So just how good is this Husky basketball team? Anytime you put that type of whooping on an ACC squad its a solid indication that your program is headed in the right direction. That direction by the way heads directly to Kentucky and possibly Michigan State if the Huskies get past the Wildcats tonight.
This may be the best shooting basketball team ever assembled at Washington. The Huskies have a lot of guys that can put it in the hoop from long range. This team is also extremely fast. They really know how to run the court and most importantly play a smothering brand of defense.
Unlike most years when you have to wait till March to see how good your team is the Maui Invitational gives the Huskies a good look at that measuring stick very early in the season. If Washington can win this tournament you can easily say this team is a final four contender. Even if they don't this team is built to go along way when March comes around.
For the fans tonight's game is all about the one who got away. Portland's Terrence Jones seems to be as good as advertised and he definitely would have looked pretty good in purple and gold. Lorenzo Romar says it isn't so. In his best coach speak he says this game is just like any other game.
"If I really wanted to do the media a favor, I could just makeup a wild story that we hate Kentucky and all that. But that's not the case. Sorry. Kentucky is the next opponent. If it wasn't Kentucky and if it was Oklahoma, then we'd have animosity towards them because they're the next opponent. We respect Kentucky's program and the job that they do. Terrence Jones is a fantastic basketball player. But we're going out there (Tuesday) not concentrating on any time of rivalry. We're coming out there because this is the next opponent and we respect them and we know that we have to play at a high level. So hopefully we can be dialed in (Tuesday) the same way we were (Monday)."
Cal up next
I feel pretty good about our chances on Saturday in Berkeley. I think Stanford took whatever fight was left in the Golden Bears and smashed it into the ground. Cal reminds me a lot of UCLA which means they are a team with QB problems. If the Huskies shut down the Bear running game they win...simple as that.
Joe Pa Returning
I read today in the paper that Joe Paterno was returning to coach at least one more year at Penn State. Most thought he would have called it quits after his 400th victory and the fact that now that Bobby Bowden is retired he has no chance of catching him in the race to become college football's winning-est coach.
NOLA
I spent the weekend with my wife in New Orleans. It was the first time I have ever visited the Crescent City and I came away pretty impressed. The history and the culture of the area are just fascinating. I think every Husky fan owes it to themselves to make the road trip to Baton rouge in 2012. This is a fun and friendly city which takes its football very seriously.
We intended to watch the basketball game last night when we got home but our plan was delayed by bad weather so we didn't hit our own bed till after 2:00 AM. I will be back tonight with the game thread. Sorry for the inconvenience last night.