Let's start with some links.

--- Here's our game story before post-game interviews. Stats are at the bottom.

--- Jerry Brewer likes coach Lorenzo Romar's chances of molding this group into something significant.

--- The Associated Press filed this report.

Good win for Washington, but as a few of us in press row were saying what can you really learn against a team like Central Washington.

The Wildcats, which lost four starters and six of their top seven scorers from last season, aren't very good. At least not early on. Not after three weeks of practice and seven newcomers learning the system.

Not that the Huskies cared. They have problems of their own.

Because the flu reduced the roster in half and stalled the way Romar would normally run training camp, the Huskies were forced to practice the past nine days without a day off.

The non-stop pace, Romar said, might have contributed to the woeful shooting. However, history says UW hasn't been stellar from the free throw line in a couple of years aside from last season when the team shot .700 at the line.

But we're going to give the Huskies the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps tired legs and first-game jitters played a part in the horrendous shooting. UW shot 38 percent (27 of 71) from the field, 23.8 percent (5 of 21) from the free throw line and 48.6 percent (18 of 37) from the line.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Several candidates, but I'm going with Venoy Overton. He had as much to prove as anyone as he re-assumed the starting point guard duties after a year as a reserve. Overton wasn't spectacular directing the offense, but he had just one turnover, which is huge because he knows turnovers will put him on the bench. Overton (four steals) also spearheaded the defense and his infectious personality seemed to energize UW at the start. If only he can create easy shots for others. If he can mature into a playmaker, he'll be an all-Pac-10 player this season.

BREAKOUT PERFORMER: This is easy. Tyreese Breshers. He came in at the 17-minute mark and during his first four minutes, there was nobody better on the court. Nobody. He had all six points of his points during that span, but when he tired, he started to commit fouls and Romar gave him the hook. Still, you can see the potential in Breshers and it wouldn't be surprising if he were to work himself into the starting lineup when Pac-10 play begins.

MISSING BROCKMAN: Jon Brockman's legacy hangs over this team and it was evident tonight when Central collected 18 offensive rebounds. That's as many as UW had. Washington won barely won the battle of the boards 59-54 and many times I found myself thinking Brockman would have gotten that rebound. Still Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Darnell Gant each had 10 rebounds. Quincy Pondexter had 7 and Isaiah Thomas 6.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

--- It's going to be interesting to see how Justin Holiday fits into the rotation in the Nov. 13 opener. He figures to have a spot, so somebody will be bumped to the bench. Other than Breshers, not sure if any of the guys who weren't in the rotation last year proved tonight they belong in the rotation.

--- Still that's not to say there's not talent at the end of the bench. It's easy to see UW will be in good hands in a few years as freshmen C.J. Wilcox and Clarence Trent mature. Both have bright futures. They connected on a eye-popping alley-oop dunk (Trent did the dunking) that brought the house down.

--- I'll attribute Elston Turner's 0-for-4 night on his not being comfortable with the many rotations. Turner is a role-specific player who thrives in a structured system. At times, tonight's exhibition felt like a pick-up game and Turner didn't look comfortable.

--- I saw a few posters compare Abdul Gaddy to Thomas, noting Thomas was sensational in his Husky debut when he scored 27 points. I broached that topic with assistant Jim Sahw and he reminded me that comparison is unfair because they're different players. Gaddy is a pass-first guard, while Thomas is a scorer. Plus Gaddy is coming from the high school ranks and Thomas spent time at a high-powered prep academy before coming to Montlake.

Gaddy said he needed to adjust to the speed of the game, when explaining his three first-half fouls. He also has to learn what he can do defensively that won't draw a whistle. And knocking down an open shot won't hurt because teams are going to leave him open until he proves he hit the college three.

--- It would be nice if Washington could generate easy offense in the half court. UW gets easy buckets in transition and off of turnovers, otherwise it can be a grind. Central threw a 2-3 zone at the Huskies that stopped them in their tracks.

--- And finally, I love this thread. Really. Just had a chance to read some of the comments. Thanks for finding that live link to the game. I missed that one and should have thought to ask Central if they were doing that.

I'll also talk to my editors about a live chat during games. I believe Bob Condotta did this once for an afternoon game. It's much harder to pull that off at night when you've got a tight deadline to write a game story for the newspaper.

Thanks again and we'll get better at this. Promise.