Box Score SAN ANTONIO – The senior-laden Bethune-Cookman University men's basketball team established its identity with three weekend victories in the Alamo City.
 
The Wildcats improved to 5-2 with victories over host University of the Incarnate Word, Eastern Illinois, and St. Francis (Illinois) in the UIW Invitational presented by Denny's, Nov. 22-24.
 
None of the victories were exactly pretty, and the Wildcats' shooting – particularly from 3-point range – left much room for improvement. Yet, the Wildcats encouraged BCU third-year coach Ryan Ridder by playing hard-nosed defense, attacking the glass at both ends, sticking to their roles, and exhibiting the discipline and leadership qualities he expects of six seniors primarily meshing with three freshmen.
 
"The biggest thing is we got better this weekend," Ridder said. "Obviously it helps on the scoreboard to go three and O, but we found out what our identity is, and that's what we've been searching for since the first part of the season. I think our guys are committed to who we want to be.
 
"I was just proud of our guys, whatever the scores were, we found a way to come in and go 3-0. I think any time in the country would sign up for that."
 
Two of the Wildcats six seniors agreed with Ridder's assessment.
 
"Coming to Texas, yeah, we found our identity," Cletrell Pope said. "Once we put everything into action, and knowing everybody's got everybody's back, then we just rocked from there."
 
"If we play tough defense, the offense is going to come," added Houston Smith, already comfortable with his sixth-man role. "This feels good because I've been through the ups and downs. My first year here we only won nine games and that was kind of depressing."
 
Smith had his work cut out Sunday when he came off the bench to help rescue the Wildcats from the wrong end of early 12-2 and 22-5 deficits against St. Francis.  
 
"Just be aggressive, drive to the basket, and make plays for others," Smith said of his resolve that helped the Wildcats claw their way to a 27-26 lead on a fast-break layup by Isaiah Bailey. "It's a good approach to the game. If you be aggressive, then everything else will work out for itself."
 
The Saints led 37-34 at intermission, but the second half seemed like a different ballgame as the Wildcats won their fourth in a row, 74-70.
 
Pope, voted the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's Preseason Player of the Year, finished with 22 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocked shots. Bailey had 22 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
 
"In the second half, I thought Cletrell Pope and Isaiah Bailey just completely took over, scored at will at the rim or the free-throw line," Ridder said.
 
"We've got a lot of experience, so we already know what's going to go on," Smith said. "Like today, we went down, but we already knew we had to turn it up. We've been through a lot, and we trust each other while we're on the court."
 
That kind of trust is contagious.
 
"We knew that we were going to win, already," Smith said. "It was just a matter of time before we came back."
 
Come Sunday, the Wildcats will be back on the court against Georgia Tech, an opponent of another mythical level.
 
"We just have to have a good mental approach and a good week of practice, and we'll be ready to play," Smith said. "We can play with anybody. We really can if we put our minds to it."
 
Pope echoed that sentiment.
 
"That puts it back on the five senior starters," he said. "We've been through that situation already. We know how it's played."
 
During the week, the team will practice Tuesday and Wednesday, get Thanksgiving Day off, return to practice Friday and Saturday, then ride the bus to Atlanta to meet the Yellow Jackets for the second time in three years.