CHALLENGING SLATE SHOULD PREPARE SE FOR OVC OPPONENTS

Southeast Missouri State University basketball coach Gary Garner looks at his schedule for the coming season and sees a slate that will sufficiently challenge a squad featuring several key returning players and a load of newcomers.

The 1999-2000 Southeast schedule, which was released Wednesday, features 16 home games, including two exhibition contests.

Southeast, 20-9 last season, will face three games against NCAA Tournament teams and one contest against a squad that participated in the National Invitation Tournament.

"I like our schedule," said Garner. "It's got some very tough teams on it, some games that will be very challenging."

The Indians will host NCAA Tournament teams Arkansas State and Murray State at the Show Me Center. Arkansas State visits Dec. 18 while Murray State comes to town Feb. 12. The Indians will also play at Murray State Jan. 15.

Southeast will play Bradley's NIT squad in Peoria, Ill., Dec. 21.

The Dreambuilders, a team of former collegiate players, will be the first exhibition opponent for the Indians Nov. 6. A foreign team will visit the Show Me Center Nov. 10.

The regular season will begin with three straight home games: against Western Carolina Nov. 19, Rockhurst Nov. 22 and Montana Nov. 27. The other non-conference home game, in addition to Arkansas State, will be Oakland City Dec. 4.

Non-conference road opponents, in addition to Bradley, include Southern Illinois-Carbondale Jan. 2. Southeast will also play in the Montana Coca Cola Classic Dec. 10 and 11. The Indians will meet Montana in the opening round and then either Idaho or Robert Morris the next night.

"Arkansas State, Montana, Bradley, Southern Illinois, those are all very good non-conference opponents," Garner said. "We've got a couple of Division II teams early (Rockhurst, Oakland City), which you need, and Western Carolina is supposed to have a pretty good team.

"Your non-conference schedule is supposed to prepare you for the conference season and I think this will do that. My biggest concern, with so many new players, is not having success early and then not having confidence going into the conference season."

A previously scheduled game with Southwest Missouri State has been moved to the 2000-2001 season because of schedule conflicts.

The Indians, who finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference last season and also made the championship game of the OVC Tournament, begin OVC play Dec. 1 at Tennessee Tech. Southeast's first OVC home game will be Jan. 6 against Tennessee State.

SEMO Basketball

1999-2000 Schedule

(Home games in capital letters)

Nov. 6 -- DREAMBUILDERS (exhibition)

Nov. 10 -- FOREIGN TEAM (exhibition)

Nov. 19 -- WESTERN CAROLINA

Nov. 22 -- ROCKHURST

Nov. 27 -- MONTANA

Dec. 1 -- at Tennessee Tech

Dec. 4 -- OAKLAND CITY

Dec. 10 -- at Montana Tournament

Dec. 11 -- at Montana Tournament

Dec. 18 -- ARKANSAS STATE

Dec. 21 -- at Bradley

Jan. 2 -- at Southern Illinois

Jan. 6 -- TENNESSEE STATE

Jan. 8 -- AUSTIN PEAY

Jan. 10 -- at Middle Tennessee

Jan. 13 -- at Tennessee-Martin

Jan. 15 -- at Murray State

Jan. 18 -- TENNESSEE TECH

Jan. 22 -- EASTERN ILLINOIS

Jan. 27 -- MOREHEAD STATE

Jan. 29 -- EASTERN KENTUCKY

Feb. 3 -- at Tennessee State

Feb. 5 -- at Austin Peay

Feb. 8 -- MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Feb. 10 -- TENNESSEE-MARTIN

Feb. 12 -- MURRAY STATE

Feb. 19 -- at Eastern Illinois

Feb. 24 -- at Morehead State

Feb. 26 -- at Eastern Kentucky

Feb. 29 -- OVC Tournament (first round)

March 4 -- OVC Tournament (semifinals)

March 5 -- OVC Tournament (championship)