SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State will host all seven of its non-conference men’s basketball games at JQH Arena when the Bears open the 2020-21 season in late November. The schedule was announced Friday (Nov. 13) by coach Dana Ford who noted the fall slate will likely be a moving target.
“First of all, we are just excited for the opportunity to play basketball in front of fans,” said Ford, who begins his third season as MSU head coach. “With that being said, I wouldn’t call it a schedule so much as I would call it a plan. We know there is a possibility that things could change. Games may have to be moved or canceled altogether. Getting contracts back from everyone and making sure both schools are on the same page with (COVID-19) testing and game-day procedures has also caused some delays, but we’re glad to have a plan to play some games.”
The Bears will open the non-conference schedule right after Thanksgiving with back-to-back home games against non-Division I opponents. MSU will host cross-town rival Evangel University on Friday, Nov. 27 before welcoming Ecclesia College from Springdale, Ark., to town on Saturday, Nov. 28.
Ford’s squad will then entertain five opponents at JQH Arena during the month of December, including three Saturday games.
MSU will host Central Arkansas on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in the first meeting between the programs in ten years. UCA is coming off a 10-21 campaign a year ago and was picked seventh in this year’s Southland Conference preseason poll. Senior guard Rylan Bergersen, a BYU transfer, led UCA in scoring last season at 15.8 points per game and is a first-team all-conference pick in the preseason.
Mississippi Valley State returns to JQH Arena for the second straight season on Saturday, Dec. 5. MVSU was 3-27 last season with Missouri State defeating the Delta Devils at home last Dec. 6, by a score of 86-62.
A week later, MSU will host Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, Dec. 12. The Lions were 8-23 a year ago but won two of their last three games to close out the season. SLU was picked 11th in this year’s Southland Conference preseason poll.
The Bears host their third Southland Conference team in three weeks when they entertain Northwestern (La.) State on Saturday, Dec. 19. The Demons were an even 15-15 a year ago and were 7-3 down the stretch before their season was cut short in the middle of the Southland Conference Tournament. Northwestern State was picked 10th in the Southland this year.
Finally, the Bears close out the non-conference portion of the schedule on Monday, Dec. 21 against Little Rock. Missouri State will look to avenge a one-point loss to the Trojans in last year’s season opener at JQH. Little Rock finished 21-10 a year ago with a Sun Belt regular-season title. The Trojans were picked to win the Sun Belt West again this winter and boast the reigning Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in Ruot Monyyong who was recently named the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year.
There are no preseason exhibition games this season.
All seven non-conference home games are slated to begin at 7 p.m., and all scheduled games are subject to change. Television availability will also be finalized in the coming days. Please monitor schedule updates at MissouriStateBears.com or via the MSU Bears mobile app.
Missouri State returns four lettermen and a pair of starters from last season, including senior forward Gaige Prim who led all Missouri Valley Conference newcomers in scoring last season with 13.7 points per game. Prim earned a spot on the MVC All-Newcomer Team a year ago and was a third-team All-MVC selection. He was also named to the Preseason All-MVC squad this year.
Also back for Missouri State, which was picked sixth in the MVC preseason poll, are sophomore guards Ja’Monta Black and Isiaih Mosley. The tandem from Columbia Rock Bridge earned significant time as freshmen and combined for 30 starts a year ago. Black shot 46 percent from 3-point range and averaged just under 25 minutes a game in league play, while Mosley posted 10.4 points per game against Valley foes and was the Bears top free throw shooter in conference play.
Season ticket inquiries can be directed to Duane Miller by phone at (417) 836-8899 or email at duaneMiller@MissouriState.edu.
Single-game ticket information will be announced in the coming days. With limited arena capacity this season, fans are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance when they become available for sale.
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