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Huskies earn first NCAA tournament berth in eight years

Published 1:30 am Sunday, March 17, 2019

Huskies earn first NCAA tournament berth in eight years
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Huskies earn first NCAA tournament berth in eight years
Members of the University of Washington men’s basketball team to react to the announcement that they had been selected to play in the NCAA tournament. The players were gathered at head coach Mike Hopkins house. (Kyle Bruce / UW photo)

Herald news services

While Saturday’s lopsided loss in the Pac-12 championship game had some fans nervous about Washington’s NCAA Tournament fate, the Huskies did hear their name called Sunday afternoon.

Washington (26-8) was given a No. 9 seed in the Midwest region. The Huskies play eighth-seed Utah State (26-8) in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday. The winner moves on to play No. 1 seed North Carolina or No. 16 seed Iona.

It’s the Huskies’ first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011. A No. 7 seed that year, they beat No. 10 seed Georgia before falling to second-seeded North Carolina. UW won the Pac-12 regular-season championship this season after starting 10-0 in conference play.

Utah State’s last NCAA Tournament appearance also came in 2011. The Aggies last won a tournament game in 2001 when it beat Ohio State 77-68 in overtime. Utah State won the Mountain West regular season and tournament championship this season.

The Pac-12 got three teams in the field. No. 12 seed Oregon, which received the conference’s automatic bid, faces fifth-seeded Wisconsin. No. 11 seed Arizona State heads to the First Four to face fellow No. 11 seed St. John’s on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga claimed the No. 1 seed in the West Region. The Bulldogs (30-3) face the winner of Tuesday’s First Four game between Fairleigh Dickinson (20-13) and Prairie View (22-12).

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