UW Takes Shot at Big Ten Tourney, Hoping Yates' Begin to Fall

The last time the University of Washington basketball team faced USC, Wesley Yates III came out an hour before tipoff at Alaska Airlines Arena and searched for his shot. High and low. Long and short.

It was just him and couple of team managers who rebounded while fans made their way to their seats and the Husky band showed up and unpacked their instruments.

For about 20 minutes, Yates worked the perimeter. He struggled mightily to find his touch. You could see it in his face, see it in each shot that bounced off. It felt uncomfortable -- both for him launching attempts and others watching.

As the Huskies (15-16 overall, 7-13 league) open Big Ten Tournament play on Wednesday in Chicago against the Trojans (18-13, 7-13), Yates' former team, they're hopeful their shooting guard can pull out of the worst shooting slump of his college career.

"He's got to keep shooting," UW coach Danny Sprinkle said. "He's getting great looks. He's getting open looks. Hopefully, Wednesday is the game where he all of sudden makes xis or seven hreee . we know he's capable of doing that."

At this point, the Huskies don't have many alternatives. Counting Yates, they're down to just seven scholarship players. It's sink or swim with whoever's left.

Yates might have a three in his name, but he doesn't have many in his game at the current time.

In his past three appearances, he's struggled mightily from 3-point range to the tune of going 1-8, 0-9 and 2-10. Do the math, that's 3 for 27.

He's still trying to overcome a 1-for-17 overall shooting performance in a 90-73 loss at home to Wisconsin.

Wesley Yates III gets in close for a shot against USC. | Dave Sizer photo

It's a lot like watching a batter lose his swing and flail away at pitches or a golfer inexplicably coming down with a bad case of the yips.

For Yates, all he hears now is clank, clank, clank.

It's quite possible he's seriously lacking any shooting rhythm because he broke his wrist in a 70-66 loss to Seattle University in mid-December, had surgery and rushed back to continue this season.

It doesn't matter at this juncture as he needs to play on.

Wesley Yates III comes in for a reverse lay-in against the Trojans. | Dave Sizer photo

"We've got to keep feeding him with confidence," Sprinkle said, remaining ever hopeful. "It's seeing one go through."

With so many injuries and Yates' shooting stroke in a similar state, the Huskies find themselves just trying to hang in there as long as they can, waiting for shots to drop that might not come until next season.