Missouri State Bears basketball


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 Dana Ford, who was hired on March 21, 2018. Missouri State plays its home games at the 11,000-seat JQH 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. 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. They were also champions of the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Conference championships

Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association 19

1928, 1931, 1934, 1935, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1978
Mid-Continent Conference 4

1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
Missouri Valley Conference 1

1992, 2011

Head coaches

Retired numbers

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#13Round of 64
Round of 32
#4 Clemson
  1. 5 Kansas
W 65-60L 63-67
1988#13Round of 64#4 UNLVL 50-54
1989#14Round of 64#3 Seton HallL 51-60
1990#9Round of 64#8 North CarolinaL 70-83
1992#12Round of 64#5 Michigan StateL 54-61
1999#12Round of 64
Round of 32
Sweet Sixteen
#5 Wisconsin
  1. 4 Tennessee
  2. 1 Duke
W 43-32W 81-51
L 61-78

NCAA Division II Tournament results

The Bears appeared in ten NCAA Division II Tournaments. Their combined record is 23–10.
1958Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Centenary
Regis
South Dakota
W 74–69
W 73–65
L 58–63
1959Regional 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
1966Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Arkansas State
Abilene Christian
W 72–71
L 58–63
1967Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Lincoln
Valparaiso
Illinois State
Winston-Salem State
W 83–80
W 87–77
W 86–72
W 93–76
L 74–77
1968Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Colorado State-Pueblo
Evansville
W 69–68
L 73–79
1969Regional 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
1970Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game
South Dakota State
Cornell
L 71–82
W 76–65
1973Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game
South Dakota State
Colorado State-Pueblo
L 74–85
W 76–62
1974Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship Game
North Dakota
Kentucky Wesleyan
Saint Joseph's
New Orleans
Morgan State
W 71–63
W 89–86
W 80–78
W 68–63
L 52–67
1978Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Columbus State
Lincoln
W 69–67
L 83–84

NAIA Tournament results

The Bears appeared in six NAIA Tournaments. Their combined record is 15–4 and are two time NAIA national champions.
1939First RoundEast Texas StateL 45–68
1943First RoundMurray StateL 44–72
1949First Round
Second Round
Portland
Beloit
W 59–56
L 47–66
1952First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
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
1953First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
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
1954First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
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

NIT results

The Bears have appeared in nine National Invitation Tournaments. Their combined record is 10-9.
1986First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Pittsburgh
Marquette
Florida
W 59-52
W 83-69
L 53-54
1991First Round
Second Round
Coppin State
Southern Illinois
W 57-47
L 69-72
1993First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
St. Joseph's
Jackson State
UAB
W 56-34
W 70-52
L 52-61
1997First RoundNorth Carolina StateL 66-77
2000First Round
Second Round
SMU
Mississippi
W 77-64
L 48-70
2005First Round
Second Round
Rice
Davidson
W 105-82
L 76-86
2006First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Stanford
Houston
Louisville
W 76-67
W 60-59
L 56-74
2007First RoundSan Diego StateL 70-74
2011First Round
Second Round
Murray State
Miami
W 89-76
L 72–81

CIT results

The Bears have appeared in two CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournaments. Their combined record is 4-1 and were the 2010 Champions.
2010First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals
Middle Tennessee State
Louisiana Tech
Creighton
Pacific
W 87-79
W 69-40
W 67-61
W 78-65
2014First RoundMurray StateL 63–66