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Washington Basketball: Washington Huskies 2015-16 Season Preview

By Mitch Krmpotich

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University of Washington Huskies

2014-2015 Record: 16-15 (5-13, Pac-12)
Postseason: Lost in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament

The Huskies started the 2014-15 season strong and were ranked in the AP top 25 for four straight weeks. After beating good teams like San Diego State and Oklahoma and going 11-1 in non-conference play, the Huskies were looking like they could be a surprising contender in the Pac-12.

This was not the case as they only won five games in conference play.  UW only won two of its last 11 games and that included a tough seven game losing streak.

They finished off the regular season with an upset win over then #13 Utah. The Huskies’ season came to an end after a heartbreaking 71-69 loss to Stanford in the Pac-12 tournament.

The year the Huskies look to rebound from a tough season last year.  They have a number of new recruits that will look to make a difference early on in their collegiate careers.

Departures

G – Mike Anderson

G – Darin Johnson

G – Jahmel Taylor

G- Nigel Williams-Goss

F – Jernard Jarreau

F – Shawn Kemp, Jr.

C – Gilles Dierickx

C – Robert Upshaw

Key Returners

G – Andrew Andrews
F – Donaven Dorsey

Newcomers

G – David Crisp (#178 247Sports)
G – Dejounte Murray (#48 247Sports)
F – Marquese Chriss (#60 247Sports)
F – Noah Dickerson (#74 247Sports)
F – Malik Dime (junior college transfer from Indian Hills Community College)
F – Devenir Duruisseau (#257 247Sports)
F – Dominic Green (#161 247Sports)
F – Matisse Thybulle (#106 247Sports)
C – Matthew Atewe (transfer from Auburn)

Projected Starters

G – Andrew Andrews
G – Dejounte Murray
F – Donaven Dorsey
F – Noah Dickerson
C – Marquese Chriss

Key Reserves

G -David Crisp
F – Matisse Thybulle
F – Devenir Duruisseau

Key Non-Conference Games

Nov. 13 vs Texas – The Huskies kick off their season with a tough game against a quality opponent. Texas is a historically good team and getting a win over them would give UW some momentum right off the bat. This game will be played in Shanghai, China and serves as great international exposure for NCAA basketball.

More from Pac-12

Nov. 25 vs Gonzaga at Battle 4 Atlantis – UW will resume their heated rivalry with Gonzaga this year in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas. Gonzaga is the best team that the Huskies will face in non-conference play.

GU is also arguably the best team that UW will play all season. Getting a win against the Zags would be a shock and a huge boost for the Huskies.

Key Players

Andrew Andrews – Andrews is the only senior on UW’s roster. Last season he averaged 15.0 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game.  He will look to build on that strong performance.

Along with contributing to the team statistically, Andrews will also serve as the veteran leader. With such a young team, it is key to have a strong leader. This season is Andrews’ time to set up and fill that role.

The entire freshman class – UW has seven incoming freshmen this season. The success of the team is really up to them. If they work hard and show that they are rated as three and four star recruits for a reason this team could win a few more games than they did last year.

On the other hand, if the freshman class doesn’t settle in immediately the team could be filled with mistakes and losses.  One player who I think could make a difference is Marquese Chriss. At 6′ 9″ he is the tallest player on the roster. He’s an athletic player who has a big year ahead of him.

Season Outlook

It’s not looking too good for the Huskies at this point.  They are a young, small, inexperienced team.  It’s also tough for UW because they play in a strong conference.

I predict that they will probably finish in bottom of the Pac-12 again. They are too small and inexperienced to be competitive at this point.

If they can add some height in the next couple of years then they could have some more success. For now, it looks like it could be a long season for the Huskies.

Next: Who Would You Rather be in 2015-16, Duke or North Carolina?

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