Storylines for the Weekend
1) Missouri State (13-14, 7-8 Missouri Valley Conference) is fresh off a 3-1 road trip and plays its final home matches of the regular season against Bradley (9-19, 3-12) at 6 p.m. Friday and Illinois State (11-19, 9-6) at 5 p.m. Saturday. The Bears and Murray State are tied for seventh in the league standings with three to play, one match ahead of Belmont for the final spot in the upcoming MVC Tournament in Springfield.
2) The Bears rank fifth nationally in total digs (1,791) and 15th in average (16.90/set). The high dig numbers continue a trend that saw the Bears rank 10th nationally in 2020-21 and 32nd in 2022 in total digs.
3) Senior
Teagan Polcovich became the 26th MSU player with 1,000 career digs on Sept. 8 and now ranks seventh on the school's list with 1,411. Her 3.99 career average ranks third on the Bears' career list, and she sits 16th nationally in total digs (522) and 27th in average (4.92/set) in 2023.
4) Fifth-year senior
Azyah Green has recorded at least 100 blocks in each of her five seasons, the first player since the 1980s to lead the Bears in that category in four consecutive years.
   Green ranks fourth in school history with 570 total blocks and 11th with a 1.05 per set average. Her block total is the highest of any MSU player since 1988, and she is sixth in MVC history with 492 career block assists.
   Among active Division I players, Green is first in sets played (545), sixth in blocks (570) and seventh in matches (141).
5) Junior
Maddy Bushnell set MSU's freshman record with a .343 hitting percentage in 2021, and currently ranks 12th in school history with a .283 attack efficiency for her career.
6) Two MSU rookies have earned MVC Freshman of the Week this season.
Breanah Rives did so on Sept. 18 and averages 2.68 kills per set, just .12 off the team lead. Just three freshmen since 1986 have led the Bears in kills per set.
   Neele'ge Sims won on Nov. 6 after serving eight aces at Murray State, the most for a Missouri State player since 2006.
7) MoState has notched the top three ace averages since the 25-point scoring era began in the last three seasons, and ranked 39th nationally in 2022 with 195 total aces. The Bears average 1.44 aces per set this year, near the 1.61 figures posted in 2020 and 2022.
   The 2023 MSU roster has served a combined 417 aces in the Maroon and White, and the Bears have served double-digit ace totals 19 times in the last four seasons, including five in 2023.
8) Head coach
Steven McRoberts is in his fourth season in Springfield and 27th overall as a head coach with 641 victories to his credit, good for 12th among active Division I coaches.
9) The Bears play 15 of their scheduled 30 matches at home this season and host the MVC Tournament for the first time since 2018. Missouri State has hosted the conference meet 10 times previously. All told, Hammons will host 27 matches this season, including neutral-site contests. MoState is 8-5 at home this season.
Series Histories
The Bears are 56-15 against Bradley including a 29-6 record at home. The Braves are winners of seven of the last 10 in the series after losing 18 in a row from 2009-17.
   Missouri State has played Illinois State more than any other opponent and holds a 55-53 series lead.MSU is 25-22 versus the Redbirds in Springfield in a series that dates to 1974. The Bears won 3-0 in Normal last season and haven't played in Springfield since an ISU sweep on Oct. 30, 2021.
Last Week
The Bears split on the road at Murray State and Belmont.
   Against Murray State on Friday, the Bears served 14 aces, their most since 2007, with eight of those coming from
Neele'ge' Sims, the most for a Bear since 2006. Missouri State won 3-1.
   Saturday, the Bears had 19 blocks at Belmont, their most since 2007, the the Bruins rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win in five sets.
