UW, Seattle University renew basketball rivalry for first time since 1980

Nostalgia will drip from the rafters at Edmundson Pavilion tonight as the city's two major men's college basketball teams revive a crosstown hoops rivalry that died 29 years ago when Seattle University dropped out of Division I competition.

"I couldn't believe it at the time because unlike a lot of others, I enjoy basketball history," said Washington coach Lorenzo Romar, a Huskies captain the last time the schools played, in 1980. "This is where Elgin Baylor played and you can't just stop the program in D-I. But it's back."

It's Montlake versus the Central District, and Bob Houbregs against the O'Brien twins all over again when Washington faces Seattle U. in a nonconference pairing that used to be the biggest sporting event of the year in Seattle.

Back then, SU was known as the Chieftains, and oftentimes they had the dominant teams that contended for national championships and produced a steady stream of NBA stars.

This time the tables have turned and No. 16 Washington (22-7) is the heavy favorite, while Seattle University, now the Redhawks, is the upstart spoiling for an upset.

"This game represents a measuring stick of where we're going to go as a program," SU coach Joe Callero said. "We're playing Marquette. We're playing Oklahoma State next year, so we need to play these types of aggressive, athletic, well-coached teams. We've got to get the baseline of where we're at and then build from there. [Tonight] is about establishing a foundation."

This game is also about reliving the past. Many UW and SU legends are expected to be among a sellout crowd divided between Huskies and Redhawks supporters.

The schools settled on a five-year deal and were scheduled to renew their rivalry on Jan. 26, 2010. Washington, however, lost a game to Lehigh in December due to weather conditions and filled the missing game with SU.

The timing is less than ideal for both teams.

The Redhawks recently returned from a tough trip to Grand Forks, N.D., and Vermillion, S.D. Meanwhile, the Huskies, ranked No. 13 in the coaches poll, need to defend against a letdown after winning a share of the Pac-10 title in their previous game and avoid looking ahead to Saturday's regular-season finale against Washington State.

"We will approach it like we approach every other game," Romar said.

As much as Romar might say otherwise, several Huskies don't believe the Redhawks pose much of a threat.

"We're playing against a team that [doesn't] have that much talent," reserve guard Venoy Overton said. "Darnell Gant has kind of been in a slump and he can get his groove back. Matthew [Bryan-Amaning] can get his groove back. We can get some other players into the game that really haven't gotten a chance and see what we can use in the [Pac-10] tournament."

Huskies senior co-captain Jon Brockman, who is friends with SU players Mike Boxley, Leigh Swanson and Taylor Olson, acknowledged the difference in motivation between the teams.

"I think naturally it's going to be probably their Super Bowl," said Brockman, who became the first Husky this season to be chosen Pac-10 Player of the Week. "It's going to be a big game for them and for us it's going to be just another game."

Such bulletin-board material is expected considering SU left D-I competition in 1980 and returned this season in the first year of a five-year reclassification period. The Redhawks have compiled a 19-7 record against a mix of D-I and smaller schools.

Seattle U. is ineligible to play in the NCAA tournament until 2013, but school officials recently learned the Redhawks are eligible to compete in the NIT, CBI and College Insiders.com tournaments.

An upset or a respectable showing makes SU an attractive candidate for postseason tournaments, which adds more intrigue to a once-proud rivalry filled with so many subplots.

Note

• Lorenzo Romar was named one of 10 finalists for the Jim Phelan national coach of the year award.

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com