The Washington Huskies men's basketball team's starting five is announced before the team's season-opening game vs. the Colgate Red Raiders on Nov. 2 at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. | Teren Kowatsch/Roundtable Sports
SEATTLE — A 20-point second half from sophomore forward Nikola Dzepina created the separation needed for the Washington Huskies men's basketball team to take down the Colgate Red Raiders by a score of 90-76 in their season opener Monday at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle.
Dzepina finished with a career-high 27 points, nearly quadruple his previous career-high of seven. He scored his 27 points on a 10-for-17 mark from the floor (6-for-7 from the free-throw line). He also pulled in seven rebounds, had a steal and blocked two shots.
"I just listened to what the coach said," Dzepina said in a postgame interview Monday. "I attacked more in the paint, and all this stuff. I just (did) the simple things. Played the post and tried to score."
Dzepina's second half and overall game was proof-positive of the Serbian forward's improvement from last season where he joined the team in December and struggled to pick up the playbook.
"(Dzepina) had never even been to the United States as of like, (Dec. 11, 2025)," UW head coach Danny Sprinkle said after the game. "Literally, he got here and we put him in a game the next day because we had so many injuries last year. He didn't know any of the plays, he missed seven months, he wasn't here all summer or anything. You can tell he's really cerebral. ... Our post guys are some of our best passers. ... (Dzepina's) got a really good feel. Sometimes he settles for his read too much. He's dynamic when he plays 15 feet and in."
Dzepina's second-half was a spark and benefit of a much more concerted effort for Washington in the second half, which struggled to create separation from Colgate.
The Huskies carried just a five-point lead going into half time after fourth-year guard Wesley Yates III hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left. Before his shot, UW struggled to limit the Red Raiders' outside shooting attack and either trailed or was ahead by just one possession.
Colgate shot 6-for-16 beyond the arc in the first half, nearly half of its overall conversions from the field (13 made shots). Washington had similar fortune and had a 12-for-25 mark from the floor in the first half, which included a 7-for-16 clip from deep.
In the second half, the Huskies pushed the Red Raiders in the paint and the visitors were limited to just one 3-pointer on six attempts from outside.
UW was able to find separation at the charity stripe, as well. Washington was 30-for-36 from the free-throw line. Colgate was 13-for-26.
The Huskies, who were outrebounded 22-14 in the first half (8-to-1 on offensive boards), flipped the script on he glass in the final 20 minutes. UW brought in 20 rebounds (nine offensive) in the second half to the Red Raiders' 12 overall (four offensive). Dzepina had four of the team's nine offensive rebounds in the second half.
With more chances at second half points and quick transition plays, several Washington players benefitted.
Fifth-year wing LeJuan Watts scored 22 on a 3-for-6 mark from the floor (2-for-4 from 3-point range) and went 14-for-16 from the free-throw line. He pulled in three rebounds, had three assists and a steal.
"(Watts) got a lot of those (free-throws) at the end of the game," Sprinkle said. " ... He's so dynamic with the ball. He's a de facto point guard. He's really quick and he can contort his body. He's got a lot of fast-twitch."
Guiding UW's stellar second-half performance was fourth-year point guard Ryan Beasley.
The San Francisco transfer missed both of the team's exhibition games with a concussion, but was able to fill the role as floor general successfully in the second half. He scored eight points on 2-for-7 shooting (2-for-6 from 3-point range, 2-for-2 from the charity stripe), pulled in five rebounds, dished a team-high four assists and had two steals.
"I felt good," Beasley said after the game. "Had a good week of practice, getting my legs up under me. Still working on getting some rhythm back (and) stuff. But, I'm just excited to be back and glad we got a (win) for our first game."
The Huskies will look to go 2-0 in its next game against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils at 7 p.m. PT on Nov. 9 at Alaska Airlines Arena.
