Springfield Standard

Missouri State University's men's basketball team will conclude its three-game home stand on Tuesday, November 11, facing Arkansas State at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:02 p.m. Central time.

Tickets for the matchup are available through the arena's box office or by calling (417) 836-7678. In recognition of Veteran's Day, veterans, active military personnel, and first responders will receive free admission.

The Bears enter the contest with a 2-0 record this season and have maintained an average scoring margin of 33.5 points and a rebound margin of 19 over their first two games. They last played Arkansas State in December 2019, winning that meeting 75-53. Missouri State leads the all-time series against Arkansas State with a record of 23-10 and holds a strong home advantage at Great Southern Bank Arena.

Missouri State has seen significant contributions from several players early in the season. Michael Osei-Bonsu recorded 22 points and a career-high 14 rebounds against Missouri Southern, while Darrion Sutton posted career highs with 18 points and 11 rebounds versus Northwestern Oklahoma State. Returning starter Zaxton King scored his first double-digit game of the year with 12 points against Northwestern Oklahoma State.

Head coach Cuonzo Martin returned to Missouri State in March after previously leading the program from 2008 to 2011. "After an extensive national search, Missouri State University announced Cuonzo Martin as its men's basketball head coach on March 27, 2024," according to university officials. Martin has guided teams to nine postseason appearances during his coaching career across several programs including Tennessee, California, and Missouri.

Under Martin’s leadership at home venues like Great Southern Bank Arena, his teams have achieved notable success: "MSU head coach Cuonzo Martin is 53-19 (.729) all-time at Great Southern Bank Arena, and his teams are a combined 165-44 (.788) when his clubs score 70 or more points." His previous tenure included guiding Missouri State to its only regular-season conference championship.

Missouri State recently set new arena records for assists (32) and field goals made (41) during their win over Northwestern Oklahoma State. The team also broke its own mark for points scored in the paint since NCAA began tracking that statistic in box scores in 2005.

Looking ahead after Tuesday’s game against Arkansas State, Missouri State will play UT Arlington on Saturday, November 15 before returning home again on November 22 to face UT Rio Grande Valley.

The university encourages fans requiring accessibility accommodations to contact their Deputy Compliance Officer by phone or email prior to attending events at Great Southern Bank Arena.