SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — There was at least one aspect of Missouri State women’s basketball that remained constant with the Lady Bears’ move to the new $67 million JQH Arena in 2008-09: the fans.

MSU concluded a memorable inaugural season in their new home with the 19th-best average attendance among 328 NCAA Division I women’s basketball programs, becoming one of just four schools to finish in the top 20 in the nation in each of the last 19 seasons.

The Lady Bears of head coach Nyla Milleson drew 66,498 spectators in 14 home dates this past season for an average of 4,750 fans per game. That figure led the Missouri Valley Conference for the 20th straight year and topped the attendance averages of some of the premier programs in the country. Missouri State outdrew 13 of the 25 teams ranked in the final 2008-09 AP Top 25 poll, including traditional powers such as Auburn, Stanford and Virginia. The Lady Bears also bested regional foes such as Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska and Kansas State in per game attendance.

Tennessee led Division I in women’s basketball attendance for the sixth consecutive season in 2008-09. The Lady Vols attracted 209,991 fans for 15 games in Knoxville for an average of 13,999 per contest.

Missouri State’s attendance streak dates back to the 1990-91 season and includes a string of 10 straight top-10 finishes, beginning with the 1991-92 campaign. The Lady Bears led all of Division I women’s basketball in attendance during the 1992-93 season by averaging 7,421 fans per contest and set a program and MVC record by drawing 8,435 spectators per outing in 2000-01.

Only three other Division I women’s basketball programs — Purdue, Tennessee and Texas — have joined Missouri State in the year-end top 20 for average attendance each of the past 19 seasons.

The Missouri State men’s basketball squad also enjoyed the friendly confines of JQH Arena in 2008-09, as the Bears averaged 7,147 fans per game. That represented an increase of 906 fans per contest from the previous year, the 20th-best improvement in all of Division I basketball and the most improved figure in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Season ticket packages for the 2009-10 season — both new accounts and renewals — for the Lady Bears and Bears are currently available by calling (417) 836-7678.

Season ticket and individual game ticket prices for the Lady Bears remain the same as the previous two seasons, while men’s basketball season ticket prices have increased slightly due to a 19-game JQH Arena home schedule. All other ticket prices, including men’s individual game tickets, remain the same as those offered during the 2008-09 season.

Additionally, women’s basketball seat assessments have been evaluated to provide more affordable opportunities at various pricing levels, including several non-assessment sections. Likewise, additional lower-level seating opportunities will be available for women’s basketball with the addition of bleacher season tickets.