Inside The Huskies

Ex-Husky Battle Re-Enters Portal After Montana State Coach Leaves

Would long-shooting guard reconsider playing for UW?

Dan Raley

In this story:

Once the season ended, Keyon Menifield was the University of Washington basketball player who got away, the best of seven who fled Montlake for the transfer portal and recently committed to Arkansas.

Two years ago, it was RaeQuan Battle. The 6-foot-5 guard from Tulalip, Washington, was one of six players who exited Mike Hopkins' program back then and he was the guy it was felt the Huskies would most likely regret losing.

It was true as Battle turned to Montana State for refuge and this past season became first-team All-Big Sky and Big Sky Tournament MVP, and a 17.7-point scorer and an NCAA Tournament participant. 

Well, Battle is on the move again, having re-entered the portal after Montana State coach Danny Sprinkle left for Utah State, and the Huskies might consider doing everything they can to recruit the long-range shooter all over again.

What could it hurt? Hopkins' team still has three open scholarships. Battle is a much better player.

In his final game of this past season, Battle looked like he belonged on an NCAA Tournament big stage, dropping 27 points on Kansas State in a 77-65 defeat. 

A week ago, Battle was all set to return for his senior season with the Bobcats, with former UW forward Jackson Grant, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, joining him on the roster.

However, Sprinkle left and both Battle and Grant now are in the portal, shopping for new schools. 

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.

Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com or https://www.facebook.com/dan.raley.12

Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @DanRaley1 or @UWFanNation or @DanRaley3

Have a question, direct message me on Facebook or Twitter.

Published
Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

Home/Basketball