Gonzaga (4-1) will arrive at sold-out Hec Edmundson Pavilion as a top ranked team instead of the underdog mid-major program of the past. The kings of the West Coast Conference certainly have ruled the state against an opponent from the supposedly superior Pac-10. The Bulldogs have the seven straight games over Washington covering the spread in five of the meetings. Gonzaga has already been tested this season as Gonzaga was runner up in the Maui Invitational, losing 65-63 to third-ranked Connecticut in the finals. Before that, they beat No. 23 Maryland and No. 13 Michigan State. Pre-season All-American G Adam Morrison is scoring co-leader in the country draining 27 points per game while F J.P. Batista averaging 21 points and almost nine rebounds. The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Bulldogs as they will face Virginia, Stanford and Saint Joseph's before they start their conference schedule. Of all the tough teams they have to play, the Bulldogs want to beat the Huskies the most. "They hate us and we hate them, plain and simple," Gonzaga preseason All-American Adam Morrison said.

The Huskies want to win this in-state dog fight. Head coach Lorenzo Romar has his hands full trying to replace a graduating trio that averaged 41.8 points per game. The Huskies are 6-0 for the first time since 1990 and are scoring 95.8 per game. Athletic Brandon Roy is back to lead team in scoring with 16.8 points per game. Bringing the ball up the court for the mobile Huskies is freshman Justin Dentmon, a ball-distributing point guard and tough man-to-man defender. The Seattle faithful are saying that this is the best recruiting class in over 20 years. The centerpiece of this class is 6-7 Jon Brockman, a national recruit, who stayed in-state. The Huskies have beat six easy opponents. Washington has beaten Morgan State, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Air Force, American, Idaho and Loyola Marymount -- all at home -- by an average of 33 points. Gonzaga will be the first real test for the young Huskies "This will be the first time we will play an opponent that, as we walk out on the floor, will be just as talented or more talented than we are," Romar said. "Gonzaga is as talented as any team in the country."