The end goal is Hutchinson, Kan., and the NJCAA Tournament. This weekend, the Golden Eagles will be halfway there.

For the first time in nine seasons, The College of Southern Idaho men's basketball team will open a season on the road, traveling 585 miles to Casper, Wyo., for the Wells Fargo Tip-Off Classic. The journey is exactly half of the 1,170-mile trip to Hutch the Golden Eagles hope to make next March.

But first things first, CSI is anxious to win again after losing to eventual NJCAA champion Salt Lake Community College in the quarterfinals of the Region 18 Tournament, capping a 22-9 season eight months ago.

"We've got to get the bad taste out of our mouth from last year," said head coach Steve Gosar. "I don't think we did what we wanted to do. It's been two years since we've been to Hutch and I think these guys are hungry. They want to make a run at it."

Unranked in the NJCAA preseason poll for the first time in 11 seasons, the Golden Eagles travel to Wyoming today for games Friday and Saturday. CSI will face Northwest (Wyo.) College on Friday afternoon before battling host Casper College on Saturday evening.

"It'll be good to take this group of guys with no returning starters and see how they do on the road," said Gosar. "Kind of throw them right into the fire."

Trekking to Casper is part of an effort to get better teams in Twin Falls in the future. Casper will play at CSI next season.

"We're going to do whatever we have to do to get better teams in here," said Gosar.

The Golden Eagles beat Northwest College 89-70 last season. The Trappers return two talented 6-foot-6 sophomores in Casper Hesseldal of Denmark and Ricardo Bodra of Brazil. They also have former Sho-Ban star Magic Smith, last seen lighting up the Snake River Conference and Class 1A Division I state tournament.

Hesseldal had 19 points and 11 boards when the team's met last year and can score in a variety of ways, while Bodra is a solid rebounder.

On Saturday, CSI meets a 1-0 Casper team that has three players 6-10 or better, while 6-7 forward Antonio DiMaria is a dangerous threat on the wing.

"Their size will be something hard for us to match up against," said Gosar.

CSI's starting lineup will likely include sophomores Chuck Odum and Byago Diouf on the guard line, Kenny Buckner at center and Carrick Felix on the wing. Either Brandon Givens or Josten Thomas will get the other forward nod.

Potential starter Antonio Owens will sit out Friday due to a violation of team rules but is expected to play in a reserve role on Saturday. Point guard Pierre Jackson (broken elbow) was cleared to resume practice on Tuesday and should see time. Gosar said the key to going 2-0 in Wyoming is patience on offense and effort on defense.

Buckner never played high school basketball and redshirted at another JUCO last year, making Friday's game the first official game of his career. Period.

"I just want to go out there and give it all I've got and do what it takes to win," he said. "I'm sure I'll be a little nervous, but I've got a good team behind me."

Felix agrees with that assessment, calling this year's Golden Eagles better than last year's due to better basketball IQs, more physical play and improved focus.

"I think we'll go in there and prove some people wrong," said Felix. "People are doubting us right now, not being ranked. ... We're just so much more into it than last year, so I think we're ready."

Montreal watch: Former CSI star Daequon Montreal had 13 pionts, 13 rebounds and four blocks in his Boise State debut as the Broncos beat Division III Willamette 111-72 in an exhibition game on Tuesday. Montreal made 6 of 8 shots in 23 minutes.