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SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri State men's basketball team will host its only exhibition contest of the preseason this Wednesday (Oct. 30) at JQH Arena when the Bears entertain Washington University of St. Louis at 7 p.m.
 
WashU returns four starters and 13 letterwinners from last year's 17-8 squad that won 10 of its last 12 games. The visiting Bears finished second in the University Athletic Association (Division III) standings a year ago to secure their 35th straight winning season.
 
The in-state foes have never played in a preseason exhibition game, but the teams have split four regular-season games between 1959 and 1963.
 
This is the ninth straight season Missouri State has welcomed an in-state foe to JQH Arena for a preseason men's exhibition game.
 
Missouri State returns two All-Missouri Valley Conference standouts in Tulio Da Silva and Keandre Cook who averaged 14.3 and 12.8 points per game, respectively, last season. Coach Dana Ford begins his second season at the helm of the MSU program with six returning lettermen from a 16-16 club that tied for third in the MVC last winter and is picked to win the Valley this season.
 
Ford has nine newcomers at his disposal, including Division I transfers Josh Hall (Nevada), Tyrik Dixon (Middle Tennessee), and Lamont West (West Virginia) who each played in the NCAA Tournament for their previous teams. Hall and Dixon were part of the MSU program last year as they served their required year in residence to satisfy NCAA transfer rules, while West is eligible immediately as a post-graduate transfer.
 
MSU tips off the regular season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 5 against Little Rock (7 p.m.) as part of a three-game home stand to begin the 2019-20 season.
 
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 Box Office at JQH Arena.
 
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