Washington Huskies Will Not Make NCAA Tournament Without Robert Upshaw

Robert Upshaw was dismissed yesterday from the Washington Huskies‘ basketball program for a violation of team rules, which ruins the Huskies’ NCAA tournament chances.

Coach Lorenzo Romar gave Upshaw a shot after transferring from Fresno State, and Upshaw has played extremely well for the Huskies this season. Upshaw is leading the country in blocks (4.4 BPG). He is also averaging 10.9 PPG and 8.2 RPG, and the Huskies will truly miss his dominant play on both ends of the floor.

The Huskies got off to a hot start this season by winning their first 11 games, but the team has cooled down after losing to a weak Stony Brook team. The Huskies have struggled against many of the top teams in the Pac-12 so far, and the team still has many tough games left in conference play.

Now, without Upshaw, the Huskies cannot compete with teams like the Utah Utes, Arizona Wildcats, Stanford Cardinal and Oregon State Beavers. Upshaw added some of the best rim protection in the country, and he was a force in the paint and on the boards.

Now that Upshaw is no longer on the Huskies, Shawn Kemp Jr. will have to step up and be more productive on both ends of the floor, especially the offensive end. Washington struggles to score the basketball at times with its guards, which is why it is crucial for Kemp to dominate on the offensive end for the remainder of the season.

Upshaw was one of the most talented players in the Pac-12 this season, but he could not stay out of trouble, which is a true shame for Coach Romar and the Huskies’ tournament chances.