The 2007 Comcast Battle in Seattle should be another great non-conference basketball game, but it may also resemble a track meet. Saying that the game will contain a fast paced tempo might be an understatement as both the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers like to push the ball up the court and have no trouble scoring. Currently both teams rank inside the top 20 in points per game with the Bulldogs at 19th with 78.5 points per game and the Volunteers at 9th with 80.9 points per game. Points will not be hard to come by.

The game will feature the Volunteers first-ever game in the state of Washington, and the group coming to the KeyArena may be one of the histories best teams of Tennessee’s basketball. Following a year in which his team lost in the Sweet 16 to eventual national runner up Ohio State, Bruce Pearl leads a Volunteer team that is expected to have an even better season this year.

The Volunteers are an overwhelming pre-season favorite to win the SEC and feature reigning SEC player of the year Chris Lofton. Lofton is one of the top players in college basketball in the country and was picked as an AP first team pre-season All-American.

So far this season the Volunteers have lived up to those high expectations. The team is 11-1 and currently ranked 11th in the AP poll. Many teams playing in the challenging SEC, schedule easy non-conference opponents due to the grind of conference play, but Tennessee has not shied away from anyone. Their non-conference schedule ranks among the toughest in the country and so far the team has shown why they are one of the nation’s top teams with impressive victories over West Virginia and Xavier while their only defeat came at the hands of # 9 Texas.

The success of Tennessee can be attributed to their balanced scoring. While Chris Lofton may get all the press, the team is much more than a one man show. The Volunteers have six players averaging at least 8 points per game including J.P. Prince, who in three games since becoming eligible on December 15th after transferring from Arizona has averaged 14.7 points per game including 23 in the team’s recent victory over #24 ranked Xavier.

A difficult non-conference schedule and balanced scoring also describes the team on the opposing bench, the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are known for scheduling anyone and playing anywhere. This season has been no different with victories over top programs such as the University of Connecticut and St. Joseph’s and coast to coast road trips already Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Boston to Alaska.

Leading the 9-3 Bulldogs is junior point guard Jeremy Pargo, who was named to the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden award. Jeremy is coming off a 26 point 6 assist game in the Zags last game, a loss to Oklahoma. Pargo averages nearly 13 points and 6 assists a game and directs a young Bulldog team that only has two seniors on the roster.

Pargo is joined in the backcourt by Matt Bouldin, a sophomore who this past summer competed on the USA Team in the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship. Bouldin ranks second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game. Bouldin’s excellent outside shooting and outstanding passing ability helps the Gonzaga offense run smoothly.

Including Pargo and Bouldin, the Zags have five players averaging 9 point per game or better and that number will likely increase with the return of both Steven Gray and Josh Heytvelt from injuries. Gray a highly touted freshman who scored 12 points during his debut on December 17th after returning from injury when he suffered a broken right wrist in an exhibition game. Heytvelt, one of the teams leading scorers a year ago, returned to action December 20th after missing the team’s first 11 games following surgery on his right ankle. The return of those two players will bolster what may be one of the deepest teams in Gonzaga history.

The game will feature great players, but also two of the top coaches in college basketball. Coming into this season, Mark Few and Bruce Pearl rank in the top 3 in highest winning percentage by active Division 1 coaches. Few is first with a winning percentage of .802 and Pearl is third at .779. The coaches have had great success and look to continue their winning ways in this afternoon’s game.

Gonzaga has enjoyed success in the Comcast Battle in Seattle. GU is 3-1 with consecutive victories over Missouri, UMass, and Oklahoma State. The team’s only defeat came last year at the hands of Nevada as the Wolfpack held off the Bulldogs in route to an 82-74 victory.

A special presentation to former WSU Coach George Raveling, the Baden 2007 Comcast Battle in Seattle Honoree, will take place at halftime.