MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The measurement for Central Michigan men's basketball coach Keno Davis comes in relation to expectations, not necessarily the opposition.
In that respect, Davis' young team got what it most sorely needs – experience -- at this point in Friday's season-opening 106-64 victory over Division III Alma at McGuirk Arena.
"I know it's coach-speak to talk about experience for every coach when they say they have a young team," said Davis, whose Chippewas play host to Youngstown State on Tuesday. "But we have so many of these guys doing it for the very first time. We need to be on the court, and we need to get game experience."
In that respect, Davis' young team got what it most sorely needs – experience -- at this point in Friday's season-opening 106-64 victory over Division III Alma at McGuirk Arena.
"I know it's coach-speak to talk about experience for every coach when they say they have a young team," said Davis, whose Chippewas play host to Youngstown State on Tuesday. "But we have so many of these guys doing it for the very first time. We need to be on the court, and we need to get game experience."
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In that light, Friday's matchup with the Scots served its purpose as five Chippewas scored in double figures and 11 of the 13 who dressed played at least 12 minutes.
"We still did the scouting, the preparation that we would do, whether it's Alma or a game to win the MAC championship," said junior forward John Simons. "We prepared just like we would for any other game."
Blake Hibbitts scored 14 points, Simons, Chris Fowler and Josh Kozinski added 12 apiece, and Luke Meyer had 11 to lead CMU, which made 13 of its 26 three-point attempts (50 percent).
Playing before 2,308 fans, the Chippewas built a 10-point lead just nine minutes in. By halftime, CMU was firmly in control, 61-30.
"I would say confidence is huge for us," Simons said. "Just to be able to see the ball go in the basket, and maybe even just the fact that there was a decent crowd out there. It's good for all of us."
Simons hit all three of his triple tries, Hibbitts was 3-for-6 from three-point territory, and Kozinski hit four of his eight from beyond the arc. The 12 points were a career high for the redshirt freshman, who scored nine in a game last season against Montana State.
"He's one of those guys that, every time he shoots, everybody on the bench thinks it's going in," Davis said of Kozinski. "He's that good of a shooter and he's just trying to get the speed of the game down."
The same could be said of CMU's three freshmen big men, Milos Cabarkapa, DaRohn Scott and Meyer.
The trio were much more involved than they were in CMU's 68-61 exhibition win over Saginaw Valley State on Sunday, combining for 29 points and 17 rebounds, and making nine of their 16 free throw attempts.
Meyer, who is listed at 6-foot-11, added three blocks and two assists, while the 7-foot Cabarkapa shared the team lead in rebounds (7) with 5-9 guard Braylon Rayson.
"I don't know that I'd call them quite confident yet, but (they were) not as nervous as they were (previously)," Davis said. "Who played better between the three of them tonight? I don't know. All three of them showed something, be it blocked shots or athleticism or rebounding or getting to the free throw line.
"Our inside players have to be an important part of our team this year. It doesn't mean they have to put up 30 points combined, it's just not going to happen this year with them. What you are expecting from them combined is to rebound, to defend, to get to the free throw line, to be an important part of what we do."
It will be a season-long process for all three as well as their teammates, but Friday was clearly a good jumping off point. Guard Chris Fowler, the Chippewas' leader, finished with 11 assists, one shy of his career high, in just 24 minutes.
"Our guards are learning how to throw the ball in to the post and feed them and put them in good positions on the break, which we haven't really had the opportunity to do the last two years," Davis said. "So it's a learning process for the guards as well as the new freshmen.
"We're not a finished product by far, and I think that the team has high expectations. For me, my expectation is for this team to be a lot better when we get through non-conference. Every week, we should be a better team, and if we do that we're going to win our fair share."
"We still did the scouting, the preparation that we would do, whether it's Alma or a game to win the MAC championship," said junior forward John Simons. "We prepared just like we would for any other game."
Blake Hibbitts scored 14 points, Simons, Chris Fowler and Josh Kozinski added 12 apiece, and Luke Meyer had 11 to lead CMU, which made 13 of its 26 three-point attempts (50 percent).
Playing before 2,308 fans, the Chippewas built a 10-point lead just nine minutes in. By halftime, CMU was firmly in control, 61-30.
"I would say confidence is huge for us," Simons said. "Just to be able to see the ball go in the basket, and maybe even just the fact that there was a decent crowd out there. It's good for all of us."
Simons hit all three of his triple tries, Hibbitts was 3-for-6 from three-point territory, and Kozinski hit four of his eight from beyond the arc. The 12 points were a career high for the redshirt freshman, who scored nine in a game last season against Montana State.
"He's one of those guys that, every time he shoots, everybody on the bench thinks it's going in," Davis said of Kozinski. "He's that good of a shooter and he's just trying to get the speed of the game down."
The same could be said of CMU's three freshmen big men, Milos Cabarkapa, DaRohn Scott and Meyer.
The trio were much more involved than they were in CMU's 68-61 exhibition win over Saginaw Valley State on Sunday, combining for 29 points and 17 rebounds, and making nine of their 16 free throw attempts.
Meyer, who is listed at 6-foot-11, added three blocks and two assists, while the 7-foot Cabarkapa shared the team lead in rebounds (7) with 5-9 guard Braylon Rayson.
"I don't know that I'd call them quite confident yet, but (they were) not as nervous as they were (previously)," Davis said. "Who played better between the three of them tonight? I don't know. All three of them showed something, be it blocked shots or athleticism or rebounding or getting to the free throw line.
"Our inside players have to be an important part of our team this year. It doesn't mean they have to put up 30 points combined, it's just not going to happen this year with them. What you are expecting from them combined is to rebound, to defend, to get to the free throw line, to be an important part of what we do."
It will be a season-long process for all three as well as their teammates, but Friday was clearly a good jumping off point. Guard Chris Fowler, the Chippewas' leader, finished with 11 assists, one shy of his career high, in just 24 minutes.
"Our guards are learning how to throw the ball in to the post and feed them and put them in good positions on the break, which we haven't really had the opportunity to do the last two years," Davis said. "So it's a learning process for the guards as well as the new freshmen.
"We're not a finished product by far, and I think that the team has high expectations. For me, my expectation is for this team to be a lot better when we get through non-conference. Every week, we should be a better team, and if we do that we're going to win our fair share."
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