Game Information

Southeast Missouri vs. Truman State

Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m., Show Me Center

Southeast Missouri 	         Exhibition Stats
Probable Starters		  Ppg.	Rpg.
F  23 Drew DeMond, 6-7, So.	  7.5	 8.0
F  34 Matt Morris,  6-2, Sr.	  4.0	 3.5
OR 20 Tim Scheer, 6-7, So.	  6.0	 4.0
C  54 Nyah Jones, 6-11, Sr.	 17.0	 5.5
G  12 Michael Stokes, 6-0, Jr.	  9.0	 7.0
G  03 Amory Sanders, 6-1,  Sr.   20.0	 3.0

Truman State
F  25 Scott Coykendall, 6-4, Jr.  7.0   12.0
F  35 Brian Brown, 6-6, Sr.	  5.0	 9.0
C  52 Adam Glosier, 6-7, So.	  8.0	 4.0
G  03 Mike Peterson, 5-11, Sr.	  6.0	 5.0
G  05 Peter Aydt, 6-1, Jr.        8.0	 0.0

THE TEAMS: Southeast Missouri is the defending regular season and post-season champion in the Ohio Valley Conference and advanced to last year's NCAA Tournament. The Indians were 2-0 in exhibition play with a 106-70 win over Team Reebok and an 85-67 win over Dream Builders. Truman State is a Division II team that plays in the Mid-America Conference. Last season the Bulldogs were 16-11 overall and 9-9 in the MIAA. They are 0-1 in exhibition play this season with a 71-55 loss to UMKC. Former Southeast guard Nathan Owen, a graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School , is a member of the Truman State squad but is doubtful for the game because of a hand injury. Owen played at Southeast during the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. He redshirted at Truman State last season.

THE COACHES: Gary Garner is 58-29 in his fourth season at Southeast and is 305-191 in his 18th season as a collegiate head coach. He is 1-0 vs. Truman State. Jack Schrader is 73-67 in his sixth season at Truman State. He is 0-1 vs. Southeast.

THE SERIES: Southeast leads the series 81-62. The teams both played in the MIAA until Southeast moved to Division I in 1991.

LAST MEETING: Southeast beat the Bulldogs 79-65 in 1997 at the Show Me Center.

SOUTHEAST NOTES

STILL CELEBRATING: Southeast will unfurl OVC Championship and OVC Tournament Championship banners at the Show Me Center prior to the Truman State game. Championship rings will also be presented to the members of last year's team.

SHORT SUSPENDED: Antonio Short has been suspended for the first three games because of a violation of team rules. Short missed the two exhibition games and will miss the regular season opener against Truman State. He has been allowed to practice with the team.

McCUTHISON INJURED: Senior Emmanuel McCuthison suffered a dislocated shoulder in the Dream Builders game. He is doubtful for the season opener. If McCuthison is unable to start against Truman State he will be replaced by sophomore Tim Scheer or senior Matt Morris.

SANDERS OFF TO HOT START: Senior guard Amory Sanders, who is starting in place of suspended Antonio Short, averaged 20 points per game in the two exhibition games. Sanders shot 11-16 (.687) from the field, 7-12 (.583) from three and 11-13 (.846) from the free throw line.

TEAM SHOOTING: In the two exhibition games, the Indians shot 68-122 (.557) from the field, 14-28 (.500) from three and 41-62 (.661) from the line.

JONES PROVIDES INSIDE OFFENSE: Nyah Jones, 6-11 senior center, averaged 17 points per game in the two exhibition games. He connected on 17-23 shots (.739).

DEMOND REBOUNDS: Sophomore Drew DeMond had 13 rebounds against Dream Builders to give him an average of eight boards per game in the exhibition games. He also had three blocks.

STOKES DOES IT ALL: Senior guard Michael Stokes, ranked as the 16th best point guard in the nation by the Sporting News, averaged nine points, seven rebounds and four assists per game in the two exhibition games.

SAGARIN RATINGS: The preseason Sagarin Rating has Southeast ranked 115th nationally and second in the OVC. The Indians have a rating of 76.26. Some of the early Southeast opponents are highly ranked. Southwest Missouri is ranked 47th, Toledo 71st and Southern Illinois 76th. Auburn, a possible Southeast foe in the Energia Thanksgiving Tournament is ranked 26th.

SOUTHEAST PICKED THIRD IN OVC: Southeast has been picked to finish third in the league race in balloting of league coaches and sports information directors. Austin Peay was picked to win the OVC followed by Murray State, Southeast Missouri, Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech.

STOKES PRESEASON ALL-OVC: Senior point guard Michael Stokes was selected first team preseason all-OVC. Ranked as the 16th best point guard in Division I basketball by the Sporting News, Stokes was third team all-OVC and a member of the OVC all-tournament team last season. Antonio Short was selected as honorable mention preseason all-OVC.

AT THE SHOW ME CENTER: Southeast finished last season 14-1 at the Show Me Center and won a Show Me Center record 15 straight games over two seasons before the streak was ended by Murray State. The Indians are 155-45 (.775) since the facility opened in 1987. Southeast averaged a league high 5,066 fans per game last season.

MISSOURI-ROLLA NEXT: The Indians host another former MIAA foe, Missouri-Rolla, on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 7 p.m. The Miners open their season on Saturday, hosting William Penn. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Southeast will compete in the Energia Systems Thanksgiving Tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.