The Missouri State University basketball Bears will play their first game of 2007-08 when they host the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys Thursday (Nov. 1) at 7:05 p.m. in Hammons Student Center.
The game starts the 32nd and final season for Missouri State in Hammons. Bears’ basketball will move to 11,000-seat JQH Arena for the beginning of the 2008-09 season.
The Bears’ second exhibition game is next Monday (Nov. 5) when Missouri State entertains St. Gregory’s. The regular season starts Nov. 10 with a game at the University of Toledo, and the home opener comes the weekend of Nov. 16-17 when the Bears’ host the 21st annual Price Cutter Classic in Hammons.
Bears’ head coach Barry Hinson, starting his ninth season at the Missouri State helm, plans to use his entire 14-man squad in both exhibition games. Hinson plans to start seniors Deven Mitchell and Dale Lamberth at forwards, senior Drew Richards at center and senior Spencer Laurie and sophomore Justin Fuehrmeyer at guards Thursday against Arkansas Tech. Laurie and Richards are the two returning starters from last year’s 22-11 team and the other two returning lettermen on the roster are senior forward Dex Manswell and junior guard Shane Laurie. Mitchell and Richards are three-year lettermen while Shane Laurie and Lamberth have won two letters each and Manswell, Fuehrmeyer and Spencer Laurie lettered for the first time last season.
Rounding out the Bears’ roster are squadman Ryan Jehle, junior college transfers Chris Cooks and Wade Knapp, and freshmen Kyle Weems, Lamont Austin, David Cline and Tomas Brock.
Arkansas Tech, a member of the Division II Gulf South Conference, returns four starters from last year’s ballclub. Mark Downey is in his second season as the Wonder Boys’ head coach. Terrance Whiters, a 5-11 senior guard, is the top returnee for the Wonder Boys, having averaged 21.4 points a game last year to collect all-conference second team honors and all-region selection.
Missouri State has been 22-9 and 22-11 the past two seasons and the Bears have made three straight appearances in the National Invitation Tournament. Hinson has a 152-101 record in his first eight seasons with the Bears. The Bears are entering their 18th season in the Missouri Valley Conference and their 26th year in Division I. With their all-time record of 1,472-789, the Bears’ have the 27th best total of victories of all Division I schools.
