Nutt ready to get first look at Redhawks

Dickey Nutt is looking forward to seeing his inaugural Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team against outside competition for the first time.

Nutt won't have long to wait. The Redhawks host Harris-Stowe State at 7 p.m. today as their two-game exhibition schedule tips off.

The Redhawks entertain Ouachita Baptist on Tuesday before opening the regular season Nov. 14 at Saint Louis University.

"Ready or not, we're playing. ... I think our guys are excited, getting on the floor against somebody else," said Nutt, hired in March to turn around Southeast's floundering program. "Our guys are beating up on each other every day. They're looking forward to getting in game situations.

"We're excited about playing in front of a crowd. Hopefully a lot of people will come out to watch us."

Southeast has had approximately three weeks of practice. Nutt said he's generally been pleased with the progress of his inexperienced squad, which returned just four players and has 11 newcomers.

"They've worked hard. They've done everything we've asked them to do," Nutt said.

Nutt said he plans to play everybody available tonight. A notable exception is top recruit Leon Powell. The junior college transfer forward will redshirt this season due to a knee injury.

"We're going to look at different combinations," Nutt said. "We're still undecided who our starters are. It's still wide open.

"There may be two or three guys who have separated themselves and deserve to start, but it's not who starts, it's who finishes."

While Nutt might not coach an exhibition contest exactly like a regular-season game, he said the primary objective still is to win.

Nutt knows he'll get the best shots of both NAIA Harris-Stowe and Division II Ouachita Baptist as they attempt to upset the Division I Redhawks.

"These games are very important to me, very important to us," Nutt said. "These are games you're expected to win, so that's pressure.

"It's their Super Bowl game. Those guys from a lower division are pumped up to play these games. They feel like they've got something to prove, that they can play at this level."

Nutt said it's important for the Redhawks to get a taste of winning, even if it won't count on their record. They didn't get to experience that much last year, going 3-27 overall and 0-18 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast will carry a 19-game losing streak -- the nation's longest -- into this season.

"We're going to take a look at everybody, no question about that, but believe me we want to win the game first," Nutt said. "We need to learn how to win, think about winning, get a winning taste in our mouths.

"We're going to do what's necessary to win the game."

Nutt said he is certain who three of tonight's starters will be as point guard Anthony Allison and Sam Pearson will man the backcourt while Cameron Butler will be one of the forwards.

Allison and Pearson are junior college transfers, with Pearson playing his freshman season at OVC member Tennessee-Martin. Butler played two years at Division II Southern Arkansas.

Nutt hinted that there was a strong possibility the remaining starters tonight will be freshman guard Marland Smith and senior center Israel Kirk, among the four returning players.

Nutt hopes returning senior forward LaMont Russell and freshman point guard Lucas Nutt, who have missed considerable recent practice time due to back problems, can play tonight.

Harris-Stowe, located in St. Louis, went 8-22 last season and tied for last place in the American Midwest Conference at 2-12.

The Hornets, 1-1 so far this season, feature the reigning AMC freshman of the year in 6-foot-2 sophomore guard Terry Hollins. He averaged 12.4 points per game last season.