But before a single shot went up in this year's tournament, Cobb dropped a bomb when he announced Wednesday that eight teams have already committed for 2010.
"The athletic gods have really smiled on us," Cobb told the crowd at a pre-tourney luncheon at the Sheraton Hotel.
Cobb said next year's field will include the Seawolves, along with Southern Utah, Southeast Louisiana, Arizona State, Houston Baptist, Ball State, Drake and St. John's.
In announcing the field, Cobb said the support of UAA chancellor Fran Ulmer was instrumental in getting the teams locked down so early, as were the commitments of the six squads in this year's field.
"They could have ... walked away. And they didn't," Cobb said.
Next year's women's field has not yet been determined, though Cobb said that tournament is in no danger of running out of interested teams.
Keeping the tournament a viable entity is an issue that several of the men's coaches said is near to their hearts. Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel, who played in the Shootout with Duke, said he grew up watching the annual Thanksgiving hoops-fest.
"This was kind of when you knew college basketball was getting started," he said.
University of San Diego head coach Bill Grier said the Shootout provides an early-season road challenge that's unique in college hoops.
"It's great for us to get our guys out of their comfort zones," he said.
Coaches' comedy at pre-tournament lunch
Coaches are notoriously cagey about their teams in the early season, and Saturday's pre-tourney luncheon gave them plenty of chances to dust of their best "aw, shucks" lines.
"The game's just too long for us," said Nicholls State coach J.P. Piper.
Piper drew loud laughter while explaining his squad's supposed shortcomings, telling the crowd they shouldn't expect much from his senior-less squad.
"You'll see tomorrow night," he said, drawing more laughter before pleading with the crowd to believe him. "That wasn't a joke!"
UAA coach Rusty Osborne predicted his team would struggle no matter what the competition, or lack of.
"We play five-on-zero (in practice) and usually score about half the time," Osborne said.
Capel said his young team hasn't yet realized how difficult this season could be without national Player of the Year Blake Griffin.
"I call these guys Naismith -- they think they invented the game," he said.
San Diego's Bill Grier, however, got off the best one-liner about his team's apparent lack of early-season skill.
"I think I may be the first coach to stand up here and guarantee at least sixth place," he said.
This is the first year the Shootout has included fewer than eight teams.
Volleyball players talking some trash
During halftime of the UAA-Washington State men's game, the UAA volleyball team was recognized for its GNAC title and run into the Western Region semifinals.
During the game, however, the UAA spikers were among the biggest supporters of their basketball team, spending much of the first half cheering the Seawolves from courtside and doing their best to distract Washington State players at the free throw line.
At one point, UAA volleyball player Nikkie Viotto baited WSU's DeAngelo Casto -- who wears No. 23 -- with a "You're not Michael Jordan," taunt before Casto attempted a free throw.
Casto missed.
Cincinnati basketball has had better days
The Cincinnati Bearcats had a rough Wednesday night. Within minutes of the school's 49-48 loss to UAA in the women's Shootout final, the Cincinnati's men's team fell 61-59 to Gonzaga in overtime at the Maui Invitational in Hawaii.
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