The Washington Huskies will be taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes tomorrow in a game that may define the rest of the season. Buckeyes find themselves in a similar NET ranking as the Huskies and each team is looking for the win over the other in an effort to improve their Big Ten standings as well as their tournament resume. For the Huskies they may need to do it without star guard Desmond Claude.
Seattle Times beat reporter Percy Allen is reporting that Claude is away from the team today and may not be back by tomorrow due to "personal reasons." Since this isn't an injury, the status is extra ambiguous.
Washington Huskies senior guard Desmond Claude missed today’s practice and is away from the team due to personal reasons, coach Danny Sprinkle said.
— Percy Allen (@PercyAllen206) January 10, 2026
It's unclear if Claude will be available for Sunday’s game against Ohio State.
Desmond Claude is away from the UW basketball team due to personal reasons
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This won't be the first time the senior guard has missed a game this season. Of the 15 games the Huskies have played, Claude has been able to play in only 11. Yet, his presence is almost always felt as he averages around 14 points a game and helps settle in the offense.
The Huskies are favored in the game against the Buckeyes, but only by 2.5 points. This is primarily due to the game being at home in Alaska Airlines Arena. It's important for the Huskies to rebound after losing the last two games against Indiana and Purdue.
If they can't pull off the win over Ohio State, the road ahead only gets harder for the Huskies as they would then play No. 2 Michigan, No. 12 Michigan State, and No. 10 Nebraska in back-to-back-to-back games. Whatever Claude is working through, hopefully it won't keep him out for long, and he's even back in the lineup for tomorrow's action against Ohio State.