Redhawks men's team has two contests on tap

The games won't count on the record, but Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Scott Edgar is still anxious about seeing his team go up against outside competition for the first time.

Edgar will get that chance Thursday and Friday as the Redhawks have both their exhibition games on consecutive nights.

Southeast plays Division III Westminster on Thursday and perennial Division II power Kentucky Wesleyan on Friday. Both tipoffs will be 7:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center.

"Like all teams, we're tired of playing each other and it's time to play somebody else," Edgar said. "I'm anxious. I'm looking forward to us playing somebody else.

"Practicing is one thing and practicing with officials is another thing. Now the next step is playing another opponent with fans in the stands. It's time to see what our combinations will look like."

Edgar, who took over Southeast's program following last year's 7-20 record and 10th-place Ohio Valley Conference finish, has generally liked what he's seen from the Redhawks through practice and several game-type scrimmages.

"What has pleased me the most has been their attitudes, their commitment to one another," Edgar said. "I'm really happy with this basketball team, but I don't think they've started to scratch the surface."

Edgar said he plans for all 12 of his healthy players to see action tonight, with only senior center Tyrell White not taking the court. White suffered a stress fracture during the first practice and is still a few weeks away from returning.

"The most important objective in exhibition games is to win, but also to look at as many combinations as possible," Edgar said. "I have to develop my roster.

"I've always played a lot of people early in the season to develop depth. It's hard to play the way we play [up tempo] with seven or eight players."

Edgar said he really doesn't have a set starting lineup right now, although junior forward Brandon Foust, junior center Mike Rembert, senior guard Terrick Willoughby, junior point guard Paul Paradoski and junior swingman David Johnson tentatively are scheduled to be in Thursday's game at the outset.

Willoughby and Paradoski are the Redhawks' only returning starters. Foust and Rembert are transfers who practiced with the team last year, while Johnson missed all but three games with an injury.

Rembert has been nursing a slight hamstring injury that forced him to miss a scrimmage on Saturday, while Foust has been battling knee tendinitis, but Edgar expects both to be fine.

Freshman guards Johnny Hill and Roderick Pearson should be among those seeing early action. Hill has particularly impressed with his 3-point shooting during scrimmages.

"He's shot very well in our intrasquad games," Edgar said.

Westminster, located in Fulton, Mo., went 13-13 last year. The Blue Jays are coached by Matt Mitchell, who played at Arkansas when Edgar was an assistant there in the 1980s.

"I haven't seen him in quite some time. It will be good to see him," Edgar said. "He thinks he'll have a pretty good ballclub."

Kentucky Wesleyan went just 9-17 last season while on NCAA probation, but the Panthers have been among the nation's elite Division II programs over the years. They feature several Division I transfers.

"They have so many Division II titles and final fours beside their name," Edgar said.

Edgar believes the Redhawks will have to brace for both teams' best shots.

"I think every player coming down here is wishing they were wearing a Division I uniform," Edgar said. "They're going to come down here trying to win. In some ways you could say these are their Super Bowls."

Southeast opens the regular season Nov. 10 at Arkansas.