Things were looking optimistic for Washington basketball at the start of the season when they brought in several transfers to help transform this team. However, COVID-19 has quickly made an impact on their season.
The Huskies were initially scheduled to play the Arizona Wildcats on Dec. 2 until the game had to be postponed until Jan. 25 due to a COVID-19 breakout amongst the team. Their Dec. 5 matchup against the UCLA Bruins was then forced to be forfeited and their Dec. 12 game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs was therefore also canceled.
At this point, it’s really unknown when we will see this Husky basketball team back on the court. Their next game is expected to be on Saturday, Dec. 18 against Seattle University.
So far, updates about the program’s ability to continue have been scarce.
Statement from UW Athletics (December 09, 2021):
"Due to COVID-related protocols and after receiving guidance from our medical team, Sunday's men's basketball game scheduled to be played at Gonzaga has been canceled. The program will continue modified workouts and to receive consultation from the medical team about next steps as we work toward returning to full participation. This series is important to both schools and the administrations will begin working on an agreeable date for this game in Spokane next year."
This certainly puts the Washington basketball program’s season in jeopardy. Not only have they had the unfortunate luck of being affected by COVID-19, but head coach Mike Hopkins’ job is hanging on by a thread.
What is Washington basketball’s outlook right now?
The Husky men’s team is 4-4 so far on the season (not including the forfeit) and they really have only played average small schools up to this point.
Maybe missing a few games is what Hopkins and this team need in order to re-evaluate things going forward.
Dan Raley from the Husky Maven pointed out that Hopkins needs adjust the lineup and should feature PJ Fuller and Jackson Grant more prominently. His loyalty to his returning upperclassmen has to go out the door if he wants to get this team back on the winning track.
Hopkins has lost 39 of his last 51 games with the Huskies and now they find themselves falling down the Pac-12 ladder as UCLA and Arizona continue to rise—the two games that Washington happened to miss.
Here are some notes from Husky basketball head coach Mike Hopkins' Friday press conference...
Hopkins said it's been a rough stretch, but they are excited to get back being able to play and that everyone is healthy.
On dealing with the long layoff, Hopkins said the first thing was about everyone's health and wellness. They haven't been able to practice as a team until this past Monday and Tuesday, but they did do individual work.
Gave kudos to the medical staff who helped guide them through it.
Said the outbreak happened right after the Winthrop game. Said it is weird because last year no one was vaccinated and they came out unscathed, but his year, they are all vaccinated and they got it.
He said the players and coaches who weren't quarantined were able to do some individual work while the quarantined players and coaches were just stuck in quaratine and getting back healthy.
Said it was tough to miss out on playing some of the marquee games of the season and they were looking forward to playing the games, but it is what it is and he is just grateful that they have been able to come through it. He noted the players were hungry and when things you love get taken away from you, you become stronger and closer and they are just grateful they get to play Seattle U tomorrow.
Asked about his team needing to take time off while other teams haven't at this point and if it puts them at a disadvantage, he said it's a challenge, but it gives them the chance to watch and perspective on just finally getting to play a game and how happy they will be to do that.
Asked about how much of a setback this has been for the team to get a comfort-level with each other, Hopkins said it interrupted the flow of the season, but with the experience they have on the team that has a chance to take over and he's counting on that to help them get back in the flow.
Asked about the cardio health of the team and if the COVID infections impacted that, Hopkins said that they've looked fine and they have had some good practices, so he hasn't noticed much of an impact physically.
Every player is available for tomorrow's game vs. Seattle U.
On Terrell Brown facing his old team, Hopkins said that he's such a competitor, regardless of who they are playing, he's up for every game. He's got a lot of great memories there with Seattle U, but he's a guy who plays the same no matter who the Huskies are facing.
He's sure Brown will be excited, but he'll have poise.
On Seattle U, he said their coaching staff has done a good job through adversity. You could either come together or go your seperate ways and they have come together.
He said Darrion Trammell and Cameron Tyson are guys who can play ball, they hit a lot of threes and they will be a big challenge fot the Huskies.
Asked about Huskies who have taken a leadership role with the team during the time off and he said that Daejon Davis has really stepped up and taken that leadership role as well as Brown.
Very interesting viewpoint of all the empty seats in the arena during the game. More empty seats than fans at the game...imagine that?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APLg2eG8WrY Lance Does Washington Huskies Basketball: I attended a basketball game between the Washington Huskies and the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Alaska Airlines Arena on November 11, 2021.
Where are the fans at??? There weren't many fans. Not a lot of points. No Husky assistant coaches or Jamal Bey to be had. Zero 3-pointers. UW's official attendance number for the Utah Valley game (a 68-52 loss) is 5,618. A big time lie. The UW claimed that there were over 5,000 fans in attendance at an earlier home game while SI Husky Maven reported that there were less than 1,500 fans in the stands including the DawgPack, UW Band, UW staff and Alaska Airlines Arena staffers. Alaska Airlines Arena hold 10,000. Very few people are turning out to watch this Mike Hopkins created shit show...
Where are the fans at??? There weren't many fans. Not a lot of points. No Husky assistant coaches or Jamal Bey to be had. Zero 3-pointers. UW's official attendance number for the Utah Valley game (a 68-52 loss) is 5,618. A big time lie. The UW claimed that there were over 5,000 fans in attendance at an earlier home game while SI Husky Maven reported that there were less than 1,500 fans in the stands including the DawgPack, UW Band, UW staff and Alaska Airlines Arena staffers. Alaska Airlines Arena hold 10,000. Very few people are turning out to watch this Mike Hopkins created shit show...
First, some positive news for a Washington men’s basketball team that sorely needs some holiday cheer and good tidings.
The Pac-12 retroactively adjusted its game-cancellation policy for teams unable to play due to COVID-19.
Initially, the conference forced the Huskies to forfeit their Dec. 5 game against UCLA because of an COVID outbreak among the Huskies. That game will be rescheduled for a mutually agreeable date or declared a no-contest.
And now, here are some sobering, Grinch-like predictions for Washington (5-5), which begins Pac-12 play Dec. 29 at Washington State.
KenPom.com predicts UW will lose the next 18 games and finish the regular season at 6-23 overall and 1-18 Pac-12.
Meanwhile, WarrenNolan.com has slightly merrier forecast for Washington and calculates an 8-22 overall record and 3-17 Pac-12 finish.
Coach Mike Hopkins admitted the Huskies, which fell to 227th out of 358 teams in the NET rankings, have dealt with several challenges on and off the court, including a two-week suspension of team activities that put several players and assistants in COVID protocols.
“They are a resilient group,” Hopkins said. “It’s not easy. The last two years have been really hard, not just basketball wise but just life. We got great kids. And they care. Seeing this thing and to go through it, not just here, but the rest of the country — it’s pretty delicate.
“And for a lot of these guys it’s on their mind. We just try to teach them how to focus. In life there’s a lot to be grateful for. We’re healthy. We get an opportunity to play basketball and represent something bigger than ourselves. It’s not easy for sure, but you learn. It’s a life lesson.”
Here are three Huskies observations following their nonconference games.
Time To Shake Things Up
Washington started the same lineup for nine games before Tuesday’s loss to Utah Valley State, after guard Jamal Bey entered COVID protocols and was replaced by Cole Bajema.
The Huskies have trailed at halftime in seven games, and after Tuesday’s game Hopkins hinted at tinkering with the lineup.
“We’re going to have to evaluate,” he said. “The bottom line is we just got to have more of an energy boost. It’s got to be more of a pop. We’ve had one game this year — South Dakota State — where we came out really good at the beginning of the game. A lot of these other games we’ve gotten behind. We just haven’t played with a pop that we need to.”
UW’s most productive non-starter is guard P.J. Fuller who is third on the team in scoring (9.9 points per game) and shooting 41.8% on field goals.
When asked if Fuller might replace Daejon Davis (8.3 ppg and 31.3% FG) or Bey (9.1 and 33.3% FG), Hopkins said: “That could be a solution. It’s always also good to have energy when you make a sub that you actually get better.”
Freshman forward Jackson Grant could also replace senior forward Nate Roberts. In limited minutes, Grant appears to be a more efficient low-post scoring option than Roberts who has tallied five or more points in just two games.
Terrell Brown Jr Needs Help
After Tuesday’s 23-point performance, Terrell Brown Jr. ranked fourth nationally among Division I players in scoring (21.4 points per game).
The senior guard, who transferred from Arizona, has been one of the few bright spots on a UW offense that ranks last in the Pac-12 in assists (9.0) and field-goal shooting percentage (39.0), three-point shooting percentage (28.5), 10th in free-throw shooting (65.8%) and ninth in scoring (69.7).
Brown has scored at least 20 points in six games, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to continue to deliver when Washington faces stiffer competition.
Invariably, UW opponents will make it a priority to slow Brown, who shoots 46.5% from the field, with one or two defenders while forcing other Huskies to score.
At the moment, senior forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. is UW’s second offensive option. He averages 10.9 points and has scored a season-high 21. He’s an explosive scorer who thrives in transition, but he’s shooting 67.6% at the line and 25% from behind the three-point arc.
Developing a low-post scoring threat and reliable three-point shooters after 10 games are seemingly impossible tasks for Hopkins, whose offense has not ranked higher than seventh in the Pac-12 in scoring the past four years.
Still, Hopkins has to coax more out of a lethargic offense, even if it means compromising a ball-hawking defense that leads the Pac-12 with 17.9 turnovers per game.
Hop’s Hot Seat Is Getting Hotter
This was always a make-or-break season for Hopkins, who resurrected a downtrodden Husky program and won Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors in 2018 and ’19.
During his first two years, UW was 48-22.
Washington is 25-43 during the past three seasons, including a disastrous 5-21 last season.
UW athletic director Jen Cohen gave Hopkins a chance to turn things around, which resulted in eight players leaving, including six transfers, and seven newcomers.
The results have been mixed, which is not surprising for a team that’s hovering at .500.
But if KenPom.com is correct and the Huskies endure a prolonged losing streak, then Hopkins isn’t likely to return next season even though he’s owed $9.3 million for a contract runs through the 2024-25 season.
High-Priced Hoops
Here’s a look at the contract agreements for the Washington men’s basketball team’s 2021-22 nonconference games.
Team/Payout/Result
Central Washington*/ $3,500/ W, 83-50 (*Exhibition)
“The Wyoming game was one that we felt like slipped away,” Hopkins said, bemoaning a 77-72 overtime loss to the Cowboys. “Obviously, the first game of the year (a 71-64 defeat against Northern Illinois), we felt like we’ve given a couple of games away. We’re better than our record says.”
“I think our potential is through the roof,” said Hopkins, who has three years and $9.3 million remaining on his contract. “But I got to coach better. They got to play better and really go out there and compete to the level that’s needed 24/7. I felt like there’s too many spurts and not enough consistency.”
“Obviously, we know we haven’t played to our ability in a lot of ways,” Hopkins said. “That’s on me. We have a competitive spirit. We have great kids that love to practice and love to get better. (It’s) more so that mindset of getting better starts. We’ve shown moments.”
“It can’t be 1 to 2 guys bringing it,” Hopkins said after beating Seattle University 64-56, which was arguably UW’s best win of the season. “We need multiple scoring options, moving the ball and guys knocking down shots. … Then, defensively it’s the same thing. It’s got to be as a unit. That’s how you turn this around.”
A: Certainly, UW athletic director Jen Cohen and perhaps President Ana Mari Cauce, to some extent, will ultimately decide Hopkin’s future after the season. But it will be difficult to bring him back next season if UW doesn’t show significant improvement on last season’s 5-21 record and 11th place finish at 4-16 in the Pac-12.
And of course, UW’s administration must take into account the fact that Hopkins is guaranteed $9.3 million on the six-year, $17.5M deal he signed in March 2019. He’s scheduled to make $3M next season, $3.1M in 2023-24 and $3.2M in 2024-25.
A: Meanwhile, Hopkins landed the top two prospects in the state, four-star guard Koren Johnson and three-star forward Tyler Linhardt, who highlight a class that’s ranked fourth in the Pac-12 and 36th nationally by 24/7sports.com.
Linhardt, who played at Class 1A King’s High before transferring to Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, signed last month with UW along with three-star guard Keyon Menifield Jr. And Johnson, who stars at Garfield High, recently gave a verbal commitment to the Huskies.
It was a long-overdue uptick in recruiting for Hopkins, who signed just one prep prospect (2021 McDonald’s All-American Jackson Grant) in the previous two years.
The UW men also need more production from a supporting cast to keep pace with Arizona transfer Terrell Brown Jr. who leads the Huskies in scoring (21.4 points), assists (37), steals (21), minutes (35.9) and field goal attempts (172). He’s also tied for second in rebounds (44).
Hopkins is a defensive-minded coach, but the Huskies rank 11th in the Pac-12 in points allowed (71.2) despite leading the league in forced turnovers (17.9).
Best-case scenario: Brown maintains his torrential scoring pace. Daejon Davis breaks out of a slump to become a reliable set-up man and defensive menace. Jamal Bey and Cole Bajema consistently knock down perimeter shots. And Nate Roberts or Jackson Grant emerges inside to give Washington a much-needed post presence at both ends of the floor. If these things happen, then UW can win 15-18 games and finish as high as fourth in the Pac-12.
Worst-case scenario: The Huskies will finish 11th in the league if opponents load up defensively on Brown and no one else provides sufficient relief. Hopkins is unable to push the right buttons defensively, which is essential since he’s 14-33 at UW when opponents score at least 75 points. And Washington is unable to protect its home court. Beating No. 5 ranked UCLA and No. 9 Arizona will be a tall task, but there’s no reason why the Huskies shouldn’t win at least 8 of their 10 remaining games at Alaska Airlines Arena considering they don’t play No. 7 USC in Seattle.
Comments
The Washington basketball men’s team has not played a game since Nov. 27.
Things were looking optimistic for Washington basketball at the start of the season when they brought in several transfers to help transform this team. However, COVID-19 has quickly made an impact on their season.
The Huskies were initially scheduled to play the Arizona Wildcats on Dec. 2 until the game had to be postponed until Jan. 25 due to a COVID-19 breakout amongst the team. Their Dec. 5 matchup against the UCLA Bruins was then forced to be forfeited and their Dec. 12 game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs was therefore also canceled.
At this point, it’s really unknown when we will see this Husky basketball team back on the court. Their next game is expected to be on Saturday, Dec. 18 against Seattle University.
So far, updates about the program’s ability to continue have been scarce.
"Due to COVID-related protocols and after receiving guidance from our medical team, Sunday's men's basketball game scheduled to be played at Gonzaga has been canceled. The program will continue modified workouts and to receive consultation from the medical team about next steps as we work toward returning to full participation. This series is important to both schools and the administrations will begin working on an agreeable date for this game in Spokane next year."
This certainly puts the Washington basketball program’s season in jeopardy. Not only have they had the unfortunate luck of being affected by COVID-19, but head coach Mike Hopkins’ job is hanging on by a thread.
What is Washington basketball’s outlook right now?
The Husky men’s team is 4-4 so far on the season (not including the forfeit) and they really have only played average small schools up to this point.
Maybe missing a few games is what Hopkins and this team need in order to re-evaluate things going forward.
Dan Raley from the Husky Maven pointed out that Hopkins needs adjust the lineup and should feature PJ Fuller and Jackson Grant more prominently. His loyalty to his returning upperclassmen has to go out the door if he wants to get this team back on the winning track.
Hopkins has lost 39 of his last 51 games with the Huskies and now they find themselves falling down the Pac-12 ladder as UCLA and Arizona continue to rise—the two games that Washington happened to miss.
Here are some notes from Husky basketball head coach Mike Hopkins' Friday press conference...
Lance Does Washington Huskies Basketball: I attended a basketball game between the Washington Huskies and the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Alaska Airlines Arena on November 11, 2021.
Couldn't be this is one of the worst basketball teams in UW history and people are voting with their feet.
This is on you, Jen. Broom this motherfucker today.
First, some positive news for a Washington men’s basketball team that sorely needs some holiday cheer and good tidings.
The Pac-12 retroactively adjusted its game-cancellation policy for teams unable to play due to COVID-19.
Initially, the conference forced the Huskies to forfeit their Dec. 5 game against UCLA because of an COVID outbreak among the Huskies. That game will be rescheduled for a mutually agreeable date or declared a no-contest.
And now, here are some sobering, Grinch-like predictions for Washington (5-5), which begins Pac-12 play Dec. 29 at Washington State.
KenPom.com predicts UW will lose the next 18 games and finish the regular season at 6-23 overall and 1-18 Pac-12.
Meanwhile, WarrenNolan.com has slightly merrier forecast for Washington and calculates an 8-22 overall record and 3-17 Pac-12 finish.
Coach Mike Hopkins admitted the Huskies, which fell to 227th out of 358 teams in the NET rankings, have dealt with several challenges on and off the court, including a two-week suspension of team activities that put several players and assistants in COVID protocols.
“They are a resilient group,” Hopkins said. “It’s not easy. The last two years have been really hard, not just basketball wise but just life. We got great kids. And they care. Seeing this thing and to go through it, not just here, but the rest of the country — it’s pretty delicate.
“And for a lot of these guys it’s on their mind. We just try to teach them how to focus. In life there’s a lot to be grateful for. We’re healthy. We get an opportunity to play basketball and represent something bigger than ourselves. It’s not easy for sure, but you learn. It’s a life lesson.”
Here are three Huskies observations following their nonconference games.
Time To Shake Things Up
Washington started the same lineup for nine games before Tuesday’s loss to Utah Valley State, after guard Jamal Bey entered COVID protocols and was replaced by Cole Bajema.
The Huskies have trailed at halftime in seven games, and after Tuesday’s game Hopkins hinted at tinkering with the lineup.
“We’re going to have to evaluate,” he said. “The bottom line is we just got to have more of an energy boost. It’s got to be more of a pop. We’ve had one game this year — South Dakota State — where we came out really good at the beginning of the game. A lot of these other games we’ve gotten behind. We just haven’t played with a pop that we need to.”
UW’s most productive non-starter is guard P.J. Fuller who is third on the team in scoring (9.9 points per game) and shooting 41.8% on field goals.
When asked if Fuller might replace Daejon Davis (8.3 ppg and 31.3% FG) or Bey (9.1 and 33.3% FG), Hopkins said: “That could be a solution. It’s always also good to have energy when you make a sub that you actually get better.”
Freshman forward Jackson Grant could also replace senior forward Nate Roberts. In limited minutes, Grant appears to be a more efficient low-post scoring option than Roberts who has tallied five or more points in just two games.
Terrell Brown Jr Needs Help
After Tuesday’s 23-point performance, Terrell Brown Jr. ranked fourth nationally among Division I players in scoring (21.4 points per game).
The senior guard, who transferred from Arizona, has been one of the few bright spots on a UW offense that ranks last in the Pac-12 in assists (9.0) and field-goal shooting percentage (39.0), three-point shooting percentage (28.5), 10th in free-throw shooting (65.8%) and ninth in scoring (69.7).
Brown has scored at least 20 points in six games, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to continue to deliver when Washington faces stiffer competition.
Invariably, UW opponents will make it a priority to slow Brown, who shoots 46.5% from the field, with one or two defenders while forcing other Huskies to score.
At the moment, senior forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. is UW’s second offensive option. He averages 10.9 points and has scored a season-high 21. He’s an explosive scorer who thrives in transition, but he’s shooting 67.6% at the line and 25% from behind the three-point arc.
Developing a low-post scoring threat and reliable three-point shooters after 10 games are seemingly impossible tasks for Hopkins, whose offense has not ranked higher than seventh in the Pac-12 in scoring the past four years.
Still, Hopkins has to coax more out of a lethargic offense, even if it means compromising a ball-hawking defense that leads the Pac-12 with 17.9 turnovers per game.
Hop’s Hot Seat Is Getting Hotter
This was always a make-or-break season for Hopkins, who resurrected a downtrodden Husky program and won Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors in 2018 and ’19.
During his first two years, UW was 48-22.
Washington is 25-43 during the past three seasons, including a disastrous 5-21 last season.
UW athletic director Jen Cohen gave Hopkins a chance to turn things around, which resulted in eight players leaving, including six transfers, and seven newcomers.
The results have been mixed, which is not surprising for a team that’s hovering at .500.
But if KenPom.com is correct and the Huskies endure a prolonged losing streak, then Hopkins isn’t likely to return next season even though he’s owed $9.3 million for a contract runs through the 2024-25 season.
High-Priced Hoops
Here’s a look at the contract agreements for the Washington men’s basketball team’s 2021-22 nonconference games.
Team/Payout/Result
Central Washington*/ $3,500/ W, 83-50 (*Exhibition)
Northern Illinois/ $75,000/ L, 71-64
Northern Arizona/ $75,000/ W, 73-62
Texas Southern/ $85,000/ W, 72-65
Wyoming/ $100,000/ L, 77-72 (OT)
Winthrop/ $100,000/ L, 82-74
Seattle University/ No Payout/ W, 64-56
Utah Valley/ $85,000/ L, 68-52
Total $435,000
Team/Payment/Result (Crossover Classic)
George Mason/ $140,000/ W, 77-74
South Dakota State/ $140,000/ W, 87-76
Nevada/ $140,000/ L, 81-62
Total $420,000 (Source: UW)
Recruit an unproven assistant coach from a dirty NCAA sanctioned program and 5 seasons later...
“I think our potential is through the roof,” said Hopkins, who has three years and $9.3 million remaining on his contract. “But I got to coach better. They got to play better and really go out there and compete to the level that’s needed 24/7. I felt like there’s too many spurts and not enough consistency.”
“Obviously, we know we haven’t played to our ability in a lot of ways,” Hopkins said. “That’s on me. We have a competitive spirit. We have great kids that love to practice and love to get better. (It’s) more so that mindset of getting better starts. We’ve shown moments.”
“It can’t be 1 to 2 guys bringing it,” Hopkins said after beating Seattle University 64-56, which was arguably UW’s best win of the season. “We need multiple scoring options, moving the ball and guys knocking down shots. … Then, defensively it’s the same thing. It’s got to be as a unit. That’s how you turn this around.”
A: Certainly, UW athletic director Jen Cohen and perhaps President Ana Mari Cauce, to some extent, will ultimately decide Hopkin’s future after the season. But it will be difficult to bring him back next season if UW doesn’t show significant improvement on last season’s 5-21 record and 11th place finish at 4-16 in the Pac-12.
And of course, UW’s administration must take into account the fact that Hopkins is guaranteed $9.3 million on the six-year, $17.5M deal he signed in March 2019. He’s scheduled to make $3M next season, $3.1M in 2023-24 and $3.2M in 2024-25.
A: Meanwhile, Hopkins landed the top two prospects in the state, four-star guard Koren Johnson and three-star forward Tyler Linhardt, who highlight a class that’s ranked fourth in the Pac-12 and 36th nationally by 24/7sports.com.
Linhardt, who played at Class 1A King’s High before transferring to Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, signed last month with UW along with three-star guard Keyon Menifield Jr. And Johnson, who stars at Garfield High, recently gave a verbal commitment to the Huskies.
It was a long-overdue uptick in recruiting for Hopkins, who signed just one prep prospect (2021 McDonald’s All-American Jackson Grant) in the previous two years.
A: Sort of.
The UW men also need more production from a supporting cast to keep pace with Arizona transfer Terrell Brown Jr. who leads the Huskies in scoring (21.4 points), assists (37), steals (21), minutes (35.9) and field goal attempts (172). He’s also tied for second in rebounds (44).
Hopkins is a defensive-minded coach, but the Huskies rank 11th in the Pac-12 in points allowed (71.2) despite leading the league in forced turnovers (17.9).
A: And now the UW men.
Best-case scenario: Brown maintains his torrential scoring pace. Daejon Davis breaks out of a slump to become a reliable set-up man and defensive menace. Jamal Bey and Cole Bajema consistently knock down perimeter shots. And Nate Roberts or Jackson Grant emerges inside to give Washington a much-needed post presence at both ends of the floor. If these things happen, then UW can win 15-18 games and finish as high as fourth in the Pac-12.
Worst-case scenario: The Huskies will finish 11th in the league if opponents load up defensively on Brown and no one else provides sufficient relief. Hopkins is unable to push the right buttons defensively, which is essential since he’s 14-33 at UW when opponents score at least 75 points. And Washington is unable to protect its home court. Beating No. 5 ranked UCLA and No. 9 Arizona will be a tall task, but there’s no reason why the Huskies shouldn’t win at least 8 of their 10 remaining games at Alaska Airlines Arena considering they don’t play No. 7 USC in Seattle.