Coach Hopkins Washington Basketball team goes on exhibit

SYRACUSE, NY – DECEMBER 27: Acting head coach Mike Hopkins (C) of the Syracuse Orange reacts while sitting on the bench against the Texas Southern Tigers during the second half at the Carrier Dome on December 27, 2015 in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse defeated Texas Southern 80-67.(Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images) /

November 2017 marks the time for the new Washington Basketball team to step foot upon the basketball court. But how good will this team be in Coach Hopkins first season?

The Washington Basketball team is making final preparations for the 2017-2018. And so, the moment of truth awaits for fans, players and coaches alike. But that moment of truth will come in phases

When
Thursday, Nov 2 – St. Martin’s vs. UW – 7 p.m. PT

Where
Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion Seattle, WA

Televised?
No televised coverage

Radio?
While the exhibition game won’t be televised, you can get the game via your radio thanks to KOMO at 97.7 FM or 1000 AM.

The Cast
Washington Coaches/Players
Saint Martins Coaches/Players

This will be the bellwether game for the Washington Basketball team. Newly hired Coach Mike Hopkins gets a chance to lead the team in an exhibition contest against Saint Martin’s. While not a sanctioned contest, the game will be vital to both coaches and fans in determining the progress of the team in the new scheme.

November schedule packed

Friday, Nov. 10 – UW vs. Belmont – 7 p.m. / Pac-12 Networks WA
Sunday, Nov. 12 – UW vs. Eastern Washington – 5 p.m. / Pac-12 Networks
Thursday, Nov. 16 – UW vs. Providence – 6:30 p.m. / ESPN2 – at Madison Square Garden (2k Sports Classic
Friday, Nov. 17 – UW vs. Virginia Tech/Saint Louis – 2/4 p.m./ ESPN2- at Madison Square Garden (2K Sports Classic)
Friday, Nov., 24 – UW vs. Seattle U – 12 p.m. / Pac-12 Networks
Sunday, Nov. 26 – UW vs. UC Davis – 5 p.m. / Pac-12 Networks
Tuesday, Nov. 28 – UW vs. Kennesaw State – 6 p.m. / Pac-12 Networks

What to look for?

The debut of the team will likely feature a myriad of roster combinations and plays. Keep in mind that this will be the first time Coach Hopkins will witness his team. So who plays is less important than the combination and their effectiveness. This is, for lack of a better description, merely the dress rehearsal for the season.

The team is rolling out the 2-3 zone defense. You can expect to see some gaffe’s as the team gets their first “in-game” experience. And so, the flow and rhythm of the game will appear “forced” to anyone in the stands or listening in on the radio. That’s okay and is to be expected.

The team will also need to identify shooters and scorers in this game. Look for who is driving to the basket and who sets up at the perimeter. This season, the offense will be less “ad-hoc” and will be designed plays. In this first look, the roles of who does what is still up in the air.

Next: How will Washington basketball team handle Coach Hopkins?

It will be exciting to add another sports team to the season. With the Washington Football team already at 7-1 and fighting for the Pac-12 championship once more, the basketball team has quite a tough act to follow.

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