Redhawks ready for an unfamiliar foe

~ Southeast faces Lincoln in its exhibition opener tonight.

After nearly three weeks of practice, Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Scott Edgar figures it's time to see his team against outside competition.

Edgar will get that chance tonight as the Redhawks play their first of two exhibition games, facing Division II Lincoln University at 7:30 p.m. at the Show Me Center.

Saturday, Division II Missouri-Rolla visits for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

"Our guys are tired of playing each other," Edgar said. "We're looking to play somebody else."

Southeast returns four starters from Edgar's debut season last year that featured an 11-20 record and a 9-11 Ohio Valley Conference mark.

But two of those starters might not see the court tonight.

Senior center Mike Rembert, who averaged 9.9 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds per game last year, continues to recover from knee surgery.

Rembert is making solid progress, but Edgar wants to bring him along slowly and has ruled him out for tonight, and likely Saturday too.

Senior forward Brandon Foust, who averaged a team-high 12.1 points per game last season, is in the process of working himself back into Edgar's good graces following an altercation in a campus dormitory that led to his temporary suspension from the university.

Edgar would not say if Foust will see action tonight.

In addition to Rembert not yet returning to full-contact workouts, and Foust practicing on-and-off, several other Southeast players have been limited by injuries.

Senior swingman David Johnson, Southeast's No. 2 scorer last year at 10.2 points per game, has been bothered by a thumb problem but is scheduled to start tonight.

Junior college transfer point guard Hank Harris, slated to back up returning sophomore starter Roderick Pearson, is suffering from shin splints and is questionable for tonight.

Also, sophomore forward Jajuan Maxwell, who made three starts last year, is almost certain to be redshirted this season after recently undergoing a second knee surgery.

"Some days I've been out there without any seniors," said Edgar, whose only three seniors are Rembert, Foust and Johnson. "It has given an opportunity to a lot of younger guys.

"We've done a lot in the preseason. I think we've had a lot of good spots. I think everybody has had their moments."

Edgar said he will treat the exhibition games as most coaches do, trying to get everybody action, but also looking to win.

"I think winning is very important. That's why you play," Edgar said. "As we try to rebuild this basketball program, every win we can get should build confidence."

Added Edgar, whose squad was only 5-8 at home last season: "We want to start building Show Me Center dominance. These two games can get us off to a good start."

Slated to start tonight, along with Johnson and Pearson, are sophomore swingman Johnny Hill, sophomore guard Marcus Rhodes and freshman center Will Bogan from Bell City.

Rhodes made nine starts last year while Hill made one start.

Among the players figuring to see early action is sophomore forward Calvin Williams, a touted Colorado transfer who will likely be in the starting lineup once the regular season begins Nov. 10 at Xavier.

Lincoln went 7-19 last year, while Missouri-Rolla was 7-20.