COLLEGE: INDIANS READY FOR FRIENDLY FIRE

There was no Midnight Madness this year, but there should be plenty of afternoon hijinx Saturday at the Show Me Center.

Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball team will have a game-type scrimmage during a program that will also feature the women's basketball team being introduced and various contests, including 3-point shooting competition for both squads and a dunk contest for the men.

The free event will begin at 1 p.m. and the scrimmage should start around 2 p.m.

"We're looking forward to the day," said Southeast men's coach Gary Garner. "It's an opportunity to get people excited about the basketball season and it's an opportunity for us to a game-type scrimmage with officials.

"This comes at a perfect time, after two weeks (of practice). It will be really good for us because we haven't really scrimmaged much yet."

Last season, Southeast's basketball teams held a joint Midnight Madness session at the Show Me Center that coincided with the official start of practice. The opening of practice on Oct. 14 fell during the school's fall break this year, meaning students would not be on campus, so Saturday's event will basically take the place of Midnight Madness.

Saturday's program will feature fan shooting contests, with a chance to win $10,000. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive free T-shirts, posters and other items, and there will be performances by the Southeast cheerleaders and sundancers.

Doors to the Show Me Center will open at 12:30 p.m., with both Southeast teams available to sign autographs at that time. The actual program will begin at 1 p.m. and should end by about 3 p.m., allowing fans to participate in the football tailgating activities that begin three hours prior to the 6 p.m. game against Tennessee-Martin.

Pleased with practice

Garner said he has generally been pleased with the way practice has been going.

"From an effort standpoint, it's as good as we've had," he said. "That has to do with the six seniors. They're really leading with their effort and they're all really looking good."

As is usually the case with his teams, Garner said the defense is way ahead of the offense right now.

"Talk about looking like five cats in a sack," he said with a laugh. "But with our offense, that's the way it is every year."

Morris may be red-shirted

Senior guard Matt Morris, who has been a solid contributor for the Indians during his career despite being a walk-on, had been a possible redshirt candidate this season because the Indians have so many other experienced guards.

But Garner said Morris has been looking so good in practice, he might not be redshirted after all.

"We talked about redshirting Matt and then he could come back and play next year after we lose a lot of our guards," Garner said. "But Matt is doing so well, we're really having second thoughts. The way he's playing, he will see (playing) time. He knows our offense better than anyone."

Power forward struggle

Garner said four of the five starting positions are fairly cut-and-dried, with point guard Michael Stokes, shooting guard Antonio Short, small forward Emmanuel McCuthison and center Nyah Jones all solidly entrenched.

"I'll be surprised if anybody beats out those four," he said.

But the power forward spot is totally up for grabs at this point and Garner said it's likely to remain that way for a while.

Four players are battling at power forward: Sophomores Drew DeMond, Tim Scheer and Daniel Weaver, along with junior Monte Gordon.

DeMond was a key defensive specialist last season; Scheer saw very limited action; Weaver practiced but could not play in games after transferring from Memphis; and Gordon is a junior-college transfer.

"It's wide open and it's going to stay that way for a while," said Garner, who indicated that DeMond has been quite impressive in practice so far, particularly in the area of rebounding.

First exhibitions

The Indians' first exhibition game will be Nov. 4 when Teem Reebok from St. Louis visits the Show Me Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff.

Southeast's other exhibition contest will be Nov. 11, also at home at 7 p.m., against the Dreambuilders.

Southeast's women will have their first of two home exhibition games Nov. 3 when Goldstar from St. Louis comes to town for a 7 p.m. tipoff.