Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Nutt to visit his former stomping ground

Southeast Missouri State men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt has not beaten his former team since taking over in Cape Girardeau.

Nutt hopes the third time proves to be the charm when the Redhawks (3-3) and Arkansas State (1-4) square off at 7:05 p.m. today in Jonesboro, Ark.

The contest will mark Nutt's first visit to the Convocation Center since leaving ASU, although he downplays the significance.

"I know people are going to make a lot out of it. I know a couple of my players have already mentioned it," Nutt said. "But it's just another game to me that we're trying to win. They're just another opponent."

Nutt spent more than two decades in Jonesboro, first serving eight years as an ASU assistant and then nearly 13 seasons as coach.

Nutt, 189-187 at ASU, is the second-winningest coach in school history and led the program to its only NCAA Division I tournament berth along with three Sun Belt Conference titles. He was dismissed late during the 2007-08 campaign, did not coach the following year and then was hired at Southeast.

"I'm sure that when we walk in there it will bring back a lot of memories. I spent a lot of time there. We had some good years, some good times," said Nutt, who along with his wife Cathy raised their three children in Jonesboro. "But at the end of the day, I have a new family, a new program. I'm very thankful to be coaching at a great institution like Southeast Missouri State.

"My phone's been ringing off the hook from friends who are going to be there. It will be good to see them. But at the end of the day we're trying to win a game."

The Redhawks and Red Wolves have squared off during each of Nutt's first two years at Southeast, both meetings in Cape Girardeau. ASU won 73-49 two years ago and 56-50 last season.

Southeast had a prime opportunity to win last year's matchup, leading 50-49 with less than two minutes left, before ASU scored the game's final seven points.

"He coached there. We haven't beaten them yet," Southeast senior guard Marcus Brister said. "We owe them."

ASU went 17-15 overall and 11-5 in the Sun Belt Conference to capture a share of the West Division title last season under fourth-year coach John Brady,

The Red Wolves, preseason favorites in the Sun Belt West, have posted their lone win to date over the Ohio Valley Conference's Tennessee-Martin 63-45.

Losses have come to Missouri State 77-46, at Lamar 65-62, at Ohio 69-54 and at sixth-ranked Louisville 54-27.

ASU has struggled to score, averaging just 50.4 points per game while shooting 36.2 percent from the field. The Red Wolves are allowing 62 points a contest.

Trey Finn, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, is ASU's leading scorer and rebounder with averages of 12 points and 6.4 boards. Finn, the last remaining ASU player recruited by Nutt, is shooting 45 percent from 3-point range (9 of 20).

Brandon Peterson, a 6-7 junior forward, is ASU's other double-figure scorer at 10 points per game.

"They're a good team. Their preseason [conference] pick speaks for itself," Nutt said. "They've played some tough opponents. A lot of people would be 1-4 against that schedule. We'll have our hands full."

Nutt hopes the Redhawks can follow up on Saturday's 64-57 win over a strong Miami of Ohio squad.

"We needed a game like that, to beat a good team from a good conference," Nutt said. "Hopefully we can build on that."