Northwest Sports & Entertainment announces that three out of the four teams participating in this year’s college basketball games played at the KeyArena are ranked in the Top 15 of the first ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll. Tennessee (#7), Washington State (#10), and Gonzaga (#14) will all be featured in college basketball games held in Seattle this holiday season.
The Washington State Cougars, coming off a NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 1994, are ranked 10th in the pre-season poll. The Cougars are looking to build on last year’s historic season and push UCLA and Arizona for the top spot in the Pac-10 standings. Derrick Low and Kyle Weaver, both of whom were named to the pre-season Naismith Trophy and Wooden award lists, will lead the Cougars this season as they look to improve on their impressive 26 win season from a year ago. The 10th ranked Cougars will face off against The Citadel South Carolina Military School in the third annual Cougar Hardwood Classic presented by your Northwest Dodge Dealers held on December 20th at the KeyArena. The Cougars have won the two previous Cougar Hardwood Classics and will look to keep that undefeated record intact. For more information visit the game’s official website, www.cougarsinseattle.com.
The other two ranked teams will square off in the 2007 Comcast Battle in featuring the Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers. The fifth annual game will be played on December 29th at the KeyArena and is expected to break the all-time attendance record for a college basketball game played in the state of Washington.
The Volunteers are coming off an extraordinary season in which they made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament and were within seconds of defeating eventual national runner-up Ohio State. Tennessee is ranked 7th in the pre-season ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll and was picked to finish first in the difficult SEC conference. Leading the Volunteers will be reigning SEC Player of the Year and 2007 second team All-American, Chris Lofton. Lofton, the overwhelming pre-season choice to win the 2008 SEC conference player of the year award, will guide the 7th ranked Volunteers as they look to improve on last year’s 24 win season.
Opposing the Volunteers in the December 29th game with be the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are an annual participant in the Comcast Battle in Seattle and have a 3-1 record with their only defeat coming last year against Nevada. The Bulldogs are ranked 14th in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll and are picked to capture their eight consecutive regular season West Coast Conference crown. Gonzaga features one of its deepest teams ever and will look to crack the top 10 despite their nationally recognized difficult non-conference schedule.
With both the 7th ranked Volunteers and the 14th ranked Bulldogs, the 2007 Comcast Battle in Seattle could feature teams with the highest rankings since the inaugural game pitted the 3rd ranked Missouri tigers and the 17th ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs. For more information on what could be the college basketball game of the year visit the official Comcast Battle in Seattle website, www.battleinseattle.com.
About Northwest Sports & Entertainment:
Northwest Sports & Entertainment, Inc. is a sports marketing company that works with a wide range of entities, including high schools, major college universities, and professional NBA franchises. Northwest Sports & Entertainment creates, organizes, and operates basketball events and activities throughout the United States. Events established and produced by Northwest Sports & Entertainment include the Battle in Seattle, Cougar Hardwood Classic, The Dan Dickau Charity Classic and more. For more information on Northwest Sports & Entertainment visit www.northwestsports.org