The Cougars got one of the things they like most Thursday night — a win in Seattle. OK, so they weren’t playing the Huskies, but they dispatched Utah 69-42 and looked good doing it.

The occasion was the first “AT&T Cougar Hardwood Classic” at KeyArena, a basketball-in-Seattle game modeled on four years of well-attended Washington State “home” football games at Qwest Field.

Before a crowd of 5,496 (4,709 tickets sold) and a cable-TV audience, the Cougars had this one in the bag by halftime, when the score of 39-14 sounded like a bowl game.

Rainier Beach High School graduate Randy Green led the Cougars with 15 points and sophomore center Robbie Cowgill scored 14, including the Cougars’ first 10 of the game.

“We were consistent on both ends of the court,” WSU coach Dick Bennett said.

Bennett said the enthusiastic crowd played a role in the victory.

“I enjoyed the crowd,” Bennett said. “I thought they were lively and had a lot to do with our good start.” It was the biggest “home crowd” of the season for WSU, and Bennett had a one-word answer when asked if he is looking forward to another “home game” in Seattle next year.

“Absolutely,” he replied.

Cowgill, who liked playing in an NBA venue, said: “It was good to get off to a good start. If we can jump on people early like we did tonight and then smother them with our defense and force them to take bad shots, we can increase the lead like we did.”

The Cougars blew the game open in the first half with a 13-0 run that featured eight points by sophomore guard Josh Akognon to build a 23-7 lead with 8:30 left in the half. Akognon hit two three-pointers in the binge.

The two players who led the Utes in scoring entering the game — Bryant Markson (16.3 points) and Johnnie Bryant (11.7) — were held scoreless in the first half. They finished with a combined 10 points.

Bennett had challenged his team not to lay a third straight pre-Christmas egg, and they responded. Last year, the Cougars lost 46-29 at Fresno State, and in 2003 they lost at Wyoming 49-47.

Green said the Cougars were “real focused” for the game and that most players just stayed in their rooms last night to prepare mentally.

“We’re trying to put it all together this year,” Green said.

The Cougars made 55 percent of their two-point attempts (27 for 49), 47 percent of their three-pointers (7 for 15), were perfect at the free-throw line (8 for and forced 20 turnovers, 13 in the first half.

The victory improved the Cougars’ record to 7-2, their best mark since the 7-1 starts of 1995-96 and 1996-97.

With the win, the Cougars showed they could be legitimate Pac-10 pests just like last year, when their seven Pac-10 wins included one at Arizona. The Cougars open Pac-10 play next Thursday in Spokane against Arizona.

The loss dropped Utah to 6-4. The Utes are rebuilding after sending national player of the year Andrew Bogut to the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick after a Sweet 16 appearance. Utah was drilled 74-43 at home by Arizona last Saturday.

Utah didn’t cross the 40-point barrier until Chris Grant hit a three-pointer with 40 seconds to play for the game’s final points.

Commenting on the inability to make a second-half run at Cougars, Utah coach Ray Giacoletti said: “It’s such baby steps for us that trying to mount some kind of charge to go out and find a way to win is not in the picture.”