Indians hope to avoid a big upset

Central Methodist College coach Jeff Sherman says his team is capable of challenging for a conference title and playing well in the NAIA Division II national tournament.

Even so, Sherman knows the chances of the Runnin' Eagles from Fayette, Mo., upsetting Southeast Missouri State University tonight are slim -- not that they won't try to pull off the shocker, however.

The Indians (0-1) and Eagles (5-0) square off in a 7 p.m. tipoff at the Show Me Center as Southeast tries to bounce back from Friday's season-opening 83-71 loss at Arkansas State.

"You always have that thought that an upset can happen," Sherman said. "Realistically, I'm not approaching it that way. The odds are so slim. We don't have any pressure on us about winning or losing.

"But the experience we're going to give these players, how they react to certain things. When it's all said and done, if we can compete and make it a ballgame, we'll come home feeling pretty good about ourselves, even if it's a loss."

Sherman already feels better about his squad this year than he did most of last season. The traditionally potent Eagles slumped to 18-18 last year and it took a strong finish in the Heart of America Conference Tournament just to avoid their first losing season since 1995.

The Eagles, who posted back-to-back 20-win seasons before slumping a year ago, advanced to the title game of the Heart of America Conference Tournament, losing to eventual national champion Evangel.

Every starter returns

With every starter -- all of them seniors -- returning from last year, Sherman said the Eagles have carried that strong finish into this season. They are picked to finish third in the 11-team Heart of America Conference -- behind two teams ranked in the top 10 nationally -- and are the preseason No. 25 squad in NAIA Division II.

"We hope the way last year ended carries over to this year. These guys have made a commitment to pick up from last year," Sherman said. "We have expectations. When you start five seniors, you have to think good things are in store."

The Eagles' top players are 6-foot point guard Zach Towe, 6-6 swingman Eric Kleffner and 6-11, 250-pound center Justin Cornell.

Towe, who has started every game since he enrolled at CMC, was fourth in the nation in assists last year. So far this season, he is averaging more than 12 points and seven assists.

Kleffner, an All-American last year when he averaged 18 points, averages better than 14 points this season on a more balanced team.

Cornell, who Sherman said is a mobile big man, averages more than 14 points and nearly 10 rebounds while shooting nearly 70 percent from the field.

"We have size, we have good guards, we have a little bit of depth to probably eight or nine players, and for our level I think that's very good," Sherman said. "But this is not a very athletic group. I've had more athletic groups. None of these players has transferred in from bigger schools like I've had in years past."

Added a laughing Sherman, "These are good small-college players, which means we might get drilled by Southeast, but I think we'll have a good year."

The Eagles played at the Show Me Center in each of Gary Garner's first two seasons at Southeast, losing 94-78 in 1997-98 and 84-65 in 1998-99 in what were mostly competitive games.

"The last two times, we actually played two very good first halves both games," Sherman said. "But they took over in the second half both times."

Even if the Eagles again lose tonight, Sherman said he likes the idea of playing a Division I team and enjoys coming to Cape Girardeau.

"I'm sure a lot of our kids had dreams of playing Division I, and I think they enjoy seeing how they measure up," Sherman said. "I'm no different. I love it in front of 3,000, 4,000 fans. We play some games in front of only a few fans.

"I hope we can give them a good basketball game and when it's over, Gary comes to me and says, 'You know, that helped us.' "

Garner hopes that's all he says to Sherman tonight -- and not something in the line of 'congratulations.' The Indians' coach is wary of the Eagles, not only because they are a solid squad on their level but also because he knows how excited teams are when they move up to face a Division I opponent.

"I was a Division II coach for a long time and I know how big a game it is for them, and how it's sometimes hard for a Division I team to take a lower division team seriously," Garner said. "I know we'll have to take this team seriously because they can play."

It would be difficult if the Indians to go into an 0-2 hole heading into the University Hoops Classic in New Orleans later in the week, which places added importance on the contest.

"After losing our opener, we really need a win, I don't care who we're playing," Garner said. "It's a really big game for us."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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