Moments after Washington’s furious second-half comeback versus Oregon fell short Saturday afternoon, coach Mike Hopkins gave his players a pep talk emphasizing the progress they’ve achieved since November.
Defying a forecast assuring another gloomy winter on Montlake, the Huskies won 20 games – three of those victories against opponents ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time – and finished 10-8 in a Power Five conference.
“You guys have accomplished a lot,” Hopkins told them, “and the season’s not over.”
The late North Carolina State coach Jim Valvano likely spoke similar words 35 years ago, when his team wrapped up the regular season as an ACC middleweight.