The Cowboys will host the College of Biblical Studies Thursday night in what they hope is a get-right game.

After losing the opener Monday to South Dakota State 80-73, McNeese State will host the non-Division I Ambassadors (0-1) in the Legacy Center. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. after the women’s game.

“We are excited about the home opener and to play in front of our fans,” said McNeese head coach Will Wade, who is in his second season with the Cowboys.

Biblical Studies comes into the game after dropping its opener as well. The Ambassadors fell to Prairie View 111-90.

Jay Washington and Scott Marquice each scored 20 points to lead CBS, which hit nine of its 24 3-point attempts.

The Cowboys will look for a much better performance than they had against the Jackrabbits. They have won 18 straight games on their home floor.

“If we don’t play any harder than we did the other night, there won’t be an easy game on the schedule,” said Wade. “We did not play hard enough. We got what we deserved.

“We have been practicing like this for the last two weeks. We are past the state of urgency, it’s now more like desperation.”

Alyn Breed led McNeese with 18 points while Javhon Garcia added 15 and Christian Shumate tossed in 11. However, the Cowboys struggled shooting, hitting just 39 percent from the field and only 27% from long range. 

They had trouble finishing from in close over 6-foo-11, 260-pound Jackrabbit center Oscar Cluff.

“We have got to be able to finish at the rim,” said Wade. “How hard we played is not where we need to be. Our attention to detail is not where it needs to be.”

McNeese was outrebounded 43-29.

“We have to learn from that game and move forward,” said Wade.

The Cowboys will likely continue to tinker with their rotations and combinations against Biblical Studies in hopes of getting better execution on offense and defense. Wade would like to see his team not only play harder but better.

“I didn’t like anything about our halfcourt offense,” said Wade. “We looked like a summer camp team in the halfcourt.”

After CBS the Cowboys will step way up in competition when they travel to Alabama to take on the second-ranked Crimson Tide next Monday.