SEATTLE — Talking to reporters late Sunday night, Lorenzo Romar said he wasn’t worried that he still didn’t know who Washington would be hosting in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational.
Some of his players, on the other hand, weren’t so confident in the start-up tournament.
When the CBI, which had hoped to have a bracket out by 7 p.m., was still finalizing pairings late into the night, players started to wonder what was going on. The bracket was released just before 11 p.m., though some players didn’t find out who Washington’s opponent was until Monday morning.
“I was laying in bed looking on the Internet and trying to refresh on the Google button nonstop, and just nothing new was coming up,” said sophomore forward Quincy Pondexter. “I started to get worried and my family and friends were texting me and calling me asking when can they fly out. I made a joke with my dad and a couple of friends that it was one of those Internet jokes that a couple of guys put together. An imaginary tournament or something. It was scary for a little bit until about 11:45 when I clicked on there, and actually saw a real bracket … This has to be real, it can’t be fake. I guess we are playing in a 16-team tournament starting Wednesday.”
File that comment in the category, “Quotes the CBI won’t be using in future press releases.”
Senior guard Ryan Appleby, who was home studying for finals, also began to doubt if his team would be playing this week.
“We were supposed to know at seven o’clock,” Appleby said of his Sunday night waiting experience. “We got done [with practice] at 8:30 and still hadn’t heard … I’m sitting there studying, looking at the clock, and it’s 10 o’clock, still haven’t heard. All of sudden it’s 11, and I’m like, ‘Geez, can they not find enough teams that want to pay 60 grand to play in this or what?’”
The $60,000 is a reference to the CBI’s asking price from host schools. The tournament and host teams split ticket revenues, but the CBI is requiring its share to be $60,000. Some schools reportedly turned down invitations because of the steep asking price.
Lorenzo Romar and his players said they were appreciative of the school’s commitment to basketball.
“I guess thanks to the school for putting up some money so we can play a couple more games,” Appleby said. “Because I tell you what, I wouldn’t be writing that check for 60 grand.”
And while the Huskies came into the season with bigger goals, they’re still excited to be extending their season.
“We like playing ball and we’re competitive,” said senior guard Tim Morris. “It’s going to be fun. It’s a chance to play some more games together, and it’s a chance for the guys coming back to get some more chemistry built.”
Brockman thinks he’ll play: Jon Brockman, who missed Washington’s Pac-10 Tournament loss to California with a sprained ankle, said he was “Pretty confident” that he will be able to play Wednesday.
The junior forward from Snohomish did not practice Sunday, and spent most of Monday’s practice on a stationary bike, but said he is improving each day.
While Lorenzo Romar classified Brockman as day-to-day, his teammates were more optimistic about their leading scorer’s chances.
“Jon’s a warrior and I think he’ll be able to fight through it and play,” said Appleby.
Pondexter could stay in starting lineup: Brockman’s possible return to the starting lineup might not mean Pondexter’s removal from it. Pondexter, who started for Brockman against Cal, had 23 points and nine rebounds in the game, which may have earned him a starting spot.
“There’s a chance if Jon plays that Quincy would be in the starting lineup as well,” Romar said. “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. Quincy has made big strides. Big strides.”
Another third tournament: This is not the first time that college basketball has had three postseason tournaments. In 1974 and 1975, the Collegiate Commissioners Association held the National Commissioners Invitational Tournament, which was won by Indiana in 1974 and Drake in 1975.
Discount tickets: Ticket’s for Wednesday’s game are cheaper than regular season games, costing $15 for the public and $5 for UW students. They can be purchased starting this morning at the Husky Ticket Office from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., online at gohuskies.com, or by telephone (206-543-2200).
Contact Herald Writer John Boyle at jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more on University of Washington sports, check out the Huskies blog at heraldnet.com /huskiesblog
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