University of Washington Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball
 points to be the UWs 27th 1,000-point scorer. |
Men's basketball squad looks to improve on its 9-6 Pac-10 record.
February 22, 1999
Fast Facts
Pacific-10 Conference Standings
(As of Feb. 23)
Pac-10 Pct. Overall
1. Stanford 12-2 .857 22-5
2. Arizona 11-3 .786 20-4
3. UCLA 9-5 .643 19-7
4. Washington 9-6 .600 16-9
5. Arizona State 6-8 .429 14-12
6. Oregon 6-9 .400 14-10
Oregon State 6-9 .400 12-12
8. California 5-9 .357 14-10
9. USC 4-10 .286 12-11
10. Wash. State 4-11 .267 10-16
Thurs., Feb. 25
Sat., Feb. 27
The Washington Huskies (16-9, 9-6) make their final regular-season road trip this week with a visit to Los Angeles, beginning on Thursday, Feb. 25 at USC (12-11, 4-10). Tip-off is 7 p.m. at the Sports Arena. Washington won this years first meeting against USC 85-83 on Jan. 28 in Seattle. The UW, which swept the series in 1998, seeks consecutive season sweeps of the Trojans for the first time since 1986 and 1987. USC registered an 86-82 overtime road upset at Stanford on Feb. 13. The Cardinal responded by defeating Washington 89-57 last Thursday in Seattle. The Huskies have won nine of their last 12 games to rally from an 0-3 start in Pacific-10 Conference play and improve their league ledger to 9-6. Washington is fourth in the Pac-10 standings, one-half game behind Saturdays opponent, UCLA (19-7, 9-5). The 15th-ranked Bruins host Washington on Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion. Following the Los Angeles road trip, the Huskies return to Seattle to conclude the regular season on Saturday, March 6 against Washington State. That marks the final Husky game in Edmundson Pavilion before a one-year renovation begins. The UW will play at Seattles KeyArena during the 1999-2000 season.
TV/Radio Coverage: Thursdays game at USC will not be televised. Saturdays game at UCLA will be televised live at 3 p.m. on Fox Sports Net. Steve Physioc calls the action with color commentary from Dan Belluomini. All Washington mens 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 (16-9, 9-6 in Pacific-10 Conference)
Pos.-No. Name Hgt. Wgt. Yr. Hometown Points Rebs.
F - 33 Chris Walcott 6-8 215 Jr. Bellevue, Wash. 6.1 3.0
C - 50 Todd MacCulloch 7-0 280 Sr. Winnipeg, Manitoba 18.8 11.7
G - 5 Deon Luton 6-5 205 Jr. Del City, Okla. 14.5 2.0
G - 3 Senque Carey 6-3 200 Fr. East Palo Alto, Calif. 9.6 3.0
G - 24 Donald Watts 6-4 200 Sr. Kirkland, Wash. 12.5 3.4
Century Club: Washington has never had three 1,000-point scorers playing during the same season. That could soon change. Seniors Todd MacCulloch (1670) and Donald Watts (1093) are the 25th and 26th members of Washingtons century club. Junior Deon Luton has 982 career points and should soon become the 27th player in Husky history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Those three would be the first trio of Washington 1,000-point scorers to play simultaneously.
If Washington Wins . . .
Drastic Improvement: Senior guard Donald Watts leads all Pac-10 players in 3-point shooting, hitting treys at a 47.8-percent clip (47-129). In fact, Watts is shooting better behind the arc than he is inside. He is shooting 41.2 percent (61-148) on two-point attempts and 42.8 percent (83-194) overall on field goals. The terrific trey shooting is a remarkable improvement for Watts who hit only 19-percent of his 3-pointers as a freshman in 1996, and 31 percent each of the last two seasons.
The USC Series:
Last Meeting: Washington 85, USC 83 (Jan. 28, 1999; Seattle) -All five starters tallied double-figure points, including Todd MacCulloch who had 17 and blocked the potential game-tying shot in the final second as Washington edged USC 85-83 at Edmundson Pavilion. MacCulloch rebounded an Adam Spanich miss with 6.6 seconds left in the game, was fouled and converted 1-of-2 free throws to cap the scoring. USCs Brandon Granville drove the lane and had his layup attempt denied by MacCulloch who blocked four shots. Washington (11-7, 4-4) claimed a 42-39 halftime advantage as MacCulloch scored 14 first-half points and Senque Carey netted 13 of his team-high 19 before intermission. The lead grew to 76-64 with 5:55 remaining. USC (10-7, 2-6) outscored the Huskies 19-9 the rest of the way, keyed by Elias Ayuso who tallied the final 11 Trojan points inside the final three minutes. Ayuso hit consecutive 3-pointers to draw USC within 84-83 with 1:05 to play and set up the dramatic finish. Spanich scored 23 points and Ayuso added 19 to lead the Trojans. Deon Luton totalled 18 points for the UW, including 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. Chris Walcott and Donald Watts each had 10 points for the Huskies who shot 60 percent (30-50) from the field and 50 percent (8-16) on 3-pointers. The Trojans hit 10-of-18 treys. Poll Patter: Washington plays five teams ranked in both major polls, including three of the top seven in the current Associated Press rankings. Fourth-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. 6 in the A.P. rankings and Arizona is No. 7. The Huskies have defeated three ranked opponents (ranking at game time listed): Arizona (10), UCLA (11) and New Mexico (11). 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 A.P. poll after being ranked No. 22 on Dec. 7. The Huskies opened the season in the No. 14 spot of both the A.P. 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.
Strenuous Schedule: Washingtons 1999 schedule is listed as the nations third most difficult in the Feb. 22 Rating Percentage Index (RPI) published by the Associated Press. Five 1999 Husky opponents are ranked in the current AP 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. Following is a chart listing the Feb. 22 RPI strength-of-schedule ratings.
Rank Team Rating Rank Team Rating
1. Florida State .644 6. Indiana .621
2. Stanford .636 7. Michigan .619
3. WASHINGTON .627 8. Michigan State .616
4. Duke .625 9. UNC Charlotte .615
5. Iowa .625 10. Maryland .611
Notable: Senior Donald Watts has 297 career assists and needs three more to become the fourth player in Husky history to reach the 300-assist plateau . . . Watts is averaging 4.3 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 in 1997 . . . Senior center Todd MacCulloch leads the Pac-10 in three categories: rebounds (11.7 rpg), blocked shots (1.68 bpg) and field goal shooting (66.4%) . . . MacCulloch is the only Pac-10 player averaging a double-double (18.8 points/11.7 rebounds). The last Washington player to average a double-double was James Edwards in 1977 (20.0 points / 10.4 rebounds) . . . Sophomore guard Michael Johnson has five double-figure scoring games this season, including a pair of 11-point performances in his last two outings. The Huskies have a 4-1 record when Johnson records double-digit points . . . Junior guard Deon Luton has 982 points and needs 18 more to become the 27th player in Husky history to register 1,000 career points . . . Freshman guard Senque Carey started the last 13 games, helping the Huskies to a 9-4 record. He tallied double-figure points in 11 games and is third on the team with 14.2 points per game during that span . . . Washington has a 15-1 record when both Todd MacCulloch and Deon Luton tally double-figure points . . . The UW is 12-3 when Deon Luton hits multiple 3-pointers. . . Washington is averaging 79.9 points per game during Pac-10 play, a nearly 10-point increase from its 70.0-point non-conference scoring average.
Carey the Catalyst: Since freshman Senque Careys inclusion in the lineup as a full-time starter on Jan. 9 at Arizona, Washington has a 9-4 record. Carey has been a catalyst for a vastly improved offense that is averaging nearly 11 more points a game with him at the helm. The team is shooting over two percentage points higher and records 2.5 more assists per outing. The following chart compares Washingtons first 12 games and its last 13, with Carey as a starter.
Carey Carey UW UW UW UW
Period Points Assists Points FG % 3pt % Assists
Last 13 games 14.2 (185) 4.3 (56) 81.2 49.3 % 38.3 % 17.0
First 12 games 4.6 (55) 2.4 (29) 70.3 47.1 % 31.1 % 14.5
Fabulous Freshman: Freshman point guard Senque Carey has thrived under difficult circumstances. Carey was thrust into the starting point guard role for the last 13 games due to the season-ending foot injury to Dan Dickau. Carey responded with double-figure points in 11 of the last 13 games, including a season-high 19-point total at Arizona (Jan. 9) that he matched against USC (Jan. 28). He is averaging 12.8 points during Pac-10 play, including 14.2 as a starter. Carey led the Huskies in scoring three times and was the teams top assister on a team-high 10 occasions this season. His 85 assists already place him third among all-time Washington freshman players. Carey had a double-double at Oregon State (Feb. 11) with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Shootin Luton: Junior Deon Luton has 982 career points and needs 18 more to become the 27th player in Husky history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Luton has amassed 20 points in eight of his last 18 outings, including a season-high 27-point output against Arizona State (Feb. 6). He holds every Washington school 3-point shooting record. Luton 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 career (148), single-season (75 in 1998) and single-game (7) 3-point records. He hit seven treys at USC on Jan. 29, 1998. The Huskies have a 12-3 record this season and are 33-10 during his career when Luton hits more than one 3-point basket. Luton was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week on Feb. 8 for the second time this season after averaging 23.5 points on 65-percent shooting, including 7-of-10 from 3-point range, in a home sweep of the Arizona schools. He scored a season-high 27 points in a 93-85 win over Arizona State and led a 90-84 upset of No. 10 Arizona with 20 points. Luton also was named the Player of the Week on Nov. 30 and is only the third Husky to earn the weekly Pac-10 honor twice in the same season. He joins Chris Welp (1986) and Todd MacCulloch (1998). Luton was the MVP of the Big Island Invitational. 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 was the game-winning basket in the first-round against Xavier. Luton has 47 treys this season, over twice as many as any other Husky.
Wonderful Watts: Senior guard Donald Watts has 297 career assists and needs three more to become the fourth player in Husky history to reach the 300-assist plateau. Watts scored a season-high 24 points on Feb. 4 against Arizona to become the 26th player in Husky history to surpass the career 1,000-point plateau. He currently ranks No. 19 among all-time Huskies with 1,093 points. Watts has steadily increased his contributions in every category upon returning from a severe ankle injury. The 24-point outburst against Arizona was the first 20-point outing of the season for Watts who had 13 such performances last year. He led the team in scoring twice this season, a feat he accomplished 11 times in 1998. Watts started the last 15 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 (12.5 ppg), and boasts a 14.4-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), the first double-digit assist game by a Husky since Chris Thompson had 10 against Washington State on Feb. 15, 1997. Watts has a team-leading average of 3.8 assists per game and led the team on nine occasions.
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.
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 during the opening week of Pac-10 play and suffered three last-second losses to Top-10 teams in the past year.
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
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 semi
Jan. 24, 1998 #5 Stanford 74, UW 72 Seattle, Wash.
Kris Weems weaves through UW defenders in backcourt and hits trey at buzzer
Last Game: Washington 86, California 61 (Feb. 20, 1999; Seattle) -Todd MacCulloch led five double-figure scorers with 17 points and added 19 rebounds, lifting Washington to an 86-61win over California at Edmundson Pavilion. The Huskies (16-9, 9-6) completed their first season sweep of California since 1985 with their biggest margin of victory ever in the series. MacCulloch combined for 48 points and 36 rebounds in two meetings against the Golden Bears. He amassed 11 points and nine rebounds during the first half, helping Washington take a 36-22 lead at halftime. The margin grew to as many as 33 points after intermission sparked by Deon Luton who tallied all 14 of his points during a five-minute second-half span. Donald Watts and Michael Johnson each tallied 11 points for the Huskies who also got 10 from Senque Carey. California (14-10, 5-9) was led by the trio of Thomas Kilgore, Geno Carlisle and Solomon Hughes who each scored 10 points. The Huskies shot 53 percent (31-59) while limiting Cal to 39 percent (27-69) from the field.
Shuffling Starters: Stability was a key to Washingtons Sweet 16 surge last year. Four players started every game in 1998 (Deon Luton, Todd MacCulloch, Donald Watts & Jan Wooten). The remaining spot was filled by three players, giving the Huskies only three different starting lineups all season. Washington has already used seven different starting lineups this season and only two players have started every game (Deon Luton & Todd MacCulloch). The lineup of Chris Walcott, Todd MacCulloch, Senque Carey, Deon Luton and Donald Watts started the last nine games, winning five of them. The following chart lists the records of different UW starting units.
Record Forward Center Guard Guard Guard
2-0 Walcott MacCulloch Dickau Luton Clark
1-0 Walcott MacCulloch Carey Luton Johnson
6-3 Walcott MacCulloch Carey Luton Watts
3-1 Clark MacCulloch Carey Luton Watts
4-2 Green MacCulloch Dickau Luton Watts
0-1 Green MacCulloch Dickau Luton Johnson
0-2 Clark MacCulloch Dickau Luton Watts
Hec Ed Finale: On Saturday, March 6, the Washington mens basketball team plays its final game at Hec Edmundson Pavilion in its current configuration. The Pavilion will undergo a renovation beginning in March that is scheduled to conclude during the fall of 2000. The seating capacity will be increased from the current 7,900 total to a configuration of 10,000. The support pillars that obstruct views in the upper levels will be removed. The 1999 season marks the 72nd year UW basketball teams have competed in the building, a tenure that enabled the Husky men to compile more wins in the Pavilion (745) than any other team in the nation has won in its current arena. The Huskies will play next season at KeyArena and return to the restored Pavilion for the 2000-01 season. Hec Edmundson Pavilion was built in 1927 and dedicated on Dec. 27, 1927.
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, Nov. 16.
Meet the Press: Bob Bender conducts weekly media meetings every Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the basketball meeting area (room 221) located on the second floor of the Graves Building which is directly north of Edmundson Pavilion.
High-Ranking Foes: The Huskies have defeated three ranked teams for only the second season in 15 years. The 1997 squad was the only other UW team to upset three ranked teams since 1984. The last time Washington defeated more than three ranked opponents during the same season was when the 1952 squad beat four ranked foes. Washington has a 59-163 record in all-time meetings with ranked opponents, including a 15-48 mark during the 1990s. The Huskies are 3-4 this season against ranked foes, defeating No. 11 New Mexico 70-61 at Seattles KeyArena, No. 11 UCLA 93-83 and No. 10 Arizona 90-84 at Edmundson Pavilion. They lost 69-48 to No. 1 Connecticut in Chicago, 88-86 at No. 8 Arizona, 67-60 at No. 3 Stanford and 89-57 against No. 7 Stanford. Washington is still seeking its first road victory of the season against a ranked opponent. The last time the Huskies beat a ranked opponent on the road was an 80-79 overtime upset of No. 14 Arizona in Tucson on Feb. 1, 1996.
The UCLA Series:
Last Meeting: Washington 93, UCLA 83 (Jan. 31, 1999; Seattle) -Todd MacCulloch posted a 26-point, 21-rebound performance and Deon Luton added 21 points in Washingtons 93-83 upset of 11-ranked UCLA at Edmundson Pavilion. MacCulloch recorded the third 20-20 game of his career for Washington (12-7, 5-4) which won consecutive games against the Bruins (15-5, 6-3) for the first time since 1987. Baron Davis tallied 16 of his 20 points in the first half, helping UCLA to a 44-36 halftime advantage. The Bruins led 59-53 with 13:34 left to play before an 11-point run over the next three minutes put Washington ahead 64-59. With the Huskies ahead 77-70, Luton had a fastbreak with 4:34 remaining that drew the fifth foul on Davis who then received a technical foul. Bruin Coach Steve Lavin stormed the floor and was whistled for a pair of technicals, resulting in his ejection and eight straight free throws by Luton. He hit five of them to give the Huskies an 82-70 cushion. UCLA drew within 88-83 on a Jerome Moiso jumper at 0:49, but those were his teams final points. The Bruins forced 23 turnovers with 13 steals, including five from Davis. Washington shot 55 percent (30-55) and had a 43-28 rebound advantage. Earl Watson scored 24 points to lead UCLA which also got 20 from Moiso.
Home Sweet Home: Washington has won 15 of its last 16 home games. The Huskies suffered their only home loss of the season on Feb. 18, an 89-57 setback against Stanford that snapped a 14-game home winning streak that was their longest in 14 years, dating to an 18-game stretch that ended on Jan. 3, 1985. Washington has an 11-1 record this season in Seattle, including 10 wins at Edmundson Pavilion. The Huskies defeated then No. 11 New Mexico 70-61 on Dec. 24 at KeyArena.
Court Report: Coach Bob Bender pushed his six-year Washington record above .500 for the first time with a Jan. 31 victory over UCLA and now is 84-81. He evened his overall UW record on four occasions this season, but followed with a loss each of the first three times. Bender, who opened his Husky coaching career with a 15-39 mark after two years, is 69-42 over his last four seasons . . . The 85-83 win over USC (Jan. 28) was the only UW win this season by fewer than six points . . . The 89-57 defeat against Stanford was the second-worst loss ever by a Bob Bender-coached Washington team. It was the Huskies largest margin of defeat since a 95-62 loss at Arizona on March 3, 1994 . . . Washington was the second straight Pac-10 team to capture the Big Island Invitational (Hilo, Hi.) championship, following Stanford which parlayed a 1997 Invitational championship into a 1998 Final Four run . . . Washington limited opponents to a combined 41.7 percent from the field in 16 victories (424-1017) and 47.5 percent (261-550) in its nine losses . . . The Huskies limited New Mexico to 61 points, over 30 points below the 92.4-point scoring average the Lobos brought into the game. Lobo forward Lamont Long, who entered the game ranked No. 7 nationally in scoring (24.1 ppg), played 40 minutes and was held scoreless by Washingtons Greg Clark.
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. He made three steals while shutting down Lamont Long, one of the nations leading scorers who entered the game averaging 24.1 points, without a point 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 eight straight games before playing a reserve role in the last nine outings. 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.
Injury Update:
Senque Carey
Twisted left ankle on Feb. 11 at Oregon State. Sat out Feb. 12 practice for precautionary purposes, but did not miss the Feb. 13 game at Oregon. Not expected to miss any future games.
Dan Dickau
Out for the season since Jan. 13 with a fractured left heel.
Deon Luton
Sprained his left ankle against USC on Jan. 28, but has not missed any game action. Tweaked the ankle on Feb. 4 vs. Arizona, but continued to play. Not expected to miss any future games.
Donald Watts
Sidelined four games after spraining his right ankle during the first half at Boise State on Dec. 5. Returned to action at the start of the Pac-10 season on Jan. 3 and is currently running at 90 percent.
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.
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.
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.
30-Point Club: Todd MacCulloch recorded his seventh career 30-point game on Jan. 21 with 31 points at California. That was his first 30-point performance of the season. He had 31 points in the second-round NCAA Tournament game on March 14 against Richmond. Only one other player has registered as many as seven 30-point performances during a Washington career. Bob Houbregs (1951-53) is the school record holder with 13 games of 30-or-more points. All-Time Washington 30-Point Game Leaders: 1. Bob Houbregs (1951-53) 13. 2. Todd MacCulloch (1996-99) 6.
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). Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Following are summaries of the two players who signed letters of intent to attend Washington during the early signing period in November. The late signing period rus from April 7 until May 15.
Ben Coffee-6-6, 205, guard, Portland, Ore. (Benson Tech HS)
Averaged 14.8 points and 7.5 rebounds as a junior, helping Benson Tech to state runner-up finish . . . Shot 55-percent from the field, 72-percent from the line . . . Honorable mention Street & Smiths and Blue Ribbon yearbook prep All-American . . . Third-team Orange County Register Fab-15 pick, No. 28 overall.
Will Perkins-6-9, 210, Omaha, Neb. (Omaha South HS/Iowa Western JC)
Averaged 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a college freshman, helping Iowa Western JC to a 22-9 record . . . Shot 55-percent from the field and blocked 69 shots . . . Honorable mention Blue Ribbon yearbook JC All-American.
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.
Season Recap:
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 16-9 9-6
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 84-81 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 84 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 144-138. 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.
1999 UW Record When
Ahead at Halftime 14-2
Behind at Halftime 2-7
Overtime Games 1-0
Three-Point or less Final Margin 1-2
FG % is above 50 % 7-1
FG % is exactly 50 % 1-2
FG % is below 50 % 8-6
Opponent FG % is above 50% 0-3
Opponent FG % is below 50% 16-6
Outshooting Opponent 14-3
Outshot by Opponent 2-6
Outrebounding Opponent 10-2
Rebounding equals Opponent 1-0
Outrebounded by Opponent 5-7
Less Turnovers than Opponent 8-2
Turnovers equal Opponent 0-1
More Turnovers than Opponent 8-6
Bench outscores Opponent 7-4
Bench outscored by Opponent 9-5
UW Scores 40-49 Points 0-1
UW Scores 50-59 Points 0-1
UW Scores 60-69 Points 1-2
UW Scores 70-79 Points 5-3
UW Scores 80-89 Points 7-2
UW Scores 90-99 Points 3-0
Opponent Scores 40-49 Points 1-0
Opponent Scores 50-59 Points 2-0
Opponent Scores 60-69 Points 6-3
Opponent Scores 70-79 Points 3-1
Opponent Scores 80-89 Points 4-3
Opponent Scores 90-99 Points 0-2
Todd Tidbits: Todd MacCulloch ranks second nationally with 11.7 rebounds per game, trailing only Dartmouths Ian McGinnis (12.1) . . . MacCullochs Pac-10 leading 293 rebounds are over three times more than any other Husky (Senque Carey is second with 76 boards) . . . Todd MacCulloch posted his third career 20-20 on Jan. 31, amassing 26 points and 21 rebounds against UCLA . . . MacCulloch has double-doubles in 10 of his last 12 outings, and leads the Pac-10 with 16. He is the only Pac-10 player averaging a double-double.
Century Club: Todd MacCulloch is the fourth player in Husky history to score 1,600 career points. On Jan. 31, he vaulted ahead of the 1,548-point total of James Edwards (1974-77) and into the No. 4 spot among UW career scorers with a current total of 1,670 points. Eldridge Recasner (1987-90) is third with 1,700 points.
All-Time Washington Career Scoring Leaders
No. Player (Years) Points No. Player (Years) Points
1. Chris Welp (84-87) 2073 6. Steve Hawes (70-72) 1516
2. Bob Houbregs (51-53) 1774 7. Louie Nelson (71-73) 1504
3. Eldridge Recasner (87-90) 1700 8. Doug Smart (57-59) 1478
4. Todd MacCulloch (96-99) 1670 9. Detlef Schrempf (82-85) 1449
5. James Edwards (74-77) 1548 10. Bill Hanson (60-62) 1425
Board Member: Todd MacCulloch became the sixth player in Husky history to reach the 900-rebound plateau with a 10-board outing against Stanford on Feb. 18. He is currently in the No. 6 spot among Washington career rebounders with a total of 923 caroms. Fifth among UW rebounders is Steve Hawes (1970-72) with 945.
All-Time Washington Career Rebounding Leaders
No. Player (Years) Rebounds No. Player (Years) Rebounds
1. Doug Smart (57-59) 1051 6. Todd MacCulloch (96-99) 923
2. Doug McClary (51-53) 997 7. Dean Parsons (52-55) 876
3. Chris Welp (84-87) 995 8. Bruno Boin (56-59) 832
4. Bob Houbregs (51-53) 971 9. James Edwards (74-77) 792
5. Steve Hawes (70-72) 945 10. Ed Corell (61-63) 768
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.
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 said of his Playboy apperance. Featured on the December 1997 cover was another Canuck, Miss Canada 1995.
Todd MacCulloch
Wooden Award Candidate
Ranks No. 1 nationally in field goal shooting at 66.4 percent (182-274).
Listed No. 6 among all-time NCAA field goal shooters with a career mark of 66.4 percent (674-1015).
Ranks No. 4 among all-time Washington scorers with 1,670 points.
Listed No. 6 among all-time Washington rebounders with 923 and No. 2 among shot blockers with 137.
Ranks No. 2 nationally in rebounding with 11.7 boards per game.
Speech and hearing science major with a 3.14 grade point average.
Husky senior Todd "Big Mac" MacCulloch is one of 30 candidates for the John R. Wooden Award honoring the college basketball Player of the Year. The winner will be announced April 2. MacCulloch was named to the 1998 All-Pac-10 team last year after ranking fourth among conference scoring leaders (18.6) and second in rebounds (9.7). He led the nation in field goal accuracy in 1998 for the second straight season, hitting 65.0 percent of his shots. He topped all NCAA players in 1997 at 67.6 percent.
MacCulloch is the eighth player in NCAA history to lead the nation in field goal accuracy more than once, the sixth to do so in consecutive seasons.
He ranked No. 7 among NCAA career field goal shooters, entering the 1999 season at 66.4 percent. He is bidding this year to join Ohio State's Jerry Lucas (1960-62), the only three-time NCAA field goal percentage leader.
The 7-foot Canadian led all Pac-10 players with 15 double-doubles in 1998, including a 31-point, 18-rebound performance in an NCAA second-round victory over Richmond. He was named to the 10-player Playboy magazine All-America squad in both 1998 and 1999. MacCulloch ranks No. 2 among all-time Huskies with seven 30-point games. His 31 games of 20 points rank third at UW.
He has 40 career double-doubles, including 116 this season.
