Dec. 31, 2004

Charleston, SC - With apologies to the college football postseason, The Citadel's 87-72 basketball victory over Navy at McAlister Field House on Thursday was the closest thing to a bowl game for The Military College of South Carolina this year.

The 1 p.m. weekday kickoff -- er, tipoff -- was just one of the similarities. The Bulldogs' convincing win had much in common with a roll call of actual (and televised) bowl games.

For instance:

-- Orange Bowl. Like Southern California and Oklahoma, the Bulldogs and Midshipmen are laden with young talent. The Citadel has three freshmen and four sophomores in its 10-player rotation.

"That's what it's all about, having a lot of good players and playing together," said freshman forward Warren McLendon. "We have a good team now. Down the road, when we're juniors and seniors, we're going to be even better."

The key for Southern Cal and Oklahoma is keeping top juniors from leaving for the NFL. The key for The Citadel is keeping this core group of underclassmen together. -- Liberty Bowl. Louisville-Boise State isn't this week's only college matchup of programs on the rise. The Citadel, fun to watch and 8-2, already has improved on its 6-22 record of last season. Navy in its first year under impressive 32-year-old head coach Billy Lange is 4-7, one victory shy of its 2003-2004 total.

ACADEMIC BOWL

-- Continental Tire Bowl. North Carolina vs. Boston College made for a nice clash of schools strong on academics and athletics. Off-court demands for athletes are more extensive at Navy, rated by the Princeton Review as the fifth-toughest university for applicants to get into. The Citadel's graduation rate for student-athletes who complete their eligibility is 95 percent.

-- MPC Computers Bowl. The crowds are not overwhelming in Boise. What The Citadel's Christmas break crowd lacked in numbers (2,178) it made up for in enthusiasm.

"We get up on each other and we supply our own energy," sophomore center Andy Miller said. "But our fans have been great and they get better with each game."

-- Silicon Valley Bowl. Troy-Northern Illinois there, Navy-Citadel here. Either way, gritty teams try harder.

SEAT-FOR-SEAT COMPARISON

-- Emerald Bowl. Navy was involved there Thursday, too, facing New Mexico in San Francisco.

-- Outback Bowl. Wisconsin faces the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday. The Citadel's Bulldogs from Georgia -- Travis Smith and brothers Warren and Donny McLendon -- accounted for 43 points Thursday.

-- Houston Bowl. OK, this is a reach. But Citadel sophomore forward Aaron Xia is from the Houston suburb of Friendswood and played on the Chinese National Team with none other than Yao Ming, the tallest bowler in Houston.

-- Rose Bowl. The venue means a lot, whether showcasing "The Granddaddy of Them All" or at McAlister Field House, still seat-for-seat the best basketball facility in South Carolina.

The old place looks even shiner after a Citadel bowl win.

Gene Sapakoff may be reached by e-mail at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com, by phone at 937-5593 or by mail at 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 29403.