~ A 25-point scoring system is being used to recognize top performances by the Redhawks.

Southeast Missouri State forward Brandon Foust not only made the all-tournament team at the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska, the junior also received the first Redhawk Award for his performance during Sunday's final game in Alaska as Southeast beat Division II Alaska-Fairbanks 69-66 for its initial win under Scott Edgar.

Edgar, the Redhawks' first-year head coach, said Tuesday the award he instituted is designed to recognize a player for a particularly solid performance.

"Whenever a player has a combination of points, rebounds and assists adding up to 25, he gets a Redhawk Award," explained Edgar. "Brandon has our first one of the year."

Foust scored 14 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists against Alaska-Fairbanks, the host squad for the Top of the World Classic.

That performance helped the Redhawks (1-3) salvage a game in the tournament and had Edgar feeling much better about his new team as it prepares for Friday night's home opener against California-Riverside.

UC-Riverside, which was 3-2 prior to a game late Tuesday night at San Diego State, beat Southeast 69-61 last year in Riverside, Calif.

"I'm happy for them as kids and proud as a coach for how they fought and won a tough road game," said Edgar, whose squad lost by 27 points to Drake and by 32 points to Centenary earlier in the tournament.

"Alaska was Division II in name, but they gave everybody [in the tournament] a game to the wire. It was a good road win for us."

Despite the slow start to the season -- Southeast has been outscored by an average of 24 points per game -- Edgar said he hasn't wavered in his belief that the Redhawks will still wind up being a good team.

"It's all part of growing. You look across the board and we're still one of the youngest Division I basketball teams in the country," he said. "I still like this team. I think there are great things on the horizon."

Mixed bag from freshmen

Although Edgar shortened his bench against Alaska-Fairbanks and used only two freshmen extensively, his five scholarship freshmen are all averaging more than 10 minutes of playing time per game.

The group has largely been up and down, but Edgar knows that is to be expected.

"That's the nature of the beast. You have to play through mistakes," he said. "They're going to help this basketball team. They're doing good things for us."

The only two freshmen who played more than 4 minutes in the Redhawks' lone win both stood out.

Guard Roderick Pearson hit two of three 3-pointers and scored eight points in 15 minutes, while forward Jajuan Maxwell had five points and five rebounds in 18 minutes as he helped pick up the slack inside after Michael Rembert got into foul trouble.

"Jajuan was the unsung hero of that day, because when Mike was in foul trouble, he gave us a lift," Edgar said. "Ever since I started with this group, he shows up with bright eyes and says, 'Coach, whatever you need me to do.'

"He's a blue collar guy. Every team needs that."

Early OVC opener

While Southeast and a few other teams open their Ohio Valley Conference seasons Dec. 2, two squads get an especially early jump on the OVC schedule as Eastern Illinois visits Murray State on Saturday night.

"It's pretty much here," Edgar said of league play. "We have three more games and then we get started."

The Redhawks begin OVC play Dec. 2 at home against Tennessee-Martin.