MONTGOMERY, Ala. ------ The Auburn Montgomery men's basketball team will open its 2016-17 campaign Tuesday evening when it travels across town to take on NCAA Division I Alabama State in an exhibition tilt at 7 p.m.
 
The contest will mark the fifth straight season the Warhawks and Hornets have squared off in an exhibition game. Last season, AUM fell 80-78 to its local rival.
 
Head coach Michael Cheaney will begin his third season on the bench tonight and has led the Warhawks to consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. Cheaney sports a 32-27 in his first two seasons.
 
Below are five things you need to know about the 2016-17 Warhawks, who will begin their first season competing against a full slate of NCAA Division II teams.
 
The Personnel
• The Warhawks return six letterwinners and welcome eight newcomers for the 2016-17 season.
• AUM returns the Southern States Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year in Desmond DeRamus and second-team all-conference selections Reagan Eubanks and Romoane Eager.

• The Seniors – Eubanks, Eager, Jake Carnley and Julius McCoy
Quoting Cheaney – "Reagan led us in scoring last year, so we know what he is capable of. He has worked on his ball handling and being a more consistent shooter. He will also be looked to for leadership on this team. Romoane is our stretch four, who can really shoot from the outside. We are working to improve his inside presence to give us a true inside-outside threat. Jake is a veteran and knows our system. He is a very skilled shooter and will provide us a great deal of leadership. Julius is a pure shooter. Last year, we had him run the point some, but this year we just want him to focus on making shots. He will also be a key leader for our team."
 
• The Juniors – Kameron Hornbuckle, Devonte Carter, Jarett Croff, Chandler Ferguson and Lafayette James-Core
Quoting Cheaney – "Kameron is going to be a physical presence inside. He is strong and is really a blue-collar worker. If he can continue to improve his outside shooting, he will really be a problem for defenses. Devonte is very athletic. He can play multiple positions and can spread defenses with his ability to shoot. We would like him to become more aggressive on both sides of the floor. Jarett is a versatile post player. He can score with both hands and can shoot from outside. I think he will be tough to defend with his skill set. Chandler has a lot of upside. He is very athletic and can shoot the three. He is versatile offensively, but can also defend multiple positions. Lafayette is another athletic player, who can play multiple positions. He has been working hard to get his jumper more consistent from the outside, but he is very good at putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket."
 
• The Sophomores – DeRamus, Marcus Jackson and Jarvis Johnson
Quoting Cheaney – "Desmond had a great freshman year and we are expecting him to have an even better sophomore season. He is a very skilled passer and a tenacious defender. He has been working a lot on his outside shooting, so we are looking forward to what the season brings. Marcus has been around the program for a while, but I think he could have a breakout year for us. He is very good defensively, but will need to continue to work on his shot. Jarvis is a great outside shooter. He has a Division II frame, but we would like to see him get a little stronger and improve his ball handling."
 
• The Freshmen – Darrion Taylor and Michael Bryant
Quoting Cheaney – "I think both of our freshmen have a very bright future. Darrion is a small player on the court, but I think he will really surprise people with his speed and court vision. He can shoot the ball well and will play immediately for us. Michael, or 'Smooth' as the guys call him, makes some things on the court look easy. If he can make the transition from high school to college quickly, I think he could be a key contributor for us this year."
 
The Transition
• The Warhawks will play their first season of a full NCAA Division II schedule, but will compete as an independent. AUM will join the Gulf South Conference beginning for the 2017-18 season.

Quoting Cheaney - "The transition has been good to us so far. I think the group we brought in this year is a great base for our future. We are scouting and talking to a new caliber of recruit, so I think our class next year could be even more exciting. We have found more players are aware of AUM because of the NCAA logo. We are really excited about the group we have this year, but think we can add three or four pieces next year and put ourselves in position to come in and contend the first year we are eligible to compete for championships."
 
The Schedule
• The Warhawks will play 26 regular-season games, including 22 against NCAA Division II opponents. They will also travel to a pair of Division I foes, Troy and Alabama State, for exhibition games.
• Four of AUM's opponents qualified for the NCAA Division II National Tournament last season. Kentucky Wesleyan, which finished the 2015-16 campaign 25-3, were ranked ninth in the final NABC Coaches' Poll.
• Nine opponents finished with season records of .500 or better.
 
Quoting Cheaney - "I think we have one of the toughest schedules in the country. The great thing about Division II is that everyone is on a level playing field, getting good recruits and well coached. We are playing some different teams from different conferences, which will give us a good opportunity to see where we stack up at the DII level. We are going to be tested day in and day out, so we are jumping straight into the fire.
 
The Keys to Success
Quoting Cheaney - "Our first key will be to stay healthy. With our schedule being so tough and physical, we have to take care of our bodies. We also need to do the small things - hit free throws, take care of the ball or get a tough rebound. Finally, I think we need to try to improve every day. While we will need to do a good job of recovery after a game, we also have opportunities to get into the gym and work, whether that be putting up shots or lifting weights."
 
The Expectations
Quoting Cheaney - "We are excited about the season starting. We hope to compete in every game and make people aware that AUM will not be an easy win on their schedule. We have a group we feel like we can compete with. At the same time, we also know it will be a long season. We have a lot of games on the road and will have to adjust to the physicality of the Division II game. However, we also have an opportunity to play against some of the best teams in DII. For us, I think that will be how we evaluate our season. It would certainly build the morale of the team and campus if we were able to win a couple of those games."