February 1, 2003
The Citadel takes a rare combination of a four-way tie for first place in the Southern Conference's South Division and a three-game losing skid as the Bulldogs meet Chattanooga Saturday at 7 p.m. in The McKenzie Arena.
Coach Pat Dennis' Bulldogs, 13-7 overall and 5-4 in the league, meet the Mocs of coach Henry Dickerson, 12-10 overall and 5-4 in the loop, for the second time this season. The Citadel defeated Chattanooga, 82-64, in McAlister Field House on Jan. 19.
Since that win over Chattanooga, the Bulldogs have dropped three consecutive games at College of Charleston, Appalachian State at home and at Furman.
However, The Citadel has enjoyed success in Chattanooga the past two years, winning last year on a last-second Cliff Washburn tip-in and the year before on a closing-moment jumper in the lane by Travis Cantrell, spoiling the dedication of The McKenzie Arena. Although the Mocs hold a commanding 42-13 lead in the series that began in 1926, The Citadel has won three of the last four meetings.
"We've got seven games remaining and we're looking at it as a seven-game season," said Dennis. "We need to win four of the seven and anything more than that will be gravy."
The Bulldogs were in a similar situation last year, coming off a five-game losing streak and with seven contests remaining, won six of them.
This year, The Citadel remains in a four-way tie for first place in the South Division with Chattanooga, College of Charleston and Georgia Southern. After Saturday's game at Chattanooga, the Bulldogs host College of Charleston in another cross-town showdown.
Several records are in position to fall Saturday as both Travis Cantrell and Alan Puckett are within reach of Noy Castillo's mark of 230 career three-point field goals. Cantrell, who leads The Citadel is scoring with an 18.1 scoring average, needs just two treys to tie the mark while Puckett needs three to tie.
Cantrell, with 1,12 career points and holding 14th place on the all-time scoring list, is one point shy of Ray Graves and 13th place all-time. Cantrell is also third in the nation with 3.8 three-point field goals made per game (he had been ranked as high as second).
Washburn, currently third on the team in scoring with 10.8 average and tops with a 7.1 rebounding mark, needs one more rebound to pass current Wofford coach Richard Johnson for ninth place on the school's all-time rebounding list. Washburn currently has 580 rebounds, Johnson with 581, and then Kent Hill in eighth place with 584.
