Mizzou debuts tonight in CBE Classic

~ Tigers will open their regular season against Central Michigan.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri used two different starting lineups in its exhibition games, and coach Mike Anderson could add a third tonight in the season opener.

The Tigers, 18-12 last season, play Central Michigan in the first round of the CBE Classic.

"With me, you never know," Anderson said. "I think you start seeing now some of the core guys. That's the most important thing."

Against Missouri Western last week, the starting five consisted of forwards DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence, and guards Jason Horton and Stefhon Hannah. In the Tigers' first exhibition game, it was Carroll, Matt Lawrence, Marshall Brown and guards Keon Lawrence and J.T. Tiller.

"He's said he's got nine starters," Carroll said. "You've just got to take his word that he's got nine starters. Anybody can start on any given night."

Carroll, a transfer from Vanderbilt who is Anderson's nephew, was named preseason Big 12 newcomer of the year. Hannah was last season's conference newcomer of the year.

After that, Anderson has plenty of options.

Brown, a senior, started 29 games last season, while Matt Lawrence started 30 and averaged 11.7 points. The dismissal of forward Kalen Grimes over the summer made Leo Lyons the team's leading returning rebounder at 4.3 per game.

Keon Lawrence averaged 10.7 points during Big 12 play as a freshman. Against Missouri Western, he scored 15 points coming off the bench and had a team-high nine assists and nine rebounds.

"It shows the depth of our team," Lyons said. "We've got a lot of guys that can start at any given time.

"Everybody is going to go out there and play hard, everybody knows the system."

A win over Central Michigan, picked to finish third in the Mid-American Conference West division after going 13-18 last season, would set up a game Tuesday night against Division II Central Missouri State or Fordham.

If Missouri wins both games, it will play Nov. 19 against the winner of the CBE Classic East Lansing, Mich., regional.