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Lots of new faces as UW basketball gets started

Tim Booth Associated Press

SEATTLE – The re-examination for Lorenzo Romar actually started after the 2012 basketball season when Washington won the Pac-12 Conference regular season only to be left out of the NCAA tournament.

But the reevaluation for Romar never stopped with the Huskies going 18-16 last season, missing the NCAA tournament again after being beset by injuries and players failing to meet expectations.

So as the Huskies begin the 2013-14 season, change is abound, from new additions to the coaching staff to a roster that including six new faces that were not able to play for the program a season ago.

The Huskies begin practice in earnest early next week when Romar can start fully figuring out what all this newness will mean on the court. Washington beings the season with an exhibition against Central Washington on Nov. 6 and starts the regular season Nov. 10 against Seattle.

Romar believes Washington will be deeper, have more consistent scoring options and be able to return to the fast, aggressive style of play that the Huskies have been known for with Romar in charge. That style became more tentative a season ago. With few consistent scoring options outside of guard C.J. Wilcox, the Huskies averaged just 67.9 points last season, the lowest since 2000-01 season and the only time during Romar’s tenure Washington has failed to score at least 72 points per game.

“Last year we didn’t have the bodies to attack the way he wanted to. We had a lot of guys hurt and a lot of guys practicing all practice and playing 38 minutes per game so it’s hard to attack the way he wanted,” Wilcox said. “But we have a deep bench this year and I think it’s going to allow us to play more up-tempo and attack more.”

Washington lost three of its four leading scorers from last year, but the return of Wilcox gives the Huskies a deadly shooter from the perimeter that was somewhat limited all of last season troubled by his foot. Wilcox had surgery in May on his left foot to stabilize a stress fracture in the offseason and is being brought along slowly during the start of practices with the plan he’ll be full go when the season begins.