Husky fans will get a brief reprieve today from what has turned out to be a depressing football season.

Washington hits the hardwood for an exhibition basketball game against Western Washington at Hec Edmunson Pavilion tonight. The team will be playing in front of its home crowd for the first time since losing to Valparaiso in the College Basketball Invitational last season.

Tonight will be the first time Husky fans see UW freshmen Isaiah Thomas, Scott Suggs and Elston Turner.

Tyreese Breshers, the fourth member of coach Lorenzo Romar’s 2008 recruiting class, is still recovering from an off-season shin surgery and won’t be available.

The addition of Thomas, a 5-foot-8-inch human highlight reel who can fill the basket and turn some heads with his passing ability, gives the Huskies a much-needed playmaker that has been missing since the departure of Brandon Roy.

“I think this team has probably a lot more answers going into the year than our teams have had probably in the last three years,” Romar said last month at media day.

Quincy Pondexter, the much-heralded recruit who has yet to live up to his expected potential, will begin a junior campaign that Romar expects to be better than his first two seasons.

“I’ve worked really hard this offseason, more than I ever have,” Pondexter said at media day. “I’m just looking forward to the year to get a lot of good wins.”

The addition of Thomas to a lineup including the stronger Pondexter — he says he’s gained 10 pounds — and a slimmer “like a Doberman” Jon Brockman, gives the Huskies a favorable balance between the frontcourt and the backcourt, Romar said.

“This year we know what we have,” Romar said. “We know we have some pieces in place … there are a lot less questions that need to be answered, as far as I’m concerned.”

Washington begins regular season play Nov. 15 at Portland.

Reach reporter Christian Caple at sports@dailyuw.com.