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Fortunately, they didn't have to be.
That's why they schedule games like this to open their season.
Jason Blake and Mike Seibert combined to score 34 points and led Millersville's men's basketball team to a 74-62, season-opening win over Penn State-Abington Saturday afternoon at Pucillo Gym.
Penn State-Abington, a Division III school, put up a good fight but, more importantly, offered the Marauders a glimpse of where they are in terms of trying to rebuild from an ugly 10-17 season a year ago.
"We have some things to work on," said Millersville coach Fred Thompson, who is now 6-6 in season openers. "There are a lot of things to work on, but I think we're going to get there."
Efforts like those turned in by Blake and Seibert will be needed throughout the winter if the Marauders are to get there.
Blake scored a team-high 18 points (on 7-of-9 shooting) and posted game-highs in rebounds (eight), assists (six) and steals (five).
Blake started 24 games a year ago and averaged 7.8 points per game.
"He's a much different player," said Thompson, of the 6-foot-2 senior guard. "He has much more confidence."
Seibert, the Columbia grad, came off the bench to score 16 points, including 10 in the second half.
"I'm just here and when coach calls my number, I just get out there and give it my best," said Seibert, a 6-foot sophomore. "If I get an open look, I'm going to take it."
Seibert took eight shots, connecting on five of them. He was 4-for-6 from beyond the arc where he was 13-of-52 a season ago.
"We're going to need him to shoot the ball a little more, especially when he is making shots," Thompson said.
Millersville led 39-26 at halftime, only to watch the Lions claw back with an 11-2 run to open the second half, making it 41-37 with 17:23 to play.
From there, the Marauders went on a 28-11 run, including 10 straight at one point, to open up their largest lead, 69-48, with 4:25 to go.
During the run, Seibert had eight points, including a pair of treys.
"The point guards hit me when I was open and I was able to get the shot off," Seibert said.
The Lions continued to chip away and got as close to 10 down the stretch. They were lead by Travis Troiano's 19 points. William Alton added 16.
"We had them down by 21 and then we just threw in the towel," said Thompson. "They were tough to defend because they were so small and they could penetrate off the dribble and get to the basket. That was causing us all kinds of problems."
Penn Manor grad Brandon Widener chipped in 11 points, all in the first half, for the Marauders, who will have to be sharper next Saturday when nationally-ranked C.W. Post comes to town.
It's the same Post team that trounced Millersville by 40 points last November in New York.
"We have some work to," Thompson said. "We have a lot of work to do."
