The Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball team has begun practicing and preparing to prove people who have low expectations wrong this season.

After finishing 10-19 and 6-10 in the Ohio Valley Conference last year, Southeast is picked to finish 11th in the conference this season according to the Ohio Valley Conference website, but that isn't stopping the players from having high hopes.

"It's totally different from last year," said Jasmine Robinson, a senior transfer from Alabama, who sat out last year due to NCAA transfer rules and is now eligible to play this season. "I'm excited, they're excited, we're all excited to be here every day and we come in and work hard every day, and we're going to try and make some noise this year."

Robinson, who played 30 out of 31 games in back to back seasons before transferring to Southeast, was one of Alabama's top players during her time there.

She averaged 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in her last season at Alabama, and recorded her first career double-double scoring 26 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in triple overtime victory against North Texas.

Robinson is excited to finally be able to be on the court with her teammates.

"That's the exciting part," said Robinson. "Sitting out that whole year and finally getting to play, this is very exciting."

Coach Ty Margenthaler is pleased with the early season practices and with the younger players, especially the freshmen.

"This is by far the most consistent this early stage we've been since I've been here," Margenthaler said. "Sometimes freshmen sit back and be freshmen, but these girls are coming in and are ready to go right away."

This is Margenthaler's fourth year as the coach for Southeast and he posted an overall record of 28-54 in his first three seasons but has improved the conference record every single year which stands at 15-33. He has improved the win total in the conference by one since his first year in 2011-2012 where he went 4-12.

Southeast lost four players from last year's team but brought in four freshmen along with a junior college transfer Erin Bollmann. Seniors on the team are guard Robinson, forward Hillary Lively, guard Yelena Rosado and guard Allyson Bradshaw. Southeast only has three players who are six feet or taller, so the team will work the ball around the perimeter when they don't match up height-wise against taller opponents.

The coaching staff is getting along very well, also. The new additions of Cameron Tucker and Lavesa Glover joining Heather Ezell are working out through the first few weeks of practices.

"It doesn't seem like we've only been together for a month, which is a good sign," Margenthaler said. "I've been really pleased with them."

But it's not just Margenthaler who is pleased with the assistant coaches. Bradshaw, who led the team with 99 assists last season, is happy to have them on the team as well.

"I really like the assistant coaches," Bradshaw said. "They bring a lot of energy to the team. Coach Tucker has brought in the whole new offense that we are putting in, and he's taught it well so far."

Robinson is also impressed with Tucker and Glover.

"They are a great addition," Robinson said. "We have a legit post player as a coach. She [Glover] came from a good school. She's played overseas. She's been teaching the post players everything she knows and it shows in practice."

The early season goals are fairly simple at this point.

"To get to the conference tournament," Bradshaw said. "And to win some games this year; to show people what we've been working for."

Southeast begins its regular season at home against Alabama A&M on Friday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m.. However, they will host an exhibition game before the season officially begins against Missouri Valley on Thursday, Nov. 6:30 at p.m.