After an exciting home win over Oakwood College Saturday, the Loyola men’s basketball team lost a tough game on Monday at Houston Baptist University, ranked 11th in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

“The first night (vs. Oakwood, a National Christian College Athletic Association team), four guys scored in double figures,” coach Jerry Hernandez said. “We have the capability of any guy being the leading scorer on a given night.”

Last year Chad Barnes, who transferred to the University of New Orleans, averaged 22 points per game. Marketing junior Matt Truax was next with nine; he is expected to undergo season-ending knee surgery today.

Barnes started all but two games last season, and Truax started all but three.

“It’s caused a real shakeup in roles on the team,” Hernandez said. “Players have to be really unselfish, which is actually good.”

On Saturday, Oakwood led at the half, 34-32.

“We knew the strength of their two guards was to penetrate and kick out to guys for open looks,” Hernandez said. “We didn’t allow that in the second half.”

Loyola outscored the Ambassadors 46-32 in the second half to win 78-66.

“Our offense was a lot more patient, resulting in this case in more points,” Hernandez said.

Loyola shot 59 percent in the second half and held Oakwood to 35 percent.

History senior Dawson McCall went five of six from the field and led the team with 16 points.

Jonathan Hernandez, English writing senior, added 14 points and led the game with four assists.

Economics senior Mike Senna led the game with 10 rebounds.

Zach Tyson, management junior, scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

In Monday’s game, Hernandez scored 32 points, making eight of 11 field goals, six of seven three-point attempts, and 10 of 11 free throws. He led all scorers, and he dished out four assists.

With business sophomore James Bunn at point guard, Hernandez may be a more significant offensive presence this season.

According to Coach Hernandez, Bunn “had two pretty decent games.”

The Huskies led at the half, 43-39, and the ‘Pack kept up until there were fewer than four minutes left in the game.

Houston Baptist proved too strong and went on a 14-5 run to close out the game.

The Wolfpack shot only 34 percent from the field in the second half, compared to 52 percent in the first half.

Both games are improvements over last season, when Loyola beat Oakwood by one point and lost to Houston Baptist by 16.

“To give ourselves a chance to win (at Houston Baptist) is a really good effort,” Coach Hernandez said. “No question depth had something to do with [losing].”

McCall led the ‘Pack with eight rebounds and was second with 15 points.

The Wolfpack was scheduled to play 12th-ranked Faulkner in Montgomery, Ala., yesterday. The team then travels to Pensacola Christian College tomorrow.

Loyola has also scheduled seven National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams.

“I don’t think there’s an NAIA school in the country with a schedule as hard as ours,” Coach Hernandez said. “It’s not even close.”

The ‘Pack will not play in New Orleans again until it plays at Tulane on Nov. 30.