The 2007 AT&T Cougar Hardwood Classic will feature a contrast of styles. The Washington State Cougars make the short trip to Seattle bringing with them a stingy defense and will go head to head with the high powered offense from The Citadel Bulldogs. The Cougars feature the third ranked scoring defense in NCAA Division 1 only allowing 52.4 points per game. That defense will be tested by a Citadel team that has the fourth highest total of points scored in a single game this season, scoring 131 versus Daniel Webster on November 9th.

The Citadel’s prolific offense is powered by their ability to known down the three point shot. The Bulldogs currently rank 13th for three-point field goals made per game with 9.9. Leading this three-point attack is freshman guard Zack Urbanus. Urbanus’ 46.5% from behind the arc ranks 40th out of all players in all of Division 1. Urbanus averages 11.3 points per game with a high of 24 coming against Chattanooga on December 1st.

Leading the Bulldogs inside the arc is freshman guard Cameron Wells and senior forward Demetrius Nelson. Wells averages a team high with 13.6 points per game and Nelson is right behind him with 12.1.

Coach Ed Conroy, now in his second season with at The Citadel, hopes to use a difficult non-conference schedule and top recruiting class to lead his alma mater to a conference championship and an NCAA tournament berth.

On the bench opposing the Bulldogs will be one of the top teams in the country. The Washington State Cougars will come into the game with an undefeated record and a national top 10 ranking. With a 9-0 start, the Cougars have had back to back seasons with a start of 7-0 or better. This season WSU is off to its best start since the 1991-92 season when they started 12-0.

The Cougars, led by reigning Naismith Coach of the Year Tony Bennett, are winning using a tough defense and proficient offense. The team shoots the ball extremely well (51.1 field goal percentage is the 14th highest in Division 1) and rarely turns the ball over (11.8 turnovers per game ranks 11th).

Washington State features two All-American candidates in Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver. The backcourt duo earned Pac-10 All Conference Honors last season and this season were named to the preseason Naismith Player of the Year award watch list. Both Low and Weaver were picked to represent the USA team in this summer’s Pan Am Games and have used that experience to lead the Cougars to unparalleled heights.

Low and Weaver may get the most recognition, but they aren’t the only weapons that WSU has in its arsenal. The Cougars feature a deep bench and balanced scoring. Low’s 12.4 points per game lead a starting five that all average at least 9.6 points per game. This steady attack wears down opposing teams and forces them into the Cougars style of play. This was evident in the team’s 51-47 victory over the 19th ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs. WSU held a high scoring Gonzaga team to its lowest point total since 1996.

This is the third edition of the AT&T Cougar Hardwood Classic. Last season WSU overcame a half-time deficit to defeat San Diego State 64-54 at KeyArena in front of a crowd of 5,872. Three Cougar players scored in double figures including Robbie Cowgill’s 17, Kyle Weaver’s 16, and Nikola Koprivica’s 11. The Cougars are 2-0 all time Cougar Harwood Classics.

Stay close to your seat as halftime as there will be a special tribute to former WSU star player Tony Harris followed by a special announcement and an introduction to the new Cougar Head Football Coach Paul Wulff.