Redhawks open season at New Mexico

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team begins a rugged early schedule tonight at the University of New Mexico.

While acting coach Zac Roman knows the Redhawks face difficult challenges, he also believes playing tough competition will make them better in the long run.

After opening at New Mexico of the Mountain West Conference, the Redhawks continue on the road Sunday to face Kansas State of the Big 12 Conference in a contest that is part of the Las Vegas Invitational.

Southeast plays its first home game Nov. 21 against NAIA Culver-Stockton, then has three consecutive tests away from the Show Me Center beginning at Iowa of the Big 10 Conference that is also part of the Las Vegas Invitational.

"I don't see how it can't be good for our team going against bigger, stronger athletes," Roman said. "It's going to get our guys ready for the OVC. That's what we want."

Roman thinks Southeast's season-opening opponent might be the best squad Southeast faces all year.

New Mexico went 24-9 in Steve Alford's first year as coach to tie the school record for regular-season wins. The Lobos finished a third-place 11-5 in the Mountain West and earned an NIT berth.

"They're strong, big, physical, fast," Roman said. "They put pressure on you defensively and offensively."

New Mexico lost its top player from last year in J.R. Giddens, a first-round NBA draft choice who led the Lobos with averages of 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

But the Lobos have four returning starters and welcome the services of one of their top players from two years ago.

Tony Dandridge, a 6-foot-5 senior wing who missed all of last season with a knee injury, was third-team all-Mountain West in 2006-07 when he averaged 12.5 points.

Chad Toppert, a 6-7 senior guard, averaged 10.3 points last year while shooting 48 percent from 3-point range. He is New Mexico's all-time leader in 3-point shooting at 45.7 percent.

The Lobos have plenty of size, with 6-9, 235-pound senior Daniel Faris their top returning big man. He averaged 9.2 points and 4.5 rebounds.

"They're a really good team and it will be a big challenge, but I think we'll step up to the challenge," Roman said.

Sunday's opponent, Kansas State, is coming off a 21-12 season that featured a third-place Big 12 mark of 10-6 and an NCAA tournament berth.

The Wildcats lost their top two players to the NBA, including No. 2 overall draft pick Michael Beasley -- he and Bill Walker combined to average 42.3 points and 18.7 rebounds -- but still should be formidable.

"All Big 12 teams are going to be tough," Roman said.

With the suspension of junior forward Calvin Williams -- at 6-9 Southeast's tallest player -- for the first two games, the Redhawks' already-thin roster will have only eight available scholarship players.

Roman said he will use the same starting lineup tonight that took the floor for Southeast's two exhibition games.

Sophomore Jajuan Maxwell, junior Johnny Hill and junior college transfer LaMont Russell will start up front.

Juco transfer Bijon Jones will man the point, while senior Kenard Moore also will start in the backcourt.

Senior forward Jaycen Herring, who led Southeast in scoring last year, will again come off the bench, which is the role he played most of last year.

Maxwell, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, averaged 17.5 points and 13 rebounds during Southeast's two exhibition games.

Moore, Southeast's No. 2 returning scorer from a year ago, led the Redhawks in the exhibition season with a 22.5 point average.

Herring (17 ppg) and Hill (11 ppg) also averaged in double figures during exhibition play, while Jones proved solid in running the offense with 13 assists against four turnovers.

Southeast's other available scholarship players for the first two games are juco transfer forward Israel Kirk and junior guard Jimmy Drew.

Without Williams, Kirk is Southeast's tallest player at 6-7.

Southeast has never played either New Mexico or Kansas State.