Published 2006-11-28T00:00:00Z”/>

Douglas Benton

After the men’s basketball team lost its first two games of the season in Stephenville, Texas, the uniforms weren’t the only things that changed.

Behind a starting lineup that featured Olajuwon Jones, Brandon Sligh, Brian Erickson, Andy Bocian and Justin Argenal, the Wildcats opened the home portion of the schedule Friday in the Mac Martin Tournament with a convincing 83-54 win over Western Oregon. The Wildcats allowed 11 points in a first half that saw Western Oregon shoot only 22.7 percent.

“We were just looking for a change in the lineup and to move me back to (center),” Bocian said.

The Wildcats didn’t leave the offense out of the win either, as they placed three players in double figures, led by Bocian. He finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds and three steals to break out of his early season struggles in which he scored only 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the first two games.

However, success didn’t last for the Wildcats as they gave up 56 points in the first half of the second game en route to a blowout loss to Central Washington, 92-78..

“It’s very disappointing,” head coach Puck Smith said. “They took it to us in the first half especially.”

The Wildcats were led by Jones, an all-tournament selection, who finished his 30 minutes of action with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting and five rebounds. His performance followed his 12-point game against Western Oregon, which began his role as a starter and which has produced more energy on defense, Jones said.

A poor effort in the first half rendered a solid outing from Jones and his teammates, pushing the Wildcats to a 1-3 start.

“We are still trying to find ourselves and see what works,” Jones said.

The Wildcats’ lost their first game in the Tarleton State tournament against the host university, 86-63 on Nov. 17.

They were led by sophomore Argenal, who scored 20 points, and Bocian, who had 13. Argenal played well, but a lack of contribution from other players doomed the Wildcats, Smith said.

Tarleton State was paced by forward John Davis, a preseason second team All-American, who finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds.

The ‘Cats didn’t fare much better Nov. 18, losing to Texas A&M Commerce 89-66. The Wildcats stayed competitive for a half, but a 22-11 run at the start of the second half turned a manageable gap into a 22-point margin, ending any chances of the team picking up its first win.

Defense was a problem for the Wildcats in the second half, as the Lions started taking control of the game, Smith said.

There was more production for the entire team, though, as five players scored at least eight points. Freshman Frank Igbekoyi led the group with 16 points and seven rebounds. However, Argenal’s zero points stuck out: He attempted five shots and had four turnovers.

“It was a bonding experience,” Jones said of the early season trip. “It gives us a lot of different experiences playing in different (arenas).”

The team goes on the road this weekend to face UC San Diego (2-2 overall) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (0-2 overall).

Douglas Benton can be reached at

<a href= “mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected]</a>