On Wednesday night, the Washington Huskies will face off against the Michigan Wolverines, but the participation of senior guard Desmond Claude remains uncertain. The USC transfer, who has been a key player this season with an average of 14.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, had a puzzling week following his last appearance against No. 5 Purdue. In that game, Claude scored 9 points before being sidelined with just under 11 minutes left in the second half, and he did not return to the court.
His absence at practice on Saturday was noted, with head coach Danny Sprinkle indicating it was due to personal reasons. On the following day, although Claude was dressed and participated in warmups prior to the game against Ohio State, he did not play, as it was a decision made by the team. Sprinkle’s comments during Tuesday’s press conference further deepened the mystery surrounding Claude’s status. When asked whether Claude would be included in the game rotation, Sprinkle remarked, “We’ll see, we’ll see with all of them. We still have to practice today.”
In Claude’s absence during the Ohio State game, the Huskies demonstrated resilience as Bryson Tucker stepped up in the starting lineup, contributing 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block. This performance led Sprinkle to label the game as the best execution by the team since he took over as head coach.
The anticipation builds as fans await news on whether Desmond Claude will be part of the lineup against Michigan. Regardless of his status, the recent performance of the Huskies’ roster offers hope for a strong showing as they continue to navigate their season.