After noticeable improvements last season, the men’s basketball team travels to Missouri with new faces and unfamiliar expectations.

CMU opens the regular season at 8:30 p.m. today against the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., as a part of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Classic.

“We feel like we have a right to win this game, too,” said junior forward Nate Minnoy. “We’re going to feel like every rebound is ours, every loose ball is ours. We expect to win.”

Missouri’s fast-paced offensive attack feeds on turnovers. UM forced 69 in its first two exhibition games and outscored its opponents 75-23 off turnovers. CMU committed 45 turnovers in its two exhibition matchups.

“We’ve been practicing for five weeks now,” Minnoy said. “(We’ve been) trying to prepare mentally and physically for the type of game pace that they’re going to play and getting prepared to handle pressure.”

CMU stays in Columbia for a game Tuesday against either Central Missouri or Fordham.

Lofty expectations

Coach Ernie Zeigler’s team finished last year with a 13-18 overall record after winning just four games under Jay Smith the previous season.

This season, with Zeigler’s vision becoming more clear, several publications have taken notice. The Sporting News picked CMU to finish first in the Mid-American Conference’s West Division.

“When you’re a program when you haven’t had much of anything expected of you, I think it’s a good thing for people to be mentioning you to have possible success,” Zeigler said. “But we haven’t accomplished anything – we’re still a program that’s in a building stage.”

Zeigler’s recruiting class is ranked the best in the MAC and includes three players who will make an impact.

Junior forwards Minnoy and Marcus Van are expected to gain playing time, and freshmen Jeremy Allen and Chase Simon already have started for CMU in its exhibition games. Freshman guard William Eddie will be redshirted.

“Our depth will be surprisingly intriguing because there’s just so many guys that are going to have the opportunity to play on a nightly basis,” Zeigler said. “I’m really struggling right now to define a rotation.”

Senior Giordan Watson, a preseason MAC Player of the Year candidate, leads the Chippewas at point guard. He averaged 18.8 points per game last season.

“We struggled last year because we were stagnant when (Watson) wasn’t able to be effective offensively,” Zeigler said. “Our depth will allow us to have more balance.”

Junior Chris Kellerman, who averaged 8.8 points per game last season while missing 11 games because of an ankle injury, also is returning for the Chippewas.

MAC All-Freshman team selection Marko Spica returns as a sophomore in the post for CMU. The Serbia native averaged 7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game last season.

“We have six guys that all have the capability of being double-digit scorers,” Zeigler said.

The new additions and progression has left the team feeling positive.

“Since I left high school, this is my first time feeling like I’m part of a team,” said senior guard Eddie Spencer. “We’re a family this year, and I’m hoping it leads to great things.”

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E-mail the author: Daniel Monson