SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Although the opportunity to play in the postseason for a third straight season was a possibility for the Missouri State University men’s basketball program, Director of Athletics Kyle Moats announced Monday (March 5), the Bears will not participate in the College Basketball Invitational or CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
“Our coaches can immediately begin working with our returning players, focusing on recruiting and concentrating on our academic responsibilities,” Moats explained. “Investing our resources in these areas is a better fit for our current situation.”
Under first-year head coach Paul Lusk, the Bears finished the season 16-16 overall and tied for third in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 9-9 record. MSU, which was picked sixth in this year’s MVC preseason poll after returning just 38.7 percent of its scoring from the 2011 MVC championship team, is expected to return eight active players, two redshirt players and 52.1 percent of its total points for the 2012-13 campaign.
