Stone, Johnson will miss first two games

The already difficult task for the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team in Friday's season opener at Saint Louis University is now a lot tougher.

Southeast announced Wednesday that senior forward Tyler Stone and junior forward Nino Johnson will miss the first two games of the season due to an unspecified violation of team rules.

Sources said the transgressions actually occurred several months ago, following last season, and the players have known for some time that they would miss this year's first two games.

"Naturally I'm very disappointed. This is a very important game for us, an in-state game, it's the first game of the season, but we don't bend the rules for anybody," Southeast coach Dickey Nutt said. "It doesn't matter if it happened last year, last summer or today, my guys have to understand that it doesn't matter how good you may be, how big the game is, the bottom line is we have rules in place.

"There are consequences for your actions, and my guys have to understand that. No one is above the program. You're here to be a student first and then you're going to be the best player you can be, and it's going to be in that order."

Stone, the Ohio Valley Conference preseason player of the year, earned second-team all-OVC honors the past two years. He was Southeast's leading scorer last season with an average of 15.5 points per game. He averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the Redhawks' two exhibition contests last week.

Johnson, like Stone a preseason all-OVC pick, was Southeast's third-leading scorer (11.1 ppg), top rebounder (8.8 rpg) and top shot-blocker last season. He ranked 22nd nationally a year ago when he blocked a Southeast single-season record 84 shots.

Southeast, after facing defending Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season and tournament champion Saint Louis at 7:30 p.m. Friday, hosts Central Baptist at 8 p.m. Monday. The Mustangs are affiliated with both the NAIA and the National Christian College Athletic Association.

Stone and Johnson will return to the court when Southeast plays at IUPUI on Nov. 16.