ESPN Men's Basketball

The always-entertaining Isaiah Thomas conducted an online chat with the Seattle Times today and had some interesting thoughts. The former Washington guard likes UCLA to win the league if the Huskies don't, called the court at Oregon's Matthew Knight Arena "ugly," and also said of new Sacramento Kings teammate Jimmer Fredette, "He's like the Justin Bieber of basketball. Everywhere we go, people are crying over him."

The declaration from Thomas that should excite Washington fans was this:

Terrence Ross is the most talented player I've played with during my time at the UW.

During the three years Thomas was in Washington, he played with the likes of future NBA draft picks Jon Brockman and Quincy Pondexter. So that's a high compliment for Ross, the 6-foot-6 guard who made the honorable mention all-conference freshman team. Ross averaged eight points per game, and there have been other indications he's ready for a breakout season.

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times recently watched pickup games on campus and had this observation:

Even with NBA players on the court, at times Ross looked like the best player on the floor. Still if you were drafting a team of the players Thursday, the 7-1 [Spencer] Hawes would probably be the first person taken. But Ross would likely go No. 2. He thrives in an open-gym setting. He wowed the few folks in the stands with high-flying dunks, alley-oop slams and putback jams. Whenever anyone guarded him one-on-one, Ross either tried to blow past them with a dribble drive or he jabbed and whirled to create room for a fadeaway jump shot. Ross, a 20-year-old sophomore, also looks much more chiseled than he did last season.

That's great news for the Huskies, who will be looking for a go-to player after Thomas left for the NBA draft and Justin Holiday and Matthew Bryan-Amaning completed their eligibility.

A lot of the attention will be focused on the backcourt with the arrival of flashy freshman Tony Wroten and the return of Abdul Gaddy from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

But don't forget about Ross.

For the next month or so, our friends at The Mag are previewing one high-profile school per day for their Summer Buzz series. For the sake of all that is synergistic, yours truly will be attempting the same, complementing each comprehensive Insider preview with some adjusted efficiency fun. Today's subject? Washington . Up next? Gonzaga.

The 2009-10 Washington Huskies were always there. We just didn't quite notice them.

It was easy to write off a team that, at times throughout the Pac-10 season, seemed no better than much of its mediocre conference competition. After early-season losses to Texas Tech and Georgetown, the Huskies lost five of their first eight Pac-10 matchups, including losses to Oregon, Arizona, UCLA and USC, all teams in the midst of rebuilding (or, in Oregon's case, deconstructing).

But the Huskies weren't bad. They were just inconsistent. A look down their tempo-free game stats throughout the season proves as much: When they were on, the Huskies showed flashes of the consistent, high-octane offensive play that got them to a somewhat unexpected Sweet 16 berth. When they weren't, they lost. It was pretty much that simple.

That offensive inconsistency came down to one key stat: shooting. As a talented, veteran UW team looks to take the next step in 2010-11, it'll have the same challenge to overcome. Can Washington shoot well enough to win?

That will require some new contributions. In 2009-10, the Huskies posted a 49.7 effective field goal percentage, ranking them No. 128 in the country. It was their one sub-standard offensive stat. Washington rebounded well (36.6 offensive rebounding percentage), prevented turnovers (17.5 turnover percentage, good for a No. 34 overall rank) and got to the free throw line (40.9 percent free throw rate) at a reasonable clip. But they didn't always shoot well, and that could be troublesome given the personnel losses the Huskies will have to deal with. Cue Quincy Pondexter.

Pondexter, like the Huskies, flew under the radar for much of the season, but he was a ruthlessly effective offensive player. He posted an offensive rating of 122.2; that was the 44th-best mark in the country and the No. 3 ranking among all players who used at least 24 percent of their team's possessions. Pondexter shot well (54.7 percent eFG), didn't turn the ball over (12.7 percent turnover rate), cleared the offensive glass (10.2 percent offensive rebounding percentage) and drew plenty of fouls (5.9 per 40 minutes, to be exact) from opposing teams. He registered national KenPom rankings in all of those statistics. Frankly, he did it all, and he did it all well.

Pondexter is gone, of course, which begs the question of just who can replace his offensive efficiency. The answer is discouragingly unclear.

The obvious if somewhat questionable solution is the backcourt. Guards Isaiah Thomas and Venoy Overton had the second- and third-most Huskies possessions in 2009-10, respectively, and while their offensive ratings weren't nearly as high as Pondexter's, both players have scoring ability. Washington fans will also expect more from sophomore Abdul Gaddy, who showed occasional flashes of brilliance as a freshman but finished with pedestrian per-possession numbers (84.1 offensive rating, 42.8 eFG, and a much-too-high 30.8 percent turnover rate). Gaddy will have to improve his consistency in 2010-11 if he wants to assert himself on a veteran team. He certainly has the talent.

Meanwhile, senior Matthew Bryan-Amaning -- whose nickname is MBA, which I learned today, and which is totally awesome -- will have to recreate some of Pondexter's low-post proficiency. He might not be the scorer Pondexter was, but MBA has already proven himself as an offensive rebounder. A bigger role could mean bigger contributions.

And, of course, there are the recruits, too: 6-foot-6 small forward Terrence Ross is an athletic wing with a proficient jump shot. There's also 7-foot junior college transfer Aziz N'Diaye that will give the Huskies their first legitimate size in years. Pondexter, after all, was the team's best rebounder at 6-foot-6, and Bryan-Amaning is a mere 6-foot-9. (Which is still very tall, but you get the point.) Adding a 7-foot center to the mix, even if his main contribution comes on the glass, will surely help the Huskies match up against taller, more physical teams.

In the end, though, the 2010-11 hopes for Washington hoops come down to a simple equation: Who will replace Pondexter's offense? If the Huskies can get better, more efficient guard play, and young talent like Gaddy and Ross can score consistently at the collegiate level, U-Dub could be just as good as 2009-10. If not, expect more inconsistency and a less effective team.

Last season, Northwestern basketball had a funny little team motto, one that eschewed the typically dramatic coach-speak fluff you find on college fan T-shirts. Those shirts merely read: make shots. The 2010-11 Huskies would be wise to take Bill Carmody's advice. Above all, Washington needs to make shots. Whether they can do so without Pondexter will be the great challenge of their season.

It's been four years since the class of 2006 washed ashore on the college hoops coastline. You may remember the biggest names: Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. took Ohio State to the precipice of a national championship. Kevin Durant had one of the most impressive freshman seasons in the history of college basketball. Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington brought North Carolina back to the top. The list goes on.

And goes on, and goes on. Draft Express' Jonathan Givony took a retrospective look at the high school class of 2006 based on draft success and college career. The list is -- well, it's kind of insane, honestly. There are a ton of really good players, many of whom have already gone on to the NBA draft, but just as many whose greatest hoops impact was felt in the college ranks.

It would be folly to list each of these players out, but here's a sampling of the players ranked 20-30 in the class of 06: Robin Lopez, Lance Thomas, Mike Conley Jr., Duke Crews, Earl Clark, Brian Zoubek, DaJuan Summers, Quincy Pondexter, Jon Scheyer, Davon Jefferson, D.J. Augustin. That list of 10 is representative of the class in general: There are a few misses here and there, players whose recruiting ranking never really matched their production, but far more frequent is a player that had a big-time impact on the college hoops world.

Scottie Reynolds is listed at No. 38. Hasheem Thabeet is listed at No. 64. Matt Bouldin is No. 65. Greivis Vasquez is No. 93. (No. 93!) Russell Westbrook is No. 114. Ekpe Udoh is No. 153.

Told you it was crazy. Of course, take a look for yourself, and make it a long one; it'll be some time before we see another recruiting class quite this good.

Washington point guard Abdul Gaddy was ESPNU's No.14-ranked recruit in 2009, and in the age of one-and-done expectations, his freshman season was seen by some as a slow first step to stardom.

Gaddy averaged 18.2 minutes in his 29 starts, scoring 3.9 points per game and shooting only .150 from 3-point range. In the offseason, he'll be looking to fix his shot by working with Ryan Appleby, Washington's all-time leader in 3-point shooting.

It's early, but consider this tutorial a critical part of the offseason for the Huskies, who are coming off a Sweet 16 appearance and expected to go into the coming season hyped as the favorite in the Pac-10.

A big jump as a sophomore for Gaddy could free up Isaiah Thomas to carry the scoring load for the team, which will need to replace Quincy Pondexter's output.

Appleby directly impacted this year's team by training Pondexter, helping turn him into a Pac-10 player of the year candidate by establishing a more consistent release point. Appleby's latest pro bono project is Gaddy, whose shot frankly needs some fixing as Appleby told the Seattle Times:

"He consistent in a lot of areas that make you miss consistently. I guess that would be the best way to put it. A lot of the things that he does are actually really easy to fix and I think he's seen that so far to where he's become a lot more consistent of a shooter. I think throughout the summer if he keeps working on some of those things he does inconsistently, then he should be fine when the season comes around this year."

Gaddy will have a chance to test things out and come back to campus a more mature player after training with the U18 national team next month.

Coach Lorenzo Romar has said that he expected Gaddy to come into next season with more confidence. Tell Romar that Gaddy had a rough first season, and he brings up another former guard with Seattle ties who began a career with shooting struggles.

That would be Gary Payton, who as a rookie for the SuperSonics averaged 7.2 points per game and went only 1-for-13 from beyond the arc while starting for the entire season.

"You can’t find a guy with any more confidence," Romar said of how Payton eventually turned out.

"I equate that with Abdul’s freshman year. It has nothing to do with where he’s going to finish."

The Reese's College All-Star Game will be played at the Final Four on Friday, and some seniors will get an extra college game and a trip to Indy under their belts. According to a UCLA press release, here's how one of the teams coached by Gene Keady will stack up:

Michael Roll (G, UCLA)

Robert Glenn (F, IUPUI)

Trevon Hughes (G, Wisconsin)

Jerome Randle (G, California)

Adam Koch (F, Northern Iowa)

Omar Samhan (C, Saint Mary's)

Aubrey Coleman (G, Houston)

Bryan Davis (F, Texas A&M)

Tyren Johnson (F, Louisiana Lafayette)

Quincy Pondexter (F, Washington)

UPDATE: Pondexter won't be playing.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A few quick hitters to prepare for Thursday’s games:

• West Virginia will spread the floor without Darryl Bryant in the lineup. Don’t be surprised to see plenty of Devin Ebanks and Da'Sean Butler bringing up the ball to jump-start the offense. There were times when Bryant was much more of a two guard.
• The Mountaineers may see a lot more zone against Washington. Expect the Huskies to back off of Joe Mazzulla. He can’t shoot.
• The Mountaineers are trying to figure out how to play and this will hurt their depth. But the Mountaineers do have the depth to cause plenty of problems upfront for Washington.
• Washington coach Lorenzo Romar says the Huskies have to rebound against the Mountaineers. They know it’s going to be a tussle inside if they’re going to win this game.
• It’s interesting to see the Huskies treated as such underdogs. They don’t view themselves as such. They’re not a low-major, a mid-major. They’re regular Pac-10 tournament contenders.
• Kentucky coach John Calipari said late Wednesday night that the media helped fire up his squad. He said the Wildcats got on the bus after being asked questions about the "smart vs. athletes" matchup against Cornell and got fired up. Calipari said he doesn’t have to worry about any motivational factors prior to the game.
• Here’s a crazy thought: If Cornell pulls off the improbable and beats Kentucky, can you imagine where Louis Dale would be in five to 10 years versus John Wall and/or Eric Bledsoe? The beauty of this tournament is that a player like Dale at the point can be an equalizer against NBA-level talent in a one-game situation.
• The same could be said of Cornell’s Jeff Foote versus Kentucky’s DeMarcus Cousins.
• Cornell coach Steve Donahue said the Big Red have to get off to a good start. That’s a given. The last time the Big Red didn’t was at Penn in a stunning loss to the Quakers in the Ivy League. Cornell did get off to a tremendous start against Temple and Wisconsin in the first two rounds of the tournament. The Big Red can’t play catchup well, but you don’t want to be down by double figures against this controlled team.
• I’d be stunned if Cornell didn’t release four guards back after a miss to prevent any kind of fast-break opportunities for Kentucky.
• Carrier Dome fans booed Kentucky during its practice session Wednesday. Big Blue Nation is expected to be here en masse for the game Thursday night. But the boos were another perfect motivator for Calipari to give him the us vs. them mentality for the game.
• Syracuse is not exactly on the way for a number of families from the West Coast to attend the game. The Huskies were able to charter quite nicely with a four-and-a-half hour flight from Seattle. But Quincy Pondexter said his parents had to fly from his hometown of Fresno, Calif., to Florida to Syracuse to get here in time to the game. He said that was the cheapest way to go on short notice.
• Washington expects only a smattering of fans at the Carrier Dome. The Huskies have a massive contingent of alumni in the Northwest; not so much on the East Coast.
• The Huskies were the dominant team in San Jose last weekend, odd as a No. 11 seed. But now the fan base will be shifted toward the East Coast teams in this regional.
• If the Huskies go man, Pondexter may be matched up more often against Kevin Jones than Butler. Pondexter and Butler know each other quite well. They were teammates on the bronze medal-winning World University Games team last summer in Serbia.
• I’m interested to see how the Mountaineers try to keep Isaiah Thomas in front of them. Bryant was quicker than Mazzulla, and Thomas has the ability to go past them. Ebanks’ length has been a problem for smaller guards, and West Virginia coach Bob Huggins might put the longer Ebanks on the quicker Thomas.
• What will be the reaction of the crowd if Cornell has an early lead? It could get really loud in the Carrier Dome if West Virginia and/or Washington fans stick around for the nearly 10 p.m. tip.
• Cornell’s Ryan Wittman’s ability to stick the 3-pointer will be sorely tested by how much either Wall or Bledsoe are in his grill.
• What’s lost among the four teams is how much these four coaches have won recently. Washington’s Romar has been a constant for the most part four of the last six years at or near the top of the Pac-10. Calipari is obviously a winner everywhere he goes. The same is true for Huggins at Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia, and the turnaround by Donahue at Cornell is simply remarkable. No one had the Big Red as an Ivy League factor for decades as Penn and Princeton dominated.
• If Cornell were to beat Kentucky, regardless of how experienced and talented the Big Red are this season, it would go down as one of the biggest upsets ever. Sorry, this is still an Ivy League team, even with two potential pros in Wittman and Foote, with no scholarships beating a Kentucky team loaded with at least three lottery to four lock first-round picks and the new favorite to win the NCAA title.
• Washington taking out West Virginia would not be much of an upset, if any. The Huskies are playing up to their potential and can match the Mountaineers talent for talent. Forget the seeds here.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Washington might have entered the NCAA tournament a No. 11 seed, but the Huskies crushed New Mexico 82-64 to advance to the Sweet 16.

Quincy Pondexter scored 18, and Matthew Bryan-Amaning came up huge down low with 15 points and nine rebounds for the Huskies, now winners of nine in a row.

Bryan-Amaning had numerous monster dunks and finished 7-for-10 from the field, as Washington simply bullied No. 3-seeded New Mexico.

Dairese Gary led all scorers with 25 points, and Darington Hobson had 11 points and nine rebounds, but the Lobos were never really in the game in the second half with the Huskies on fire and committing only five turnovers.

Isaiah Thomas scored 15, and Elston Turner provided a lift off the bench again with 10 points for Washington. Justin Holiday had three blocked shots.

The Huskies, who move on to face the winner of the West-Virginia-Missouri game, played their most complete game of the season.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Quick thoughts from the Pac-10 vs. Mountain West game...

• Washington is off to a fast start, with Quincy Pondexter scoring 10 points and Isaiah Thomas scoring nine. All of Thomas' points have come on 3-pointers. The Huskies as a team are shooting 51.5 percent from the field.

• New Mexico is struggling by shooting 38.9 percent from the field, 3-for-12 from beyond the arc and 1-for-6 on free throws.

• Elston Turner knocked down two more big 3-pointers for Washington. One came while he was fouled, but the free throw missed on what would have been a 4-point play. But that 3 gave the Huskies a 41-27 lead.

• Dairese Gary has a game-high 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Darington Hobson has three points, five rebounds and two assists playing with a sore wrist.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Today's second-round action at HP Pavilion features two games that could result in Sweet 16 spots for some surprising teams.

(5) Butler vs. (13) Murray State

Butler coach Brad Stevens said the difficulty that comes with preparing for Murray State certainly isn't the result of unfamiliarity with the Racers. "The irony is they’re better than a lot of teams that are on TV sometimes," Stevens said. "A very very scary team to prepare for." Murray State has five players who average at least 10 points per game and is riding high after Danero Thomas hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer against Vanderbilt. But while the Racers are looking for their third NCAA tournament win, Butler is searching for it's third Sweet Sixteen in eight years. Shelvin Mack hit seven 3-pointers, scoring 25 points in an 18-point win in the first round against UTEP. The Bulldogs will now be looking to extend the nation's longest winning streak to 22 games. Another streak they've built up? Butler is 3-0 playing as the higher seed in NCAA tournament games.

(3) New Mexico vs. (11) Washington

Darington Hobson underwent an X-ray exam that revealed no breaks in his left wrist and despite appearing gimpy after hitting his tailbone on the fall as well, he's planning on playing against Washington. "It's tournament time," Hobson said. "It's not going to affect me." That's great news for the Lobos, who are trying to advance to their first Sweet 16 since the NCAA tournament went to at least 64 teams. Washington's Quincy Pondexter compared Hobson to Evan Turner, and coach Lorenzo Romar used him in the same sentence as Penny Hardaway. The Huskies hope to make their third Sweet 16 under Romar and count on Pondexter to carry them once again after the senior hit the game-winner against Marquette. Look for New Mexico's Dairese Gary and Washington's Isaiah Thomas to square off, and also watch for the Huskies' Elston Turner, who hit four huge 3-pointers to spark the first-round comeback.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Quincy Pondexter made the game-winning shot after a four-point first half he called "horrible."

How did he turn it around against Marquette? Well, fear can be an incredible motivator.

"The fear of it being my last collegiate game ever, that's really what propelled me to play well," Pondexter said.

His Huskies teammates reminded him during the game of that very fact.

"I told Quincy, 'You don't want this to be your last game, so act like it,'" Isaiah Thomas said.

"I told him, 'If we lose, you're done. Pick it up,'" Venoy Overton said.

And it happened, with Pondexter scoring 14 second-half points, many of them coming while bullying his way into the post. And then, with the ball in his hands at the top of the key and the game tied, Lorenzo Romar gave him a chance by not calling timeout.

"Let your senior have a chance to win it," Romar explained.

Pondexter drove the lane with Jimmy Butler guarding him, went up and under, and hit the shot.

He turned to find his father in the stands after the game and said he thought he saw tears in Roscoe Pondexter's eyes.

With his career so close to ending, Pondexter extended it for at least another night.

The Huskies survived and advanced.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Quincy Pondexter simply refused to let his career end tonight.

Pondexter used an up-and-under move to lay the ball up and in with 1.7 seconds left, lifting Washington to an 80-78 first-round victory against No. 6-seeded Marquette.

Lazar Hayward's desperation half-court heave hit off the glass, but was wide left, completing the No. 11-seeded Huskies' comeback from 15 points down.

Pondexter's up-and-under move was the difference, but it wouldn't have happened without his rebounding extending the final possession. He saved a rebound near the sideline after a missed 3-pointer from Isaiah Thomas, who finished with 19 points.

Pondexter had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Elston Turner came off the bench to provide the Huskies with 14 points one of his four 3-pointers to give them a 72-71 lead.

Hayward finished with 20 points, and Darius Johnson-Odom had 19, but the Golden Eagles succumbed to the defensive pressure put on by Washington.

And by the end of the night, a Pac-10 team had beaten one from the Big East.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- This one was expected to be close, and hasn't disappointed. Some quick notes:

• Washington guard Isaiah Thomas sank a last-second shot from halfcourt that had no chance of counting since it came well after Marquette had been whistled for a shot-clock violation with 2.6 seconds left. Thomas raised his arms, played to the crowd, and then got another shot. From halfcourt again, he saw his shot hit off the back iron. He still leads all scorers at the half with 17.
• Something to watch in the second half is Huskies guard Venoy Overton's availability. Washington's best on-ball defender picked up his third foul with 3:18 left and was sent to the bench. That could open up 3-pointers for Marquette.
• Marquette has really shut down Washington star Quincy Pondexter, who has four points on 1-for-7 shooting. Pondexter's frustrations might have carried over to the foul line, where he has made only 2 of 6.
• Darius Johnson-Odom is a perfect 4 for 4 from the field and has 13 points for the Golden Eagles, who are shooting 51.7 percent from the field. David Cubillan has nine points.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Previews for today's slate of games at HP Pavilion.

Vanderbilt (4) vs. Murray State (13)

Murray State coach Billy Kennedy said Picasso Simmons, whose mother died in a car crash Monday, didn't want this tournament to be about him, so the team declined to answer questions. We can only guess how emotional a game this will be for the Racers, who saw their grieving walk-on guard make the trip. The Ohio Valley Conference champs are winners of 21 of 22, but the program's only NCAA tournament win came in 1988. Murray State and Vanderbilt are about a two-hour drive from each other, and the proximity is so close that earlier this month, the 30-win Racers practiced on the Commodores' practice floor in preparation for their conference tournament. Of course, Vanderbilt is unlikely to underestimate a No. 13-seeded team considering the Commodores were routed only two years ago by No. 13 Siena.

Butler (5) vs. UTEP (12)

Butler is the nation's hottest team, having won 20 straight games without even having lost a single time in 2010. Gordon Hayward is the Horizon League's MVP as the Bulldogs hope to justify their high seed. UTEP, meanwhile, has Conference USA player of the year Randy Culpepper. Center Derrick Caracter is the only Miner who has NCAA tournament experience since transferring from Louisville. Many have UTEP picked in the early game to pull the upset, considering that the team might be underseeded. "I was a little shocked by the seeding we got," UTEP coach Tony Barbee said. "I thought we had a season that deserved a little more respect."

Marquette (6) vs. Washington (11)

Marquette is focused on controlling the tempo in this one. "If Washington is playing us, then I like our chances," Marquette coach Buzz Williams said. "If we're playing Washington, it will be a blowout. Part of the problem with the Golden Eagles will be containing Washington senior Quincy Pondexter. Huskies coach Lorenzo Romar is impressed by Marquette on film, expressing admiration for their grit during the season. Look for Washington guard Venoy Overton to try to disrupt the Golden Eagles' offense in which all five players in the lineup can hit from long distance, led by Darius Johnson-Odom. And down low, Washington's Matthew Bryan-Amaning, at 6-foot-9, will do his best against a tough but small lineup for Marquette.

New Mexico (3) vs. Montana (14)

New Mexico hopes to prove itself on the national stage and make names for guys like Darington Hobson, Roman Martinez and Dairese Gary. The Lobos certainly don't want their dream season to end in the first round, and to prevent that from happening, you can bet they'll key on Montana guard Anthony Johnson, who put up 42 points in the Big Sky championship game. Johnson said he's used to teams focusing on limiting his production, and the Grizzlies had better find some other options to go to. Will New Mexico's lack of NCAA tournament experience hurt it? The Lobos already are coming off a loss to San Diego State and also squeaking out a win over lowly Air Force in the Mountain West Conference tournament.

Washington should see a good number of its Dawg Pack fans at their first round game against Marquette. Even though it's the East Regional, the game is in San Jose, Calif., which is a shorter trip from Seattle than even the Huskies' conference tournament site in Los Angeles.

It's not as close as Spokane might have been, but the San Francisco Bay Area is only a two-hour drive from where star Quincy Pondexter is from in Fresno. San Jose might as well be a backyard for Washington compared to where Marquette is coming from.

"Been to that area," Huskies coach Lorenzo Romar told reporters. "Familiar with that area. We're pleased with that.

"Given the fact that we were an 11 seed, we can't complain at all going to San Jose."

Washington could have very well have been an NIT team if it hadn't beaten Cal in the Pac-10 title game, but also being quoted on the school's Web site is one of its confident fans.

"I think we have a pretty good road with New Mexico after we beat Marquette, so I'm looking forward to that," James Garnet said.

LOS ANGELES -- The Pac-10 tournament final Saturday between Washington and Cal saw 22 lead changes and 12 ties, and mirrored the constantly fluctuating season the downtrodden conference had. The way both teams played, however, belied the national perception the league was only sending one team to the NCAA tournament.

While Washington (24-9) earned the conference’s automatic bid with a 79-75 win, there is no question Cal (23-10) is just as deserving. After splitting the season series, both seemed to split baskets from the opening tip in what was easily the best game of an otherwise forgettable tournament played in front of a mostly empty arena the past four days.

As maligned as the Pac-10 has been this season, it at least saved its best performance for a national television audience. It would be hard to find a better tournament final from start to finish than the one Washington and Cal put on at the Staples Center.

Elston Turner's five straight points, including a 3-pointer, put Washington ahead for good, 71-68, with 3:22 remaining.

After depending on the play of leading scorers Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher all season, the Bears were forced to look elsewhere as their talented senior duo had combined for just 10 points with 9:30 left in the game. Fellow seniors Jamal Boykin, who finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, and Theo Robertson, who had 25 points, were the only reasons Cal was in the game.

“He got two fouls early which is a little unusual,” said Cal coach Mike Montgomery of Randle. “We had him [Randle] out of the game for a fair portion trying to get him back and forth and not get a third foul. He’s small so they can post him with a variety of different people. It caused a problem, no question.”

Washington guard Isaiah Thomas, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, scored 16 points and smiled when asked about guarding Randle. The Huskies made it known they believed Washington forward Quincy Pondexter, who scored 18 points, should have been named the conference’s player of the year over Randle.

“I feel [Pondexter] should have won player of the year and I feel like we should have won the Pac-10 championship,” said Thomas. “We brought all the motivation we could to get this win.”

This was the marquee final the Pac-10 had hoped for in the preseason when Cal and Washington were ranked in the top 15 in the country in both polls. As the season progressed it became impossible to predict which teams would play in the Pac-10 tournament final.

“Some of the losses we got early on in the league hurt the perception,” Montgomery said. “Washington just really lost Brockman from last year. They’re pretty good. I don’t know how there could have been any question about Washington getting in. But if there was, it’s obviously erased. Now we just have to wait and see if they give Arizona State a tumble.”

As much as the Huskies felt they deserved to be in the NCAA tournament, if they had not beaten Cal on Saturday, there was a fairly good chance they would be sitting home next week.

After the game, Pondexter smiled as he hugged the Pac-10 tournament trophy.

“I’m going to be able to sleep tonight finally,” said Pondexter. “I’ve been going to sleep watching 'SportsCenter' every night hearing if we’re in or out, or on the bubble or off the bubble. ... We told each other if we handle business we don’t need a committee to decide if we’re good enough.”