| Missouri State Bears | |
| Current: | 2023–24 Missouri State Bears basketball team |
| University: | Missouri State University |
| Conference: | Missouri Valley |
| Firstseason: | 1908 |
| Location: | Springfield, Missouri |
| Arena: | Great Southern Bank Arena |
| Capacity: | 11,000 |
| Athletic Director: | Kyle Moats |
| Coach: | Cuonzo Martin |
| Tenure: | 4th |
| Nickname: | Bears |
| Studentsection: | The Cave |
| Ncaarunnerup: | 1959*, 1967*, 1969*, 1974* |
| Ncaafinalfour: | 1959*, 1967*, 1969*, 1974* |
| Ncaaeliteeight: | 1958*, 1959*, 1967*, 1969*, 1974* |
| Ncaasweetsixteen: | 1958*, 1959*, 1966*, 1967*, 1968*, 1969*, 1974*, 1978*, 1999 |
| Ncaaroundof32: | 1958*, 1959*, 1966*, 1967*, 1968*, 1969*, 1970*, 1973*, 1974*, 1978*, 1987, 1999 |
| Ncaatourneys: | 1958*, 1959*, 1966*, 1967*, 1968*, 1969*, 1970*, 1973*, 1974*, 1978*, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1999 *at Division II level |
| Naiachampion: | 1952, 1953 |
| Conference Tournament: | Mid-Continent Conference 1987, 1989 ----Missouri Valley Conference 1992 |
| Conference Season: | Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association 1928, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1978----Mid-Continent Conference 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 ----Missouri Valley Conference 2011 |
| H Body: | 5E0009 |
| H Pattern B: | _thinsidesonwhite |
| H Shorts: | 5E0009 |
| H Pattern S: | _blanksides2 |
| A Body: | 5E0009 |
| A Pattern B: | _thinblacksides |
| A Shorts: | 5E0009 |
| A Pattern S: | _blacksides |
The Missouri State Bears basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. The Bears compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. They are currently coached by Cuonzo Martin. Missouri State plays its home games at the 11,000-seat Great Southern Bank Arena.
The Bears have been a Division I school since the 1982–83 season. Prior to 2005, the school was known as Southwest Missouri State. Missouri State has appeared six times in the NCAA tournament, most recently in 1999. The Bears most notable NCAA tournament run came in 1999 when they advanced to the Sweet 16, defeating #5 seed Wisconsin and #4 seed Tennessee.
Prior to joining Division I, they were members of the NAIA, winning national championships in 1952 and 1953, and NCAA Division II, where they were the national runner-up four times (1959, 1967, 1969, 1974). They were also champions of the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
See main article: List of Missouri State Bears basketball head coaches.
The Bears have appeared in six NCAA Division I Tournaments, all as Southwest Missouri State. Their combined record is 3–6.
| No. 13 | Round of 64 Round of 32 | No. 4 Clemson #5 Kansas | W 65–60 L 63–67 | ||
| No. 13 | Round of 64 | No. 4 UNLV | L 50–54 | ||
| No. 14 | Round of 64 | No. 3 Seton Hall | L 51–60 | ||
| No. 9 | Round of 64 | No. 8 North Carolina | L 70–83 | ||
| No. 12 | Round of 64 | No. 5 Michigan State | L 54–61 | ||
| No. 12 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen | No. 5 Wisconsin #4 Tennessee #1 Duke | W 43–32 W 81–51 L 61–78 |
The Bears appeared in ten NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 23–10.
| Regional Quarterfinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | Centenary Regis South Dakota | W 74–69 W 73–65 L 58–63 | ||
| Regional Quarterfinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | Abilene Christian Centenary Hope Cal State Los Angeles Evansville | W 87–67 W 65–62 W 76–74 W 72–59 L 67–83 | ||
| Regional Semi-finals Regional Finals | Arkansas State Abilene Christian | W 72–71 L 58–63 | ||
| Regional Quarterfinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | Arkansas AM&N Lincoln (MO) Valparaiso Illinois State Winston-Salem State | W 83–80 W 87–77 W 86–72 W 93–76 L 74–77 | ||
| Regional Semi-finals Regional Finals | Colorado State-Pueblo Evansville | W 69–68 L 73–79 | ||
| Regional Quarterfinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | Saint Olaf South Dakota State Montclair State Ashland Kentucky Wesleyan | W 75–47 W 87–74 W 92–76 W 58–48 L 71–75 | ||
| Regional Semi-finals Regional 3rd Place Game | South Dakota State Cornell (IA) | L 71–82 W 76–65 | ||
| Regional Semi-finals Regional 3rd Place Game | South Dakota State Colorado State-Pueblo | L 74–85 W 76–62 | ||
| Regional Quarterfinals Regional Finals Elite Eight Final Four National Championship Game | North Dakota Kentucky Wesleyan Saint Joseph's (IN) New Orleans Morgan State | W 71–63 W 89–86 W 80–78 W 68–63 L 52–67 | ||
| Regional Semi-finals Regional Finals | Columbus State Lincoln (MO) | W 69–67 L 83–84 |
The Bears appeared in six NAIA Tournaments. Their combined record is 15–4 and are two time NAIA national champions (1952, 1953).
| First round | East Texas State | L 45–68 | ||
| First round | Murray State | L 44–72 | ||
| First round Second Round | Portland Beloit | W 59–56 L 47–66 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semi-finals National Championship Game | Chadron State Indiana State Morningside Texas State Murray State | W 87–66 W 82–64 W 87–74 W 70–67 W 73–64 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semi-finals National Championship Game | Gonzaga Stetson Nebraska Wesleyan Indiana State Hamline | W 95–74 W 98–71 W 78–74 W 84–78 W 79–71 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semi-finals National 3rd Place Game | East Tennessee State Gustavus Adolphus Texas State Western Illinois Arkansas Tech | W 77–72 W 66–57 W 65–59 OT L 75–78 W 75–61 |
The Bears have appeared in 10 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 10–10.[1]
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals | Pittsburgh Marquette Florida | W 59–52 W 83–69 L 53–54 | ||
| First round Second Round | Coppin State Southern Illinois | W 57–47 L 69–72 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals | St. Joseph's Jackson State UAB | W 56–34 W 70–52 L 52–61 | ||
| First round | North Carolina State | L 66–77 | ||
| First round Second Round | SMU Mississippi | W 77–64 L 48–70 | ||
| First round Second Round | Rice Davidson | W 105–82 L 76–86 | ||
| First round Second Round Quarterfinals | Stanford Houston Louisville | W 76–67 W 60–59 L 56–74 | ||
| First round | San Diego State | L 70–74 | ||
| First round Second Round | Murray State Miami (FL) | W 89–76 L 72–81 | ||
| First round | Oklahoma | L 72–89 |
The Bears have appeared in two CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments (CIT). Their combined record is 4–1 and were the 2010 Champions.
| First round Quarterfinals Semi-finals Finals | Middle Tennessee State Louisiana Tech Creighton Pacific | W 87–79 W 69–40 W 67–61 W 78–65 | ||
| First round | Murray State | L 63–66 |
See main article: List of NCAA men's basketball retired numbers.
| Missouri State Bears retired numbers | |||||||||
| width=40px style="" | No. | width=150px style="" | Player | width= px style="" | Tenure | width= px style="" | No. ret. | width= px style="" | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 1985–1987 | ||||||||
| 32 | Danny Moore | 1996-1999 | 2023 | ||||||
| 32 | Daryel Garrison | 1971–1975 | 2008 | [2] | |||||
| 43 | Jerry Anderson | 1951–1955 | |||||||
| 54 | Curtis Perry | 1966–1970 |
The following former Missouri State players were drafted into the NBA: