of his apperance in Playboy. Featured on the December 1997 cover was another Canuck, the 1995 Miss Canada.
Watts Shortage: Senior guard Donald Watts started the last six games after missing nearly a month with a sprained right ankle suffered in the first half at Boise State on Dec. 5. He missed four games. Prior to the injury Watts made 41 consecutive starts and missed only one outing in his four-year career, playing 91 of 92 possible games. He is the Huskies third-leading scorer (10.5 ppg), and boasts a 13.7-point scoring average in Pac-10 games. Watts contributed 14 points, six rebounds and five assists at Washington State (Jan. 3) in his return from the near month-long absence. He tallied 18 points and 10 assists at Arizona (Jan. 9) and had eight points and eight assists against Oregon State (Jan. 14). Watts usually defends the opponents top offensive threat. Boise States Roberto Bergersen tallied 28 of his 32 points after Watts departed with 5:41 left in the first half.
Dynamic Starting Debut: Two years had passed since sophomore Greg Clark started his last game, as a senior at San Diegos Grossmont High School. He was sidelined with a dislocated left shoulder his freshman season at Long Beach State before sitting out last year at Washington as a red shirt. Clark made his collegiate starting debut on Dec. 24 against No. 11 New Mexico and helped the Huskies to a 70-61 win. The 6-6 swingman displayed the offensive prowess he was known for as a prep All-American, amassing nine points, seven rebounds and four assists. It was on the defensive end that Clark was most spectacular, making three steals while shutting down leading Lobo scorer Lamont Long. One of the nations leading scorers, Long entered the game averaging 24.1 ponts and did not score while being limited to three shots in 40 minutes. "We have enough scorers. I want to take the role as the leading defensive player," Clark remarked after the New Mexico game. Clark started the last eight games, averaging 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Frequent Flyers: The Huskies amassed over 8,000 miles during their first road trip this season. Washington flew to Hawaii via Los Angeles on Monday, Nov. 23. Following the three-game Big Island Invitational, the Huskies endured a 4,299-mile trip to Chicago via Los Angeles. Washington departed Hilo on Sunday evening at 12:10 a.m. Central Time and arrived in the Windy City on Monday, Nov. 30 at 12:52 p.m. Central Time. The Huskies returned to Seattle on Wednesday, Dec. 2 to complete the 10-day journey. On Friday, Dec. 4 they set out on a much shorter trip, a 399-mile flight to Boise, Idaho on Dec. 5 before their visit to Spokane to play Gonzaga. The Huskies returned to Seattle on Wednesday, Dec. 9 and remain home until Jan. 2. The game on Dec. 19 was UWs first at home in 32 days, dating to the home opener on Nov. 16.
Strenuous Schedule: Washingtons 1999 schedule is listed as the nations sixth toughest in the current CBS SportsLine ratings. Five 1999 Husky opponents are ranked among the top-13 in the current Associated Press poll. The 1999 UW schedule features 14 games against 1998 postseason competitors, including qualifiers from the Final Four (Stanford), Elite Eight (Arizona, UConn) and Sweet 16 (UCLA) along with NCAA teams New Mexico and Saint Louis.
High Hopes: The Huskies return four starters and nine letterman from a team that came within one second of the Elite Eight and was ranked No. 24 in the final ESPN/USA Today poll. Returning talent represents 85-percent of the points from the 1998 team that averaged 78.7 points per game, the highest figure since 1976. The high-scoring trio of seniors Todd MacCulloch (18.6) and Donald Watts (16.9) along with junior Deon Luton (15.4) returns after combining for 50.8 points per outing last season. MacCulloch, a first-team All-Pac-10 center, led the nation in field goal shooting the last two years (67.6% in 1997, 65.0% in 1998) and is a two-time Playboy All-American. Watts and Luton were both 1998 honorable mention All-Pac-10 selections. Numerous publications have included Washington in their preseason polls, some of them projecting the Huskies as a Top-10 team.
Sweet Season: "Sweet." How better to describe a 1998 season during which Washington returned to the NCAA Tournament after a 12-year absence, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1984? The Huskies completed the campaign with a 20-10 record, their first 20-win season since 1987. They finished fourth in the Pac-10 with an 11-7 mark. Washington garnered its first NCAA Tournament invitation since 1986 and proceeded to defeat Xavier and Richmond before a last-second loss to Connecticut. The UW improved its record during each of Coach Bob Benders first five seasons. His inaugural team in 1994 had a 5-22 record followed by a 10-17 mark in 1995, 16-12 in 1996, 17-11 in 1997 and 20-10 last year. The improvement has been difficult due to the parellel rise of the Pacific-10 Conference which produced two of the last four NCAA champions and advanced four teams to the Sweet 16 each of the last two seasons.
Returning Talent: Four starters and nine lettermen from last years NCAA Tournament team return. Joining that group is 6-6 sophomore forward Greg Clark who red-shirted his first year at Washington after transferring from Long Beach State. Clark was one of the Wests most-recruited athletes as a player at Grossmont High School in San Diego, Calif. The Huskies boast a terrific trio of 7-foot senior center Todd MacCulloch, senior guard Donald Watts and junior guard Deon Luton. A two-time Playboy All-American, MacCulloch led the nation in field goal shooting each of the last two years (67.6% in 1997, 65.0% in 1998). He was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection while Watts and Luton received honorable mention conference acclaim. Last years team was the highest scoring Husky outfit since 1976, averaging 78.7 points per contest. MacCulloch (18.6), Watts (16.9) and Luton (15.4) combined to average 50.8 points an outing, making them the second-highest scoring trio in Husky history behind only the 1972 group of Steve Hawes (21.7), Charles Dudley (16.5) and Louie Nelson (15.1) who averaged 53.3 points. Those three all eventually played in the NBA. Sophomore forward Thalo Green sparked a late-season surge after his insertion into the starting lineup. He replaced Patrick Femerling for the final three regular-season games and the Tournament. The Huskies responded with a 5-1 record in his starts, during which Green averaged 8.7 points and 2.7 assists. Junior Chris Walcott, a 6-8 forward, also emerged at the end of last season. He scored a career-high 14 points in the critical upset of No. 18 UCLA. Sophomore guards Dan Dickau, Michael Johnson and Bryan Brown return with a year of collegiate experience under their belts. Dickau assumed the starting point guard position vacated by Jan Wooten. Junior walk-on Andrew Moritz provides depth for the guard corps.
Departures: Only three players from last years team did not return, including starting point guard Jan Wooten who averaged 5.7 points and 2.7 assists per game in 1998. Another point guard, Chris Thompson, has used up his eligibility and will join the Husky staff as a student assistant coach. Patrick Femerling, a 7-1 center averaged 5.7 points and ranked second on the team with 6.1 rebounds per game. He decided to forego his senior season and signed in July with a team from Berling of the professional league in his native Germany.
Newcomers: The Washington roster is bolstered by the addition of three scholarship freshman recruits and two invited walk-ons. The Huskies signed one player at each position, inking 6-3 guard Senque Carey and 6-5 forward Grant Leep in the early period last November and 6-9 center Marlon Shelton during June. A native of East Palo Alto, Calif., Carey prepped at St. Francis High School. He averaged nearly 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as a senior, helping the team to a 25-8 record and a runner-up finish in the Northern California championships. He was named the 1998 regional Player of the Year and was twice voted MVP of the West Catholic Athletic League. Carey was rated 15th in the Long Beach Press Best in the West poll. Leep hails from the same Mount Vernon (Wash.) High School that produced Mark Hendrickson, a two-time All-Pac-10 performer from Washington State. Leep averaged 17.3 points as a senior and earned all-state accolades. He led his team to the state semifinals each of his final two years. Shelton is the son of former NBA and Oregon State standout Lonnie Shelton. Marlon posted 12-point, 11-rebound and 4-blocked shot per game averages as a senior at Rochester (Mich.) High School. He has an 88-inch (7-4) wingspan and will fill the backup center role vacated by Patrick Femerling. Joining the team as an invited walk-on is freshman Michael Westphal, the son of current Seattle Sonic coach and former NBA all-star Paul Westphal. Michael totalled 15 points and six rebounds per game at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz. A field of 16 Husky hopefuls (15 legitimate contenders plus local KING TV sportscaster Gaard Swanson) participated in the sixth-annual Washington walk-on tryouts on Oct. 22 at Edmundson Pavilion. Two players earned roster spots with their performances during the open tryouts, sophomore Jajuan Winesbury, a 6-7 forward from Steilacoom (Wash.) High School and freshman Travis Duty, a 6-4 guard from Seattles ODea High School.
Steady Improvement: Washingtons overall and Pac-10 records have improved each year under sixth-year Coach Bob Bender, capped by last seasons 20-10 record, 11-7 Pac-10 ledger and NCAA Tournament appearance. Last year marked the third time in history that the Huskies season record improved in four consecutive seasons. The UW improved over four straight seasons from 1941 to 1944 and from 1950 to 1953.
Year Overall Pac-10 Place Year Overall Pac-10 Place
1994 5-22 3-15 9th 1997 17-11 10-8 6th
1995 10-17 6-12 7th, tie 1998 20-10 11-7 4th
1996 16-12 9-9 5th, tie 1999 10-6 3-3
Bender Bio: Bob Bender, who made his first NCAA Tournament appearance as head coach at Washington in 1998, has participated in the NCAA Tournament at every school with which he has been affiliated. Bender, 41, has a six-year record of 78-78 at Washington, including a 20-10 record in 1998 that marked the schools finest winning percentage since 1985. Among the 1998 Husky highlights were their first 20-win season since 1987, their first NCAA berth since 1986 and their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1984. The 1997 UW team posted a 17-11 record, capped by the Huskies second straight National Invitation Tournament appearance. Washingtons 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. His 78 victories rank fourth among all-time Washington coaches. Bender, who began his career with a four-year stint at Illinois State (1990-93), has a 10-year career record of 138-135. His Illinois State squads were 60-57, earning two Missouri Valley Conference championships, one conference tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth in 1990. Prior to his inaugural head coaching assignment at ISU, Bender served as an assistant on Mike Krzyzewskis Duke staff (1983-89). The Blue Devils qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of Benders 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 Knights undefeated 1976 Indiana championship team and played point guard at Duke from 1977-80, including an appearance in the 1978 title game against Kentucky.
Washington Player Briefs (As of Jan. 22, 1999):
Bryan Brown 6-3, 225, Sophomore, Mercer Island, Wash. Points 5 / 5 Rebounds 2 / 2
# 32 Walk-on; Played 8 games; Mercer Island HS team won 97 state AAA title; MVP of state tourney; Father, "Downtown" Fred Brown, was a Seattle Sonic (1972-84); Brother, Terik, plays at Oregon
Senque Carey 6-3, 200, Freshman, East Palo Alto, Calif. Points 19 Rebounds 7
# 3 Started last 4 games, 5 total starts; Had 19 points at Arizona; Two-time MVP of the West Catholic Athletic League; Averaged 25 points, 10 rebs and 8 assists as prep senior at St. Francis HS
Greg Clark 6-6, 220, Sophomore, La Mesa, Calif. Points 11 Rebounds 7
# 21 Started 8 games; Held New Mexicos Lamont Long (24.1 ppg) scoreless; Long Beach State transfer; 1998 UW red-shirt; Brother of Detroit Tigers 1B Tony Clark; A first-team 1996 Best in the West recruit
Dan Dickau 6-1, 180, Sophomore, Vancouver, Wash. Points 12 / 11 Rebounds 5 / 5
# 12 Out for the season since Jan. 13 with broken left heel; Started 11 games; Prairie HS team lost in state AAA semifinals to Bryan Browns Mercer Island team; Collects Pete Maravich memorabilia
Travis Duty 6-4, 175, Freshman, Seattle, Wash. Points 0 Rebounds 2
# 21 Walk-on; Played 2 games; Had 2 boards vs. New Mexico St.; Member of 1997 state champ ODea HS
Thalo Green 6-6, 210, Sophomore, Salem, Ore. Points 12 / 8 Rebounds 8 / 6
# 42 Had 3 stitches on left eye after ASU game and 10 head stitches vs. Portland; Started first 7 games; Team had 5-1 record in his 98 starts; 1996 Oregon Prep Player of the Year from state champ South Salem HS
Michael Johnson 6-4, 200, Sophomore, Seattle, Wash. Points 12 / 12 Rebounds 7 / 6
# 23 Started vs. Gonzaga & New Mexico St.; Career-hi 12 points vs. St. Louis & Oregon State; All-time top Washington state prep scorer for large schools with 2,271 career points; Averaged 27.1 ppg as a prep senior
Grant Leep 6-5, 210, Freshman, Mt. Vernon. Points 10 Rebounds 6
# 31 Played 13 games; Tallied 10 points and 6 rebounds vs. Hawaii-Hilo; Two-time all-state selection who twice led his team into the semifinals; Also competed in cross country his senior prep year
Deon Luton 6-5, 205, Junior, Del City, Okla. Points 31 / 23 Rebounds 6 / 4
# 5 Had 20 points in 5 of last 9 games; UW record-holder for 3-pointers in a career (130), season (75) and game (7); MVP of Big Island Invite; Honorable mention 1998 All-Pac-10; Played center in high school
Todd MacCulloch 7-0, 280, Senior, Winnipeg, Manitoba Points 38 / 31 Rebounds 21 / 19
# 50 Has 33 career double-doubles, 9 this year; 2-time Playboy All-American; 1998 first-team All-Pac-10; Led NCAA field goal shooters in 1997 (67.6%) and 1998 (65.0%); Had 76 points in prep game
Andrew Moritz 6-2, 175, Junior, Seattle, Wash. Points 5 / 5 Rebounds 2 / 2
# 11 Played 6 games; Hit 2-of-3 shots from 3-point range; Scored 5 points and had 2 rebounds vs. Hilo; On roster as walk-on since 1996; Prep teammate of Arizonas Jason Terry at Seattles Franklin HS
Marlon Shelton 6-9, 265, Freshman, Rochester, Mich. Points 2 Rebounds 3
# 44 Played 7 games; Had 2 points and 3 rebounds vs. Hilo; One of four Husky players whose father played for Seattle Sonics; Father Lonnie played at Oregon State and was a 10-year NBA player
Chris Walcott 6-8, 215, Junior, Bellevue, Wash. Points 18 / 18 Rebounds 10 / 7
# 33 Had 11 points at Cal, his 2nd double-figure game; Started 3 games; Tallied career-high 18 points at Gonzaga; 1996 walk-on now on scholarship; Led Sammamish to 1995 Wash. state prep title game
Donald Watts 6-4, 200, Senior, Kirkland, Wash. Points 28 / 18 Rebounds 8 / 6
# 24 Has 31 assists (5.2) in Pac-10 games; Missed 4 games with right ankle sprain; 1998 Honorable mention All-Pac-10 pick; The 1995 Washington prep player of the year; Son of NBA star Slick Watts
Michael Westphal 6-2, 175, Freshman, Scottsdale, Ariz. Points 0 Rebounds 0
# 14 May red-shirt this season; Invited walk-on; One of four Huskies whose father played for Seattle Sonics; Father, Paul played at USC and was a 12-year NBA veteran; Paul is Sonics head coach
Jajuan Winesberry 6-7, 220, Sophomore, Steilacoom, Wash. Points 0 Rebounds 0
# 20 Earned roster spot during walk-on tryouts on Oct. 20; Prepped at Steilacoom (Wash.) High School
