Washington’s Gauntlet: The Huskies’ January Stretch Might Be the Toughest in College Hoops
Welcome to the Big Ten, Washington. January 2025 was supposed to be a fresh start in a new conference, but instead, it’s been more of a baptism by fire. The Huskies have been thrown straight into the deep end, and the numbers back it up-this might just be the most brutal stretch any team in the country will face this season.
Let’s rewind a bit. Last January, Washington had a seven-game stretch where every opponent ranked 27th or better in KenPom.
It started on a high note with a surprise win over then-#10 Maryland, a game where future lottery pick Derek Queen was held to just two points. But that momentum didn’t last.
The Huskies dropped the next six in a row-against Illinois, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Oregon, and UCLA-all ranked squads. It was a stretch that was unprecedented during Washington’s time in the Pac-12, and one the coaching staff likely hoped they wouldn’t see again anytime soon.
Fast forward to this season, and it’s déjà vu-only tougher.
The top of the Big Ten is even more stacked this year. We're talking about at least five teams with legitimate Final Four aspirations, and Washington has had to face all of them in a seven-game gauntlet. Here’s how that stretch has unfolded:
- At #8 Purdue - Loss by 8
- #39 Ohio State - Win by 7
- #2 Michigan - Loss by 10
- #4 Michigan State - Loss by 17
- At #12 Nebraska - Loss by 10
- #91 Oregon - Win by 15
- At #5 Illinois - Still to come
That’s five top-12 teams in just over three weeks. If Washington can’t pull off an upset in their final game of the stretch, they’ll finish it 2-5.
Not ideal, but hardly surprising given the caliber of competition. The question now is: has any team in the country faced a tougher slate?
To answer that, we looked at the toughest seven-game stretches across the SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12-leagues with the kind of depth that can produce this level of sustained challenge. The ACC and Big East just don’t have the same volume of elite teams this year. Here’s how the top five toughest seven-game runs stack up based on average opponent KenPom ranking:
- Arizona - 18.0 average
(at #14 Kansas, #17 Texas Tech, #15 BYU, at #7 Houston, at #52 Baylor, #14 Kansas, #6 Iowa State)
2.
Oregon - 19.6 average
(#39 Ohio State, at #12 Nebraska, #2 Michigan, #4 Michigan State, at #48 Washington, #41 UCLA, #21 Iowa)
- Ohio State - 20.3 average
(#2 Michigan, #50 USC, #16 Virginia (N), #40 Wisconsin, at #4 Michigan State, at #21 Iowa, #8 Purdue)
4.
Washington - 22.9 average
(at #8 Purdue, #39 Ohio State, #2 Michigan, #4 Michigan State, at #12 Nebraska, #91 Oregon, at #5 Illinois)
- Michigan - 23.7 average
(#41 UCLA, at #8 Purdue, #3 Duke (N), #84 Minnesota, at #5 Illinois, at #21 Iowa, #4 Michigan State)
Arizona topping this list is impressive, especially considering they’re still undefeated. That stretch hasn’t even started yet, but if the Wildcats run that gauntlet and remain unscathed, we’re talking about a historic regular season. Michigan’s stretch is also nasty-four top-eight teams in a span of seven games is no joke-but a home game against Minnesota softens the blow just enough to drop them to fifth.
Washington, meanwhile, lands fourth on this list. The difference between them and Oregon?
The Ducks had to play at Washington, which has proven to be a tougher road trip than it might look on paper. The Big Ten hasn’t treated UW and Oregon as official travel partners like the old Pac-12 did, but the league still tries to group Pacific Northwest trips together.
That subtle scheduling wrinkle matters.
And here’s the kicker: last year’s seven-game stretch for Washington had an average opponent KenPom rank of 16.7. That would actually beat out every team on this year’s list. So yes, this isn’t their first time navigating a murderer's row.
Now, let’s narrow the scope and look at five-game stretches. Sometimes, the heart of a brutal run tells us more than the full stretch. By analyzing rolling five-game windows within those same seven-game spans, we get a clearer picture of which teams faced the steepest climbs.
Toughest 5-Game Stretches by Average Opponent KenPom Ranking:
- Washington - 12.8 average
(at #8 Purdue, #39 Ohio State, #2 Michigan, #4 Michigan State, at #12 Nebraska)
2.
Purdue - 14.8 average
(at #12 Nebraska, at #21 Iowa, #2 Michigan, #37 Indiana, #4 Michigan State)
- Northwestern - 17.6 average
(#48 Washington, at #5 Illinois, at #21 Iowa, #2 Michigan, at #12 Nebraska)
4.
Ohio State - 18.0 average
(#16 Virginia (N), #40 Wisconsin, at #4 Michigan State, at #21 Iowa, #8 Purdue)
- Arizona - 18.8 average
(#15 BYU, at #7 Houston, at #52 Baylor, #14 Kansas, #6 Iowa State)
No debate here-Washington’s five-game run has been the toughest in the nation. Facing four top-12 teams, including three on the road, is about as grueling as it gets.
And they’ve already played through it. While other teams on this list still have their toughest stretches ahead, the Huskies are nearly on the other side.
Purdue comes closest, but their stretch includes home games against Ohio State and Indiana-solid, but not quite as daunting. Northwestern and Ohio State also make the cut, though both had games on either end of their five-game runs that helped break up the intensity. Arizona, despite leading the seven-game list, drops to fifth here because their toughest stretch is more about consistency in the teens rather than top-10 firepower.
So, where does that leave Washington?
They may not be racking up wins right now, but they’re battle-tested. This stretch is the kind that reveals a team’s identity-what they’re made of, how they respond to adversity, and whether they can use the fire to forge something stronger.
The Huskies still have time to turn the lessons from this gauntlet into momentum down the stretch. But one thing’s for sure: no team in college basketball has had it tougher in January.