Washington Basketball: 2019-20 season preview for Huskies

COLUMBUS, OHIO - MARCH 24: Head coach Mike Hopkins of the Washington Huskies reacts to a play against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 24, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

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Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus – Getty Images /

Washington Basketball will be much younger as a team compared to last year. Will the Huskies still be good enough for the NCAA Tournament?

In year two of the Mike Hopkins era, Washington Basketball took another step forward. After turning a once-losing team around and making the Huskies a competitive squad in his first season at the helm, Hopkins won his second straight Pac-12 Coach of the Year award.

A veteran Huskies squad dominated on the defensive end, where UW finished fourth in the country in turnover percentage and 18th in adjusted defensive efficiency, per Kenpom.com. The 2-3 zone that Hopkins brought over from Syracuse worked perfectly with Washington’s athletic roster, led by two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Matisse Thybulle.

The Huskies started the season with a near upset at then-No. 1 Gonzaga didn’t suffer any bad losses in nonconference. That led right into a 10-0 start against the Pac-12 and propelled Washington into postseason contention.

Despite suffering a bad loss to California, the Huskies finished with a respectful 26-8 record, the regular-season Pac-12 championship and with a resume strong enough for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2012.

Washington has undergone a complete change from a season ago, losing five of its six leading scorers. The only returner that played over 20 minutes per game is junior Nahziah Carter, who’ll be looked on as a leader.

However, Hopkins is bringing in two Top-10 recruits and secured Kentucky transfer Quade Green, who’ll be eligible in January 2020. This team, though a new look, is still one of the Pac-12’s best. There could be growing pains early, particularly when it comes to learning the 2-3 zone, but Washington is filled with talent.

Expectations are continuing to grow for a Washington team that has established itself as top-of-the-conference competitors. Can the Huskies defend their regular-season title and make the NCAA Tournament for back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-2011?

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