A BUNCHE OF HELP: INDIAN CENTER FINDS VARIETY OF WAYS TO BOLSTER TEAM

It's likely that very few college basketball players across the country who average less than five points per game are more valuable to their teams than Southeast Missouri State University center Brian Bunche.

To gauge just how much Bunche means to the Indians -- who are off to by far their best-ever Division I start at 13-3 -- you have to look well past his offensive production.

You have to look at his rebounding average of 6.8 per game, which ranks in the top 10 in the Ohio Valley Conference.

You have to look at his 12 blocked shots, which also rank among the OVC's top 10, and his rugged overall defense.

You have to look at the way he routinely sacrifices his big body as he throws himself all over the court in search of loose balls.

And you have to look at the seemingly unlimited energy he brings to the Indians.

"I just like to do whatever it takes to help us win," said the outgoing Bunche, who always seems to be wearing a smile.

Bunche had a typical low-profile performance Tuesday night, when the Indians improved their first-place OVC record to 6-1 by beating Tennessee Tech 61-50.

According to the box score, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound senior did not make much of an impact, scoring four points (he averages 4.8), grabbing three rebounds and recording two assists.

But look at all the `other' things Bunche did. He helped out on defense, making it extremely tough for Tennessee Tech to score inside. He blocked out under the boards. And he totally disregarded his muscular body as he charged headfirst into a pair of media tables scrambling for loose balls, flying clear over one of them and landing on a hard surface.

As is usually the case whenever he goes airborne and doesn't know where he'll land, Bunche gets back to his feet almost immediately, seemingly none the worse for wear.

"I don't think you can hurt Brian," said Southeast coach Gary Garner with a laugh. "He is just so tough. I mean tough."

It is this type of play that has helped make Bunche a crowd favorite at the Show Me Center. He started to become one last year, when he displayed all kinds of energy in backing up OVC Player of the Year Bud Eley.

But this season, as a starter, Bunche has taken his popularity to another level.

"I think the fans really appreciate the way Brian plays, the way he just plays so hard and hustles all the time," Garner said.

And Garner certainly appreciates that style of play as well. He believes every successful team needs somebody like Bunche, a guy who does all the dirty work and could care less if he never even scores a point.

"Brian's value to us goes way beyond his scoring," Garner said. "I don't think he even cares if he scores. He's really an unselfish player, and he plays such good defense. Not blocking shots, but coming off his man to help out. He changes so many shots."

Bunche, a native of Little Rock, Ark., who played two years of junior-college basketball at Southwest Missouri-West Plains, admits that he enjoys the role he has settled into for the Indians.

"Before the season, coach told me what I could do to really help the team," Bunche said. "He told me I could rebound, play defense, all the little things. He said I could be like our Dennis Rodman."

While Bunche hasn't colored his hair like Rodman at least not yet nor thrown any tantrums, he has played something like the former NBA wild man in as much as he relishes rebounding and defense.

And he has teamed with 6-11 juco transfer Nyah Jones, who averages nearly seven points per game and also ranks in the OVC's top 10 in blocked shots with 11, to form a competent replacement in the middle for the dominant Eley.

"Bud was such a dominating player for our league and you never really replace somebody like that, but I think Brian has done well and Nyah is coming on," said Garner.

INDIAN NOTES: Although he hasn't seen that much action, redshirt freshman forward Drew DeMond has turned into a valuable defensive specialist for Southeast.

DeMond played eight first-half minutes Tuesday after Roderick Johnson got into early foul trouble and he recorded his 12th blocked shot of the season, tied for second on the team with Bunche.

"Drew has come in at times and really helped out," Garner said. "He can play defense and rebound."...

Southeast entered Tuesday's game shooting 67 percent from the free-throw line, but the Indians sizzled with a 14-for-15 performance against the Eagles. That computes to 93 percent...

The Indians will face another OVC contender Saturday night when Eastern Illinois visits the Show Me Center for a 7:30 tipoff. The Panthers, who beat Middle Tennessee 69-63 Tuesday, are 4-3 in the league ...