By ARNE GREEN

Salina Journal

MANHATTAN -- Their exhibition game last Sunday against Pittsburg State served as a dress rehearsal.

The Kansas State Wildcats start playing for keeps at 7 tonight when Loyola Chicago visits Bramlage Coliseum for the season opener.

But third-year coach Frank Martin is looking for much the same out of the first two regular-season games -- the Wildcats also play Western Illinois at home Sunday -- as he did in the 89-53 exhibition rout.

"Growth," said Martin, who must integrate junior transfer Curtis Kelly and five freshmen into a veteran group that includes four starters from a year ago. "We've got some parts.

"There's times that I think we've got a chance and there's times that I sit around and wonder if we can beat anybody.

"They're a fun group and they're committed to growing. That's what we're looked for (against Pitt State) -- growth -- and to see those parts come closer together."

The two early home games offer a chance to fine tune before the Wildcats head to Puerto Rico next Thursday for the Puerto Rico Tipoff. There they will face Boston University, then either Indiana or Mississippi in the first two rounds before finishing either against Dayton, George Mason, Georgia Tech or Villanova.

"We're going to go to Puerto Rico and compete our rear ends off," Martin said. "I don't think we're ready to go in and play the big boys -- nowhere near ready.

"We've got to grow up a lot and be a lot more disciplined over the next week to give ourselves a chance to find success in Puerto Rico."

The Wildcats showed flashes against Pittsburg State with a revolving-door lineup that saw eight different players log at least 11 minutes. Junior guard Jacob Pullen scored 17 points and sophomore forward Jamar Samuels 16 to lead the way, with senior Denis Clemente adding 14.

Freshman post Jordan Henriquez had six rebounds and six blocked shots starting in the place of injured Luis Colon, and Kelly notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Prize freshman Wally Judge played 23 minutes off the bench and had eight points and 10 rebounds.

The Wildcats' depth should be a positive this season, according to Pullen.

"Last year, I think we kind of burned ourselves out because we didn't have enough depth," he said. "Those games me and Denis were playing 38, Jamar was playing 30 and Dom (Dominique Sutton), we were playing a lot of minutes between seven or eight players.

"This year if we can keep our minutes down to 20, 23 minutes, and separate some minutes and get quality minutes from other players that can help us make a deep (postseason) run."

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