Washington’s men’s basketball season opens Monday night with a matchup that Danny Sprinkle clearly isn’t treating like a tune-up.
The Huskies begin the 2026-27 campaign against Colgate, a Patriot League program that has built a reputation as one of the most successful mid-major teams in the country over the last decade. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PT at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle.
Washington won’t see another Big Ten opponent until Dec. 2, when it travels to face No. 21 Southern California at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. But Sprinkle made it clear Wednesday that the first game on the schedule comes with plenty to worry about.
Colgate plays a small-ball five-out style, and its main interior presence is senior 6-foot-9 forward Sam Wright. The Red Raiders have made the NCAA tournament five times in the last eight years, including four straight appearances from 2021-24, and Sprinkle pointed to their discipline, shot selection and pace as the reasons they’ve stayed so dangerous.
"Tremendously disciplined team," Sprinkle said Wednesday. "They always shoot the ball really well.
They take good shots, they don't beat themselves. ... They got good athletes. ...
They can put you in a lot of different predicaments, but one thing you cannot (do is) let them make a bunch of 3s. And then, you have to be able to protect the paint.
Because that's where they get you spread out and they do a great job cutting and playing with pace. Defensively, they're just solid.
They guard you, they make you score over them. And that's why they've been successful for so long."
The matchup also gives Washington an early look at the kind of spacing and shooting it wants to use this season. The Huskies are expected to lean on wings and guards like eighth-year wing Steele Venters and fourth-year shooting guard Parker Friedrichsen to create open looks.
At point guard, Washington should have fourth-year player Ryan Beasley back after he missed both exhibition losses, first to Boise State and then to Washington State. The San Francisco transfer is expected to start.
Inside, the Huskies will bring size to the table with third-year Lathan Sommerville and second-year Nikola Dzepina, both of whom should have an edge against Wright in the post.
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Nebraskas problems kept compounding in the fourth quarter, with Anthony Colandrea throwing three interceptions and one of them going back for a touchdown by Alex McLaughlin. The Blackout setting only added to the drama, but the Huskies were the team that handled the late pressure better, leaning on a backup quarterback and a receiver who kept finding space when it mattered most. [Read more 🡒]
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Jimmie Haywood will announce his college commitment on Nov. 3, with Washington among the schools still in the running alongside Nevada and Loyola Marymount. For a program looking to build momentum as it prepares for the 2026-27 regular season opener against Colgate at Alaska Airlines Arena, landing a player like Haywood would be a meaningful sign that the Huskies can compete for talent in a crowded field. [Read more 🡒]
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His decision leaves the Huskies back at square one with a prospect ranked among the nations top 400 players, and it comes at a time when every high-end receiver commitment matters for a program trying to build momentum in the West. Tysons move to Wisconsin is another reminder that early pledges can be fragile, especially when other programs keep pushing after a player has already made an initial call. [Read more 🡒]