Indians' wish - A win against Mean Green before break

For Southeast Missouri State University's Indians to have a truly merry Christmas, they know what must happen tonight.

"We don't want to go into the Christmas break with a loss," junior guard Derek Winans said.

That means the Indians (5-3) need to beat North Texas (4-4) in tonight's 7:30 p.m. game at the Show Me Center. It will be the first-ever meeting between the squads.

"This game is really important," said Southeast coach Gary Garner, whose players will be allowed to go home for Christmas after the game and won't be due back until practice Friday. "We want to go home for Christmas on a high note, really feeling good about ourselves."

Garner doesn't expect an easy time against a North Texas squad that went 7-21 last year but looks improved this season.

In fact, Garner believes the Mean Green from Denton, Texas, will be one of the most athletic teams the Indians face this season.

"They're scary when you watch them on tape. They might be more athletic than Arkansas," said Garner, whose squad lost to the Razorbacks 78-68 on Dec. 9. "They're very quick, they've got five or six guys across the front that are big and they play a lot of people. They play 10 or 11 guys and just run them in and out, which is pretty unusual."

Ten North Texas players are averaging at least 15 minutes per game and nine are averaging at least five points a contest.

The Mean Green's top talent appears to be 6-foot-9, 250-pound senior center Shawnson Johnson, an LSU transfer who has played in just three games after becoming eligible at the end of the fall semester.

Johnson played in three games for LSU early last season before transferring, averaging five points and seven rebounds. Before attending LSU, he was ranked among the nation's top 10 junior college players.

In his three games with North Texas, Johnson is averaging 14.3 points and nine rebounds. He struggled in his first outing after becoming eligible but scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds during Thursday's 87-81 overtime victory over Texas-Pan American. He had 20 points and 11 rebounds during Saturday's 81-62 loss at St. Bonaventure in a game the Mean Green led by one point at halftime.

"He looks like a really good player," Garner said. "I'm sure we'll have our hands full with him."

Leonard Hopkins, a 6-3 junior guard, is averaging 10 points per game, while 6-8 senior forward Michael DeGrate is just outside double figures at 9.3 points a contest.

"When a team has that many athletes, it's really important we execute well and take care of the basketball," Garner said. "I expect a really tough game."

But Garner figures the Indians, who after tonight will be off until a Dec. 31 game at DePaul, better prevail if he wants to fully enjoy Christmas.

"A win is the best Christmas present I could have," he said.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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