A fixture in the Missouri State program since 2009, Keith Pickens joined the Bears' coaching staff as a full-time assistant on June 2, 2016.
Pickens, 26, was an on-court standout for the Bears from 2009-14, and then served as the team's graduate manager for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. He completed his master's degree in Sports Management in May 2016.
The St. Louis native first graduated from Missouri State in August 2013 with an undergraduate degree in Sports Administration. The rugged forward played 19 games his senior year in 2013-14 at the end of an injury-laden career that saw him produce 568 points and 253 rebounds in 111 games. He ranks 10th in school history in blocked shots (70) and led the Bears in rebounding in 24 games during his career.
Pickens was part of the 2010 CIT championship team his freshman season and was a member of the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship team in 2011, although a knee injury sidelined him for the season. Pickens' best campaign came in 2012-13 when he started 19 times in 30 appearances, scored a career-high 183 points and logged 142 rebounds as a fourth-year junior. He also led the club in rebounding average at 4.7 per game despite missing several games.
The St. Louis native announced his intentions to retire from basketball after his junior season at MSU, but progress over the summer of 2013 and a desire to play an impactful senior season brought about his return to the Bears' rotation as a fifth-year senior. Although he did not play in the 2014 CIT, Pickens did help lead the Bears' resurgence in 2013-14 as the team posted its first 20-win campaign and postseason appearance since 2011.
A product of Oakville High School, Pickens averaged 15.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game as a senior for Coach Nick Traxler while guiding his team to a 23-9 season and trip to the Missouri Class 5 final four. He was a consensus all-state selection by the MBCA and Associated Press as a senior while earning Post-Dispatch All-Metro First Team distinction and all-conference laurels. His 114 blocked shots in 2008-09 was seventh-best among all St. Louis-area players.
Pickens and his wife, the former Nita Slaughter, are the proud parents of a son, Kaden, 2. Slaughter was a standout player at the University of Louisville from 2010-14 and was the 35th overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.
