2017 Washington Basketball season in review

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 07: Head coach Mike Hopkins of the Washington Huskies signals his players during a first-round game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Beavers won 69-66 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 07: Head coach Mike Hopkins of the Washington Huskies signals his players during a first-round game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Beavers won 69-66 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 07: Head coach Mike Hopkins of the Washington Huskies signals his players during a first-round game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Beavers won 69-66 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 07: Head coach Mike Hopkins of the Washington Huskies signals his players during a first-round game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 7, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Beavers won 69-66 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Competition is tougher when you win

The second force to oppose success is the level of competition. Winning teams attract attention. Others begin to notice and plan specific measures to counter those which generated success. Fans witnessed it this season. It was more than a series of wins. The bottom line is simple, this was a fun season. It had the thrills of victory, and the agony of defeat.

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  • In the end, the Washington Basketball team played to a 21-13 record. After a 9-22 season last year, why look a gift horse in the mouth? After all, isn’t the entire idea “just win baby”?  Not exactly. The team is trying to get better. So it’s a process of learning, encountering difficulties, and learning once more. That’s how teams become great. But since the January 28 victory over the Washington State Cougars, the Huskies played seven wins and seven losses.

    Tough finish

    Two of those losses, round one of the Pac-12 Championship Tournament, and round two of the National Invitational Tournament, ended their participation.    Was it complacency? Or was it stiffer competition?  In any case, the Washington Basketball Team’s season has ended at this moment.

    And right now, it’s a little tough to determine which of the two forces have had the upper hand of stunting the Washington Basketball team’s second half performance. That makes summing up the season quite challenging.