INSIDE THE NUMBERS

2000-01 record: 11-18; 5-13 in Pac-10 (8th) Postseason: None. Last NCAA Tournament appearance in 1999. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Wrenn 19.5 Rebs: Wrenn 6.4 Assists: Allen 4.3 FG: Allen 44.6% 3pt: Allen 41.7% FT: Allen 88.6% 01-02 Stats: Washington | Pac-10 KEY LOSSES David Dixon | 8.4 ppg Grant Leep | 7.8 ppg Erroll Knight | 7.1 ppg PROJECTED STARTERS G | Curtis Allen | Junior G | C.J. Massingale | Jr. F | Doug Wrenn | Junior F | Mike Jensen | Fresh C | Marlon Shelton | Senior Player to Watch Doug Wrenn Junior Forward Trouble for foes on the court, none off it. Seems to have found a home in Northwest. DATE TO REMEMBER Dec. 2 The pre-game handshake between coaches will be worth the price of a ticket when Gonzaga comes to town. Gonzaga's staff, along with coaches from Eastern Washington, turned the Huskies into the NCAA for recruiting violations.

 

WASHINGTON HUSKIES

Put it this way -- there are better ways to begin a new era in a program that has won just 14 conference games the past three seasons. But the Huskies announced more than 20 recruiting violations that occurred over the spring and summer under first-year coach Lorenzo Romar. The sanctions included Cameron Dollar, an assistant coach, serving a month-long suspension that ended Nov. 1. Now, comes the really hard part for Romar. Washington went 11-18 last year and will be pressed to fare much better, although it does return one of the league's best in junior forward Doug Wrenn (19.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg). The other top returner is junior point guard Curtis Allen, whose quickness with the ball more than satisfies Romar's run-first-and-often approach. Allen can also play the two-guard (he made 41.7 percent of 3s last season), but he is too good a passer not to have him controlling tempo. Mike Jensen (6-9, 220) is a redshirt freshman power forward who sat out with a bum shoulder, but whose shooting impresses the staff. Senior center Marlon Shelton (knee) is another who missed the 2001-02 season, but who blocked 38 shots the previous year.

TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
Grant Leep is gone, the forward having led the Pac-10 in 3-point shooting at 53 percent. But the Huskies have a trio -- Wrenn, Allen and junior guard C.J. Massingale -- who all have a knack for finding the basket. If enough role players step up alongside the three, Washington could produce a handful of upset victories. One whose progress to watch is freshman recruit Brandon Roy. The 6-5 touted guard didn't gain a qualifying test score, but is attempting to enroll in January.

TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
Shelton knows how to play the post and will give up his body by taking countless charges. It's a good thing, too. Washington's success could depend on well its centers perform. Anthony Washington, a 6-9 athletic freshman from Seattle, will be expected to contribute immediately. Jensen will add some toughness on the boards, and sophomore Jeffrey Day gives depth to the front line. But the Huskies need consistent production inside to take advantage of players like Wrenn and Allen.

BOTTOM LINE..............................
This isn't the Pac-10 Romar might remember from his playing days at Washington under Marv Harshman. The Huskies had a hard time scoring last season, and a repeat of such ineptness won't produce many wins. It also didn't help that guard Erroll Knight (7.1 ppg, 43 percent on threes last season) transferred out. There just isn't enough promise from the supporting cast to think a top-half conference finish is possible.