Improved ASU awaits Redhawks

Before the season, tonight's game at Arkansas State might not have appeared overly daunting for Southeast Missouri State.

That, however, is no longer the case.

The Redhawks will take on a rejuvenated ASU squad in a 7:05 p.m. tipoff in Jonesboro, Ark.

"It's going to be a good test for us," Southeast acting coach Zac Roman said.

ASU went 10-20 last year, including a 5-13 Sun Belt Conference record that placed the Red Wolves sixth in the seven-team West Division.

JAMES BYARD ~ The Jonesboro SunArkansas State's Daniel Bryant drives to the basket during a game against Mississippi Valley State last week in Jonesboro, Ark.

Enter coach John Brady, who took over the ASU program after a 10-year run at LSU that featured 192 wins and a Final Four appearance.

Brady was fired by LSU in February after the Tigers started the 2007-08 season 8-13 overall and 1-6 in the Southeastern Conference.

LSU's loss has been ASU's gain, at least so far. At 8-3, the Red Wolves have already nearly matched last year's win total. They are 1-1 in the Sun Belt Conference.

ASU owns victories over the top two picks in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll. The Red Wolves won at home against No. 1 Murray State and on the road against No. 2 Tennessee-Martin.

"One thing coach Brady's going to do, he's going to defend. That's why they're 8-3," said Roman, whose squad is 3-8 overall and 0-2 in the OVC.

The Red Wolves feature one of the nation's stingiest defenses, allowing only 56.3 points per game while holding opponents to 36.9-percent field-goal shooting.

Only three squads have shot better than 40 percent against the Red Wolves this season.

ASU also is strong on the boards, outrebounding the opposition by an average of more than eight per game.

"They're going to crash the boards on every possession," Roman said.

ASU, which averages 66.5 points, features just one double-figure scorer in 6-foot-5 junior guard Donald Boone. He carries a 12.6 average.

Perhaps the Red Wolves' top overall player so far has been 6-8, 235-pound junior center Eric McKinney.

McKinney is averaging 8.7 points while shooting 59.4 percent and leading the Red Wolves in rebounding with a 6.8 average.

"He's a very strong kid, very athletic," Roman said. "That's going to be a good matchup with him and Calvin."

Southeast junior center Calvin Williams is averaging 16.2 points and 6.9 rebounds. He had career highs of 25 points and five blocks in Sunday's 64-63 win over Western Illinois.

"He gets better every day," Roman said of Williams. "The sky's the limit for him."

While ASU figures to pose plenty of problems for Southeast, the Redhawks will be carrying some momentum into Arkansas.

Southeast broke a five-game losing streak by beating Western Illinois.

"It was a very good win for us," Roman said.

Now the Redhawks will try to put together their first two-game winning streak of the season.

"We want to carry that momentum over," senior forward Jaycen Herring said.

Injury update

Junior point guard Bijon Jones, who missed the Western Illinois game with a leg injury suffered during practice leading up to the contest, should be able to play tonight.

Jones had started Southeast's first 10 games.

"We expect to have him available," Roman said.

Junior guard Jimmy Drew, who has yet to see action this season because of a foot problem, remains questionable, although Drew recently said he hopes to return soon.