Nutt to lean on House, Brister to make impact with Redhawks men's basketball team

Southeast Missouri State second-year men's basketball coach Dickey Nutt felt the Redhawks' two biggest needs for this season were a point guard and an inside presence.

Nutt believes he solved those by signing 7-foot, 255-pound center Zach House and 6-4, 215-pound point guard Marcus Brister.

"I think the two hardest positions to fill are point guard and post. We feel like we've done well," Nutt said during Wednesday's media day. "We're looking for big things. It puts a lot of pressure on them, but we feel like they can handle it."

The junior college transfers with two seasons of eligibility at Southeast said they don't plan on letting down Nutt.

"I'm looking to live up to the high standards they expect of me, be the inside presence coach Nutt is looking for," House said.

House (Zach)

Said Brister: "I know coach is expecting big things. I feel like I can bring a lot of leadership and experience here, do what they need me to do."

House and Brister are similar in certain respects besides the fact they are being counted on to fill major voids.

Both began their careers at Division I programs before dropping down to the junior college level and re-emerging in Division I at Southeast.

"I'm really excited to be back at this level," House said. "It's been a pretty interesting college career so far and I feel really blessed to be here."

House, a native of Rock Falls, Ill., started his college career at Evansville. He redshirted with the Purple Aces and then saw limited action in 2008-09 before deciding to leave.

House blossomed at Sauk Valley (Ill.) Community College, located approximately 100 miles west of Chicago, as he averaged 15.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks to earn all-region honors last season.

"The last thing you want to do is sign a 7-footer who can't play just to sign a 7-footer. This guy is far from it," Nutt said. "I think people are going to see a special player. He's just very skilled. He can score, he hits his free throws, he's a shot blocker. He'll make us a better defensive team.

"It's been a pleasure to be around Zach every day. He's so energetic and he's a 4.0 student" at Sauk Valley.

House said he was so impressed with everything during his official campus visit to Southeast in late March that he canceled other visits and committed to the Redhawks.

"I just really liked it here -- the campus, the coaches," House said. "The thing I was looking for the most when I was being recruited is a good connection with the head coach. I didn't really have that at Evansville.

"Coach Nutt is a great guy on and off the court. I definitely feel like I'm part of a family here."

House describes himself as a versatile big man who can be effective in a variety of ways.

"I like to think I have an inside-outside game," he said. "I can play with my back to the basket and score out of the low block with a jump hook, but I can step outside and hit the 15- to 17-footer. I can rebound and I definitely like to block shots."

House has high hopes for a squad that often was overmatched last season in going 7-23 overall and a ninth-place 3-15 in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference.

"I really don't think there will be any time we'll be overmatched," House said.

While House began his college career in the Missouri Valley Conference, Brister started out in the power-packed Big 12 Conference at Iowa State.

Brister averaged 2.3 points over the Cyclones' first three games during his freshman season before leaving due to personal reasons. He said his brief stay at Iowa State was beneficial.

"I was there from the summer all the way to December, about six months," Brister said. "I got to play against NBA players [Wesley Johnson, the fourth pick in this year's draft, and Craig Brackins, the 21st pick in this year's draft] in practice.

"Just being there, the hard work and dedication they emphasized, stayed with me."

Brister earned first-team junior college Division III All-American honors at Eastfield (Texas) College in suburban Dallas last season.

Brister averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 assists and 2.1 steals per game at Eastfield. He had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to earn MVP honors at the national junior college all-star game in Las Vegas.

"I think playing on different levels really helped me," Brister said.

Brister, ranked among the top 60 players in Texas as a high school senior in the Dallas area, said he also was recruited by the likes of Nebraska, Houston and South Alabama this year before deciding on the Redhawks.

"Coach Nutt really sold the job on my visit and coming to my junior college," Brister said. "I wanted to go somewhere where I could make an impact right away, where I was needed. I felt I could be that here."

So does Nutt.

"Marcus is a true point guard who has played the position at the highest level," Nutt said. "He's big and strong. He looks like an NFL linebacker. He really sees the floor, passes very, very well. He brings the size and experience to lead the team."

Brister said his size and strength have aided him as a point guard.

"By far being strong helps me a lot," said Brister, who added when asked to describe his style of play: "Penetration and passing. I love to pass. I feel that's the best part of my game. My job is to make everybody else look good."

Brister, like House, believes the Redhawks have what it takes to make a dramatic improvement.

"I think it's going to be an exciting year, by far better than last year," Brister said. "I think we'll turn it around."