Game 11 - Missouri State Bears (5-5) vs.  Lincoln Blue Tigers (8-3)
Date and Time	Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 | 7:02 p.m. (Central)
Location	Great Southern Bank Arena (11,000) | Springfield, Missouri
Tickets	Tickets | (417) 836-7678 | Great Southern Bank Arena Box Office
Promos & Specials	Education Appreciation Day ($5 Tickets) | SAAC Toy Drive | Promo Calendar
Fan Info	Digital Program | Gates Open at 6:00 p.m.
Radio	KWTO (FM 93.3 / AM 560) (Art Hains, Mike Keltner) | MSU Radio Network | Listen Live | The Varsity Network App
Television	ESPN+ (Mike McClure, Jay Spoonhour) | Watch
Series	Missouri State leads series, 22-16 | Last Meeting: MSU 88, LU 56 (11/21/06)
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Game Notes	Missouri State | Lincoln | MVC Weekly Release | MSU Media Guide
Follow	Facebook | Athletics Twitter | Basketball Twitter | Instagram | #MSUBears | #BearsUnite
Bears Mobile App	App Store (Apple Devices) | Google Play Store (Android Devices)
Up Next	Next Game: Sunday,, Dec. 22 vs. UC Santa Barbara, 1:00 p.m. | Tickets

Accessibility
Missouri State University is committed to providing an accessible and supportive environment for those with disabilities. To request reasonable disability accommodations, contact the Deputy Compliance Officer at (417) 836-6755 or DeputyComplianceOfficer@MissouriState.edu. 

The Ten Count

• Missouri State returns to Great Southern Bank Arena on Wednesday (7 p.m.) to host in-state foe Lincoln University as the Bears begin a two-game home stand before the holiday break. All local educators and administrators can purchase $5 tickets (bleachers and upper-level sections) at the box office, while the SAAC Toy Drive concludes with holiday donations being collected at all entrances. 
• Dez White (So., Jefferson City, Mo.) is one of 7 Division I players to score in double-figures in every game this season (minimum of 10 games), while leading the MVC in scoring average (18.6) which ranks 53rd nationally -- 10th among all sophomores. White also ranks 3rd in the MVC in free throw percentage (.902), minutes per game (34:41) and 3-pointers per game (3.0). Including his time at Austin Peay, he needs 37 points for 500 for his career (45 games) and 7 three-pointers to reach 100. 
• The Bears rank 70th nationally (2nd in MVC) in offensive rebounds per game (12.80) with 10 or more offensive boards in 9-of-10 contests. MoState has also out-rebounded 8 of its last 9 foes.
• Junior standout Vincent Brady II (Indianapolis, Ind.) needs 2 three-pointers to reach 100 for his collegiate career (71 games). He is averaging 14.5 points per game over the last two games.
• The defensive-minded Bears are averaging 9.4 steals per game which ranks 35th nationally and 1st in the Missouri Valley, including 6 games with 10 or more steals. Likewise, MSU's 15.10 total takeaways per contest ranks 53rd nationally and 2nd in the Missouri Valley Conference with at least 10 forced turnovers in every game. 
• Jalen Hampton (Jr., St. Louis) ranks 41st nationally and 2nd in the MVC in total rebounds per game (8.6). He is also tied for 41st nationally in offensive rebounds per game (3.20) which matches teammate Michael Osei-Bonsu (Jr., Bolingbrook, Ill.). The Bears' pair is tied for 2nd among all MVC players in offensive caroms. According to KenPom (which ranks more than 2,300 Division I players), Hampton's defensive rebounding percentage (27.1) ranks 36th nationally, while Osei-Bonsu's offensive rebounding percentage (14.6) ranks 51st. 
• Missouri State head coach Cuonzo Martin is 47-12 (.797) all-time at Great Southern Bank Arena, including a 38-4 ledger over his last three seasons in Springfield (3-1 this year). His Bears have won 23 consecutive non-conference home games, dating back to Dec. 22, 2008.
• In Saturday's game at Washington State, the Bears equaled their season-highs for 3-pointers (10), offensive rebounds (16) and assists (16), while posting their first 50-point half (51) since Feb. 3, 2024 (at Belmont).
• Zaxton King (Fr., Lawrence, Kan.) has splashed home multiple 3-pointers eight times this season, including four of the last five games. He has scored in double figures 6 times in 10 starts, including 12 pts. at Washington State.

Coach Cuonzo Martin

• After an extensive national search, Missouri State University announced Cuonzo Martin as its men's basketball head coach on March 27, 2024. The man who orchestrated Missouri State's only MVC regular-season championship run during his first tenure in Springfield originally coached at Missouri State from 2008 to 2011.
• Martin begins his second tenure at MoState with a 269-203 (.570) career record in 15 seasons as a Division I head coach with experience at MSU, Tennessee, California and Missouri. His teams have made nine postseason appearances in that span, including four trips to the NCAA Tournament, four appearances in the NIT, and a CIT title with the Bears in 2010. 
• Coach Martin is also 66-46 (.589) in his fourth season (and second stint) at Missouri State University. Martin is 0-0 in his career against Lincoln University.
• Martin also boasts 56 college graduates during his career with stints at MoState, Tennessee (2011-14), California (2014-17) and Missouri (2017-22).
• A native of East St. Louis, Ill., Martin was a star player at Purdue from 1991-95 for coach Gene Keady and then played four years professionally. He was on the coaching staff at Purdue for eight years under Keady and Matt Painter before accepting his first head coaching position at MSU on March 26, 2008.
• In Martin's first stint in Springfield (2008-11), he was named Missouri State's 16th head coach in time for the program's 100th anniversary season and its inaugural campaign at Great Southern Bank Arena. In his second season (2009-10), Martin guided MoState to a 24-12 overall ledger, a 19-2 home record, and an impressive run to the CIT Postseason Tournament title.
• His third season at MSU (2010-11) was one of the program's most memorable, as the Bears finished 26-9 overall on the way to the program's first-ever MVC regular-season title with a 15-3 league record. The Bears fell to Indiana State in the finals of the MVC Tournament in St. Louis and capped an unforgettable campaign by advancing to the second round of the NIT. Martin was named 2011 MVC Coach of the Year and recipient of the Ben Jobe Award as the nation's top minority head coach. Over Martin's last two years at MoState, the Bears were 35-3 at home and did not lose a non-conference home game.

The Series

• The in-state series between MSU and Lincoln dates back to 1954 with the Bears leading, 22-16. Missouri State is 17-7 all-time in Springfield against Lincoln, although the teams have never played at Great Southern Bank Arena.
• The last matchup between the Show-Me foes took place at Hammons Student Center on Nov. 21, 2006 in the preliminary rounds of the South Padre Island Invitational. In that game, Winston Garland led MoState with 22 points and 5 rebounds, while Stan Worthy posted 10 points and Greg Bell snagged 8 boards to lead the Bears to a 51-42 victory. The Bears shot an even 50 percent (19-for-38) from the field, blocked four shots and forced 15 turnovers to hold off the visitors from Jefferson City.
• Missouri State is 4-0 against the Blue Tigers since its move to Division I status in 1982-83, not counting a 96-65 exhibition win on Nov. 5, 2005. Prior to that, the teams were conference foes in the MIAA for 12 seasons (1970-71 to 1981-82), during which Missouri State was 14-16 against Lincoln (10-6 in Springfield).
• Also noteworthy in the rivalry is the legacy of former Lincoln star Harold Robertson who still owns MSU opponent records for points (45), field goals (18) and field goal attempts (36) in games from 1976-78.