Indians add Hogs, OVC foes

Thirteen home games, along with road tests at Arkansas and DePaul, highlight Southeast Missouri State University's 2003-2004 men's basketball schedule announced Thursday.

The Indians have non-conference home dates against Wisconsin-Green Bay, Missouri-Kansas City and North Texas, in addition to home games against Division II teams Kentucky Christian and Oakland City.

Other non-conference road games are against Southern Illinois, IUPU-Fort Wayne and two opponents in the Montana Tournament, which opens with a contest against St. Mary's of California. Other squads in the tournament are Montana and California-Santa Barbara.

With the Ohio Valley Conference expanding to 11 teams this season -- Alabama schools Samford and Jacksonville State join the league -- OVC members will no longer play everybody twice.

OVC squads will continue with 16 league games this season. Southeast will play Murray State, Tennessee-Martin, Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech home and away. Other OVC home games are against Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State, while the Indians play at Samford and Jacksonville State.

"It's a tough schedule, but you've never heard a coach say his schedule is not tough," Southeast coach Gary Garner said, laughing. "But I think it's really a good schedule for us. There are several really tough non-conference teams like Arkansas, DePaul, SIU. Montana and Wisconsin-Green Bay should be good, then you've got North Texas and UMKC who are supposed to have good teams."

The addition to the OVC of traditionally strong Samford and Jacksonville State, which is coming off a strong season, adds spice to the conference schedule.

"They both have good programs, which should make the league even tougher," Garner said.

Games against Arkansas and DePaul -- the latter on New Year's Eve -- will net the Southeast athletic department $90,000, minus expenses, because those major-level programs each pay mid-major Southeast $45,000 to play on their campus.

"In tough budget times like this, it's something we can do to help out our athletic department," Garner said. "One of the reasons we're playing those two teams is they're within busing distance, which cuts down on expenses."

In addition to 13 regular-season home games and 14 road contests, Southeast will host exhibition games Nov. 6 against Truman State and No. 12 against Missouri-Rolla. The regular season tips off Nov. 21 against Wisconsin-Green Bay.

After hosting Kentucky Christian Nov. 24, the Indians hit the road for the first time when they compete in the Montana Tournament Nov. 29 and 30. The OVC schedule opens Jan. 8 at home against Austin Peay.

"I think it's a schedule the fans will enjoy, and it's a schedule that should really challenge our team," Garner said.

The Indians are coming off an 11-19 season that saw them tie for seventh out of nine OVC teams. But six newcomers along with five returning starters spark hope for a turnaround.

"We should be a much improved basketball team," Garner said.

mmishow@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 132