LAKE CHARLES – Graduate transfer center Antavion Collum scored a game-high 26 points behind 11 of 14 shooting to lead a 50-point attack in the paint as the McNeese Cowboys won their home opener, 96-55, over the College of Biblical Studies Ambassadors in front of 2,221 fans on Friday evening.
 
The win put the Cowboys at 2-0 on the season, marking the first time since the 2005-06 season to program has won its first two games. They'll be back in action in consecutive nights on Monday (vs. Champion Christian) and Tuesday (vs. LeTourneau) with an opportunity to get to 4-0 for the first time since 1972-73.
 
In addition, Vernon Hamilton, who was the acting head coach on Friday while Will Wade continues to serve his 10-game suspension, picked up his first career win as a head coach.
 
"It's a great feeling," said Hamilton. "Anytime you can go out with the first opportunity you have and to be able to come out and get a win. I was extremely happy with our guys and the way we played tonight. Obviously we can play better. I was not happy with how we played in the first half but in the second half, we made some adjustments. Defensively we were a lot more aggressive and helped us get some turnovers to where we could get out and run in transition."
 
McNeese forced the Ambassadors into 26 turnovers in the contest and scored 30 points off those errors with many of the team's 15 fast break points coming from steals and the transition opportunities.
 
Shadada Wells added 12 points and four assists and Roberts Berze scored 11 points with five rebounds and three steals in just over 18 minutes of play. Javohn Garcia and Cameron Jones each netted 10 points to round out the five double-figure scorers.
 
McNeese swiped the ball 19 times and dished out 22 assists on 39 made baskets. The Cowboys sank 39 of 76 from the field for 52 percent and hit 13 of 31 from long range for 42 percent. They also held a 40-28 advantage on the glass, including a 24-13 margin in offensive rebounds.
 
Corey Nickerson led CBS with 18 points while Jesse White added 14.
 
McNeese led 53-32 at the half and came out in the second half scoring 11 straight points behind a stifling defense that force turnovers in three straight CBS possessions as the lead grew to 27 at 61-34 with 16:10 to play in the game.
 
After the Ambassadors sank a couple of free throws to cut the deficit to 61-36, McNeese rolled off 10 straight points with Collum scoring four and Jones scoring on a 3.
 
Nasir Mann brought the fans to their feet with a fast-break slam midway through the second half and a steal by Berze led to a Collum fast-break layup to build the lead to 88-49 at the 3:58 mark. Berze then hit a 3 to make it 93-53 with just over two minutes to play while Wesley Fields and T'Johnn Brown closed out the scoring with a minute remaining.
 
To go along with his 26 points, Collum added a game-high eight rebounds, three assists and three steals. He did not turn the ball over in 27 minutes of action.