Mike Hopkins 'really proud' of Washington players staying dedicated

Washington‘s season is slowly coming to an end. Head coach Mike Hopkins made sure to take a moment after Saturday’s win over Oregon State 61-47 at home to discuss the pride he feels toward his team’s work ethic this season.

“We’ve had our ups and down, but they’ve stayed with it,” Hopkins said about his team this season. “They kept getting better, kept being coached, kept a positive attitude, kept playing hard and we’re finding ways [to win]. That’s what I’m really proud of.”

The win improved his team to 15-13 on the season, but still leaves Washington ranked No. 116 in the current NET rankings. Add in their 2-10 record against Quad 1 opponents this season, and their NCAA Tournament chances are almost impossible. You can tell by Hopkins’ tone of voice that he knows it’s too little, too late for his team’s postseason hopes barring an improbable Pac-12 Tournament run.

Senior Kentucky transfer Keion Brooks Jr. has been the Huskies’ saving grace this season. Averaging 17.5 points per game, Brooks ranks No. 2 in the conference this season behind Arizona‘s Azuolas Tubelis. No other player on the Washington roster averages more than 10 points, which was what Brooks averaged during his final two seasons in Lexington.

He’s help lead Washington to a 7-10 conference record heading into this week’s matchups. The Huskies rank eighth (7.5 games back) in the current Pac-12 standings despite Brooks’ best efforts.

Washington won’t have another Quad 1 team on its schedule for the rest of the regular season, but have the opportunity to potentially move into the NET’s top-100 with a strong conference tournament showing — if they win their final three games first.

The first stop on that rocky road will be taking care of Cal (3-24) on the road Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT live on the Pac-12 Network.