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 Conference USA. 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.

Head coaches

Postseason

NCAA Division I tournament results The Bears have appeared in six NCAA Division I Tournaments, all as Southwest Missouri State. Their combined record is 3–6.

1987 No. 13 Round of 64Round of 32 No. 4 Clemson#5 Kansas W 65–60L 63–67 1988 No. 13 Round of 64 No. 4 UNLV L 50–54 1989 No. 14 Round of 64 No. 3 Seton Hall L 51–60 1990 No. 9 Round of 64 No. 8 North Carolina L 70–83 1992 No. 12 Round of 64 No. 5 Michigan State L 54–61 1999 No. 12 Round of 64Round of 32Sweet Sixteen No. 5 Wisconsin#4 Tennessee#1 Duke W 43–32W 81–51L 61–78

NCAA Division II tournament results The Bears appeared in ten NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 23–10.

1958 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional FinalsElite Eight CentenaryRegisSouth Dakota W 74–69W 73–65L 58–63 1959 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational Championship Game Abilene ChristianCentenaryHopeCal State Los AngelesEvansville W 87–67W 65–62W 76–74W 72–59L 67–83 1966 Regional Semi-finalsRegional Finals Arkansas StateAbilene Christian W 72–71L 58–63 1967 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational Championship Game Arkansas AM&NLincoln (MO)ValparaisoIllinois StateWinston-Salem State W 83–80W 87–77W 86–72W 93–76L 74–77 1968 Regional Semi-finalsRegional Finals Colorado State-PuebloEvansville W 69–68L 73–79 1969 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational Championship Game Saint OlafSouth Dakota StateMontclair StateAshlandKentucky Wesleyan W 75–47W 87–74W 92–76W 58–48L 71–75 1970 Regional Semi-finalsRegional 3rd Place Game South Dakota StateCornell (IA) L 71–82W 76–65 1973 Regional Semi-finalsRegional 3rd Place Game South Dakota StateColorado State-Pueblo L 74–85W 76–62 1974 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational Championship Game North DakotaKentucky WesleyanSaint Joseph's (IN)New OrleansMorgan State W 71–63W 89–86W 80–78W 68–63L 52–67 1978 Regional Semi-finalsRegional Finals Columbus StateLincoln (MO) W 69–67L 83–84

NAIA tournament results The Bears appeared in six NAIA Tournaments. Their combined record is 15–4, and they are two-time NAIA national champions (1952, 1953).

1939 First round East Texas State L 45–68 1943 First round Murray State L 44–72 1949 First roundSecond Round PortlandBeloit W 59–56L 47–66 1952 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinalsSemi-finalsNational Championship Game Chadron StateIndiana StateMorningsideSouthwest Texas StateMurray State W 87–66W 82–64W 87–74W 70–67W 73–64 1953 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinalsSemi-finalsNational Championship Game GonzagaStetsonNebraska WesleyanIndiana StateHamline W 95–74W 98–71W 78–74W 84–78W 79–71 1954 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinalsSemi-finalsNational 3rd Place Game East Tennessee StateGustavus AdolphusTexas StateWestern IllinoisArkansas Tech W 77–72W 66–57W 65–59 OTL 75–78W 75–61

NIT results The Bears have appeared in 10 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 10–10.NAIA Championship History

1986 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinals PittsburghMarquetteFlorida W 59–52W 83–69L 53–54 1991 First roundSecond Round Coppin StateSouthern Illinois W 57–47L 69–72 1993 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinals St. Joseph'sJackson StateUAB W 56–34W 70–52L 52–61 1997 First round North Carolina State L 66–77 2000 First roundSecond Round SMUMississippi W 77–64L 48–70 2005 First roundSecond Round RiceDavidson W 105–82L 76–86 2006 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinals StanfordHoustonLouisville W 76–67W 60–59L 56–74 2007 First round San Diego State L 70–74 2011 First roundSecond Round Murray StateMiami (FL) W 89–76L 72–81 2022 First round Oklahoma L 72–89

CIT results The Bears have appeared in two CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments (CIT). Their combined record is 4–1 and were the 2010 Champions.

2010 First roundQuarterfinalsSemi-finalsFinals Middle Tennessee StateLouisiana TechCreightonPacific W 87–79W 69–40W 67–61W 78–65 2014 First round Murray State L 63–66

Retired numbers

Missouri State Bears retired numbers No.PlayerTenureNo. ret.Ref. 22 Winston Garland 1985–1987 32Danny Moore1996-19992023 32 Daryel Garrison 1971–1975 2008 Missouri State to retire Daryel Garrison's basketball jersey No. 32 at MSU, 22 Feb 2008 43 Jerry Anderson 1951–1955 54 Curtis Perry 1966–1970

Notes

Bears in NBA Draft The following former Missouri State players were drafted into the NBA: Don Anielak Merton Bancroft Joe Beck Winston Garland Forrest Hamilton Keith Hilliard Jack Israel Alize Johnson Bud Julian Bill Lea Jonathan Mogbo Curtis Perry Russ Robinson Lou Shephard Preston Ward

References

External links