Most exhibition games involve tweaking small problems before the regular season.

Junior guard Jalin Thomas was making a major adjustment.

Thomas, playing in place of injured junior Antonio Weary, made his first career start in the CMU men’s basketball team’s 70-42 win Saturday against Indiana-South Bend in Rose Arena.

“Getting this game in before our season opener next week was real important because it helped me kind of gel with the guys a little better, especially the starting group,” he said.

Thomas scored 12 points, had five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in the game, which impressed coach Ernie Zeigler.

“Jalin’s a very smart basketball player,” he said. “I thought he was very comfortable. … He does all the little things.”

While Thomas contributed across the box score, he said he saw a lot of things he and the team need to improve on this week in practice before the season opener Saturday against Princeton.

Defensive effort

Zeigler said he was happy with the team’s defensive effort in Saturday’s victory.

The Chippewas held the Titans to 0-for-7 shooting from 3-point range and 27 percent overall from the field. Indiana-South Bend shot just 19 percent in the second half. CMU forced 22 turnovers and had eight steals.

“I’m just really excited that we’ve had two consecutive outings where there was a really good focus defensively,” Zeigler said.

Deja Vu

Much like last season, CMU will start the regular season with multiple injuries.

In its win against Indiana-South Bend, the team was without guards Weary and junior Amir Rashid and freshmen forwards Sean Day and Will McClure.

Weary is out four-to-six weeks with a broken bone in his left hand, and Zeigler said Rashid will have his knee scoped this week and will be out for some time.

McClure was out with an unspecified injury and is expected to return this week. Day missed the game for personal reasons and Zeigler said it is unclear when he will return.

The team plays its regular season opener at noon Saturday in Rose Arena against Princeton.

E-mail the author: Tim Ottusch