Lone senior Quincy Pondexter will represent UW along with coach Lorenzo Romar at Pac-10 basketball media day Thursday in Los Angeles. The pair will fly out Wednesday, but Romar said the travel plans won’t cause either of them to miss any practices.

I’ll have a story on Pondexter in the Wednesday paper.

Meanwhile, a few other hoops notes:

Romar said that the flu symptoms that swept through his team have mostly gone. But he says it cost put the team a few days behind schedule in terms of conditioning and installing sets.

For the first time in Romar’s eight seasons …

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All of us – the reeling University of Washington football team, exasperated and exhausted Husky nation, even the press corps – get a much-needed break as the lights dim for the next seven days for the bye week.

Coach Steve Sarkisian will hold his usual Monday press conference, the team will work out lightly Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and after that, it’s time to rest up and prepare for road games at UCLA and Oregon State.

Today, I want to address the status of Jake Locker, whose production has not only leveled off after a stunning three-game start at Husky Stadium, he’s sore, he’s frustrated and he, like his teammates, are starting to see a bowl game as an unlikely possibility.

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Pac-10 men’s basketball media day is Thursday, and now I’m less than 24 hours from needing to send in my predictions for the annual preseason media poll.

As we’ve done in the past, I’ll float my first instinct here, consider any comments you might have about where you think I’m over- or underestimating someone, and then I’ll send in my ballot tomorrow.

Here’s the way I’m leaning:

1. California
UW coach Lorenzo Romar might have said it best: “When you have Jerome Randle who is a senior and an all-conference-type player, Patrick Christopher who is a senior and an …

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Let’s put a few thoughts out there on today’s UW defeat to 12th-ranked Oregon, which was clearly the better team throughout.

• Problematic again were the Huskies’ special teams, which were downright atrocious. When was the last time you saw a program fall for two fake kicks in one half?

• Again, the UW failed to show any short-yardage identity, especially inside the opposing 5-yard line.

• You can live with the overreaction to a play with linebackers Mason Foster and Donald Butler, because they have made big stops, and forced miscues, all season long. Can you continue to do …

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My weekly routine for home games – arrive in the Red Triangle parking lot early, stare at a few of the listless vendors before the home crush gets in and make my way down to “The Zone” to watch Husky fans drink merrily – was unfortunately interrupted today because of bad traffic.

Must have been those driving north on Interstate-5.

Glancing from the press box over to the practice field on the east end of the property, I see a couple 20-something Ducks’ fans showcasing a bright-yellow “Oregon football” sign for all of Husky-ville to witness.

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Editor’s note: These items were filed by The Everett Herald’s Scott Johnson, who filled in at practice Thursday at Husky Stadium:

If practice can somehow guarantee the level of game-time performance, the Washington Huskies should be ready for their showdown Saturday against No. 12 Oregon.

“I thought it was a great week of work,” UW coach Steve Sarkisian said after practice Thursday. “I’m sure there’s a lot of concern about how we would respond, and our guys have responded with probably our best week of practice yet.”

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There are a number of ways to look at Adam Long:

1, Track and field sprinter playing football.

2, Quinton Richardon’s sudden replacement at cornerback.

3, Gnat-of-a-defensive back - small but pesky.

And moving forward, facing the lethal spread offense of Oregon on Saturday, and beyond, it appears Long is Nick Holt’s flavor-of-the-month choice to man the cornerback spot opposite Desmond Trufant.

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Gonzaga University athletic director Mike Roth put out the following statement regarding Washington’s proposal (see post below) to renew their men’s basketball series at KeyArena:

“In light of the recent reports out of Seattle Wednesday regarding renewing the Gonzaga-Washington men’s basketball rivalry, I did receive a proposal late Tuesday from Washington.

“I have always been of the opinion this is a good game for both schools, a good game for the state of Washington and a good game for basketball in the Pacific Northwest.

“At the same time, it is a series that should be equitable for both schools. I

…

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