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Washington Huskies’ Ten Best Tournament Wins Of The Romar Era

By James Silberman

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The Washington Huskies are once again absent from the NCAA Tournament. With a ridiculously talented 2015 recruiting class set to rejuvinate the program, and most of the current roster returning, next year might be the year. In the meantime. here is a great list of good times to reminisce to.

10) Isaiah and the Huskies take down the Dawgs in the NCAA Tournament

9) Will Conroy sparks the beginning of an era

8) 2010 Pac-10 Championship and ensuing impromptu dunk contest

7) Huskies get their revenge on the Cardinal

6) UW runs New Mexico’s Sweet 16 hopes into the ground

5) Huskies overcome Stoudamire’s 37 for their first Pac-10 Title

3) UW outlasts Klay’s 43 and hang on for 89-87 win

2) Cold-Blooded Champions

1) Quincy Pondexter’s winner completes epic NCAA Tournament comeback

4) 2006 Second Round Comeback Against Defending National Runner-Ups

Facing the 2005 national runner-ups, the Huskies were huge “under-Dawgs” so to speak. Cousy Award winner Dee Brown and fellow senior James Augustine returned for the Fighting Illini with Championship experience and were primed for another run.

However, Brandon Roy and company had some objections to that idea.

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UW jumped out to a double-digit lead in the opening minutes, but the next hour or so of elapsed time was something out of a horror movie for Dawgs fans. Illinois went on a 42-19 run on their way to taking a 53-42 advantage with 10 minutes to play.

Romar amped up the pressure, both offensively and defensively forcing turnovers and getting into the bonus barely half-way through the second half. The Huskies chipped away until they finally got landed the big punches they desperately needed.

Freshman Justin Dentmon brought the Dawgs within two at 60-58 with a four-point play, followed by an Illini turnover and a Sportscenter-Top-10-worthy drive (did they have those back then?) by Brandon Roy to tie the game. More agressive offense from Roy and Dentmon as well as a fantastic defensive effort from Bobby Jones taking Brown out of the scoring sheet lifted the Huskies into the Sweet 16 with a 67-64 win.

Breaking the misconception that they were a “soft” west coast team, UW outplayed and outphysicalled the heavily favored Big Ten runner-ups.

Roy (unsurprisingly) lead the Huskies with 21 points and seven rebounds, and Dentmon added 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Here is a video of the entire game if you’re feeling especially reminiscent.

Relive the rest of the Washington Huskies’ top ten tournament wins under Coach Romar!

*All of the above photos are from USA Today Sports.

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