SPRINGFIELD -- The Missouri State women's basketball team is set for a pair of exhibition contests at JQH Arena, welcoming Central Missouri at 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 and Lincoln at 2 p.m. on Nov. 4 in preparation for the regular season.

The Lady Bears were picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference race last week, and return three starters and nine total players from last season's 21-12 (15-3 MVC) team that played in the postseason for the fourth-straight year, earning a bid into the WNIT. Despite a roster that includes 11 underclassmen compared to three juniors and seniors, MSU's nine returning players have a combined 391 games' worth of experience, which includes 153 starts.

Central Missouri is the reigning NCAA Division II national champion and went 30-3 last season. The Jennies are the near unanimous favorite to win the MIAA this season. Former MSU standout guard Kenzie (Williams) Kostas is an assistant coach at UCM. The Lady Bears defeated the Jennies by a 62-36 score in a regular-season game at JQH on Nov. 15 of last season.

Lincoln is picked to finish at the bottom of the MIAA standings this season, and went 4-23 with a 1-18 conference mark in 2017-18. The Lady Bears and Blue Tigers met three times from 1981-83, with MSU winning two of those three games.

MSU begins the regular season Nov. 10 at Wichita State at 2 p.m.

For season ticket information, please contact Duane Miller at (417) 836-8899. Single-game tickets are on sale at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets, by phone at (417) 836-7678 or in person at the Old Missouri Bank Ticket Office at JQH Arena.