Southeast Missouri State University men's basketball coach Gary Garner usually isn't overly concerned about the results of exhibition games.

That won't be the case tonight when Division II University of Missouri-Rolla visits the Show Me Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff.

The game will be the first of two exhibition contests for the Indians, the other being Friday against the Dreambuilders. There is no admission charge for either exhibition this year. Southeast opens the regular season Nov. 22 at Arkansas State.

With the Indians coming off a 6-22 season, Garner said it's important to set the tone for an improved year. And that starts tonight.

"It's a very important game for us," Garner said. "We need to win the game more than usual, to get some confidence after last season. There will be more emphasis on winning the game."

But, added Garner, "We still won't treat it quite like a regular-season game. We have to get a look at all our guys and see where we are."

While coaches usually don't think their teams are quite ready to face outside competition, Garner said it's about time the Indians go against somebody else after nearly four weeks of intense practice sessions.

"I'd like to practice for about two more years," Garner said, laughing. "But I know the players are anxious. And playing against yourself, you don't really get a good indication of where you're at. This should be good for us."

Missouri-Rolla, a former rival of Southeast's when both teams were in the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association, should test the Indians sufficiently.

The Miners, 13-15 last year, feature one of Division II's best centers in 6-foot-9, 250-pound junior Brian Westre, who was recruited by several Division I programs -- including Southeast -- before deciding on UM-Rolla.

Westre, a preseason All-American by Street & Smith's, averaged 18 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season and won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association rebounding title for the second straight year.

"He got 25 on us as a freshmen" when the Indians won 87-63 in a regular-season game, Garner said. "He's probably the best big man in the MIAA. He could play at a lot of places."

The Miners also return several other key players from last season to go along with promising recruits

"They'll be a good test for us," Garner said. "I think they'll be better than last year, and being Division II, they'll be looking to come in here and beat a Division I team, even if it's only an exhibition."

Southeast got a taste of that last year when Division II Missouri-St. Louis erased a 22-point second-half deficit and stunned the Indians in an exhibition game at the Show Me Center.

Starters for the Indians tonight are scheduled to be sophomores Derek Winans and Brett Hale at the guards, junior Brandon Griffin at center, senior Tim Scheer at one forward and either senior Demetrius King or junior Damarcus Hence at the other forward.

"We're ready to play somebody else," said Winans, last season's Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. "We've been working hard in practice and it'll be good to be in a game-type situation."

Noteworthy

On the Missouri-Rolla roster is Central graduate Eric Wessel, a junior reserve guard who saw action in nine games last year after playing in 16 games as a freshman, including one start.

Today's game, along with Southeast's three contests in the University Hoops Classic in New Orleans later this month, will be played with several experimental rules that are being used for various games across the country this season.

Those rules include a longer 3-point shot (the international line of 20 feet 6 inches instead of the normal college line of 19-9) and a wider lane.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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