Dec. 1, 2003

Charleston, SC - Normally, The Citadel basketball team gets to celebrate Christmas and New Year's before having to worry about the Southern Conference.

Not this year. The Bulldogs will get an early start on the SoCon when Appalachian State comes to McAlister Field House tonight in the league opener for two squads with a lot of new players.

"I'm glad we're playing a conference game early," said Citadel coach Pat Dennis. "I think it's good. We've got a young team with a lot of new faces, but they are coming in with a lot of junior college transfers and new kids, too. Maybe they are trying to mesh together, too."

The early start is a quirk in the schedule designed to prevent teams from having to play three straight road games in the SoCon in January and February. College of Charleston also gets an early start tonight against Davidson, and there are four other SoCon games on the league schedule before Christmas. "If you've got to play a conference game right now, I'd much rather be at home this early in the year," said Dennis. "Our cadets will be back from Thanksgiving and I think we can get a better atmosphere in here with the students. I've got to rev them up and get them out here, because they can make a difference in the game."

The Bulldogs began the season with two wins over non-Division I foes before a 74-60 loss to Central Florida last Friday night. Sophomore guard Dante Terry, who scored 12 points against Central Florida, said the Bulldogs will need a more complete effort tonight.

"We're a team that has to play all 40 minutes," he said. "Through practices and games, we've been playing in spurts and we can't do that. We can't take possessions off, we can't take days off. We've got to go a full 40 minutes.

"But now, conference games have come around and our record is 0-0. We get to start all over again."

The Citadel started three sophomores and a freshman against Central Florida, and four more freshmen played in that game.

"We're going to have to play these young kids, but none of them are quite ready for this level yet," Dennis said.

"They will be, but when that happens, I don't know. We'll just have to play them and learn under fire," he said.

The last time The Citadel started SoCon play in December was two years ago, when the Bulldogs stunned Davidson by 69-50.