Missouri State officially ushers in the Cuonzo Martin era with a pair of road games to begin the 2008-09 season. The Bears (0-0) travel to Auburn on Friday (7 p.m.) in their season opener before a return trip to 2008 ESPNU BracketBusters foe Central Michigan on Monday (6 p.m.).
Sizing Up the Opposition - Auburn opens its season Friday against the Bears at Beards-Eaves Memorial Coliseum (10,500) with four starters and seven lettermen returning from a 14-16 (4-12 SEC) team of a year ago. Head coach Jeff Lebo (North Carolina, 1989) is 57-64 in his fifth season at Auburn and 172-127 in his 11th season overall. The Tigers will look to 6-7 forward Korvotney Barber (13.8 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and 6-5 guard Rasheem Barrett (13.6, 4.0) to carry the bulk of their scoring, while fellow returning starters Quantez Robinson (7.8, 5.0) and DeWayne Reed (8.9, 2.5) are solid threats in the backcourt.
 Central Michigan begins its season Friday at Princeton before returning home to play the Bears on Monday evening at Rose Arena (5,200) in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. The Chippewas return four starters from last season’s 14-17 (8-8 MAC) campaign, including 6-8 senior Chris Kellerman (8.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg) and 6-7 post man Marcus Van (8.4, 4.6), who scored 16 and 12 points, respectively, against Missouri State last year in Springfield. Coach Ernie Ziegler (Cleary College, 1994) is in his third season at CMU and enters the year with a 27-35 career record.
The Series - This will be Missouri State’s first meeting with Auburn. The Bears are 6-22 all-time against current Southeastern Conference members, including a 5-17 record against Arkansas and 1-0 mark against Tennessee (1999 NCAA Tournament). The Bears are 0-1 against South Carolina (2003 Guardians Classic), Florida (1986 NIT), Alabama (12/22/07 Las Vegas Classic), Ole Miss (2000 NIT) and Mississippi State (1997 Top of the World Classic).
 The Bears are 1-0 all-time against Central Michigan with a 90-76 win over the Chippewas on Feb. 23, 2008 at Hammons Student Center in Springfield in the ESPNU BracketBusters. Missouri State shot 59 percent from the field and got 25 points from senior Dale Lamberth and 23 from classmate Deven Mitchell to extend a 34-33 halftime lead into a 14-point win. Justin Fuehrmeyer had 17 points and five assists for the Bears in the game. In their four previous BracketBusters "return" games, the Bears are 4-0 with wins over Miami (Ohio) in 2004-05, Oral Roberts in 2005-06, Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2006-07 and Winthrop in 2007-08. The Bears are also 9-4 all-time against MAC opponents, including a 3-0 record against Toledo, 2-0 mark against both Northern Illinois and Bowling Green, 1-2 record against Miami (Ohio) and 0-2 ledger against Kent State.
Head Coach Cuonzo Martin - Cuonzo (CON-zoe) Martin (Purdue, 2000) is in his first season as a collegiate head coach after eight seasons as an assistant coach and associate head coach at Purdue (2000-08) where he was a standout performer for Coach Gene Keady from 1991-95. He became Missouri State’s 16th head basketball coach on April 1, 2008.
 Martin (37) played professional basketball for four years, including two stops with the Milwaukee Bucks and one with the Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA. He spent most of his professional playing time in the Continental Basketball Association and Europe, leading the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Hoops in scoring three seasons and leading the Felize Scandone team in Avellino, Italy in 1997.
 Originally from East St. Louis, Ill., he scored 20 points against the Bears as a Purdue player on 12/22/92 and helped Purdue to a 4-0 mark against MSU as a player and coach (1991, 92, 2001, 07).
Bears Basketball Radio Network - All Missouri State Bears games can be heard on KTXR, Springfield (101.3 FM), the flagship station of the Missouri State Bears Basketball Radio Network. Play-by-play man Art Hains will provide the game description, while former Bears players Mike Keltner and Jeff Ford, along with sports information director Rick Kindhart will provide color commentary throughout the season. Hains first began calling Bears’ action in 1977 and is in his second stint and 28th season overall as the Voice of the Bears. He called Bears games from 1977-81 and returned to that post in 1985. He enters the 2008-09 season having announced 821 Bears’ basketball games in his career.
MSU basketball can also be heard on the 10-station, two-state Missouri State Bears Football Radio Network on the following affiliates: Ava - KKOZ (92.1 FM/1430 AM); El Dorado Springs - KESM (105.5 FM); Jefferson City - KJMO (97.5); Kansas City - KCWJ (1030 AM); Monett - KKBL (95.9 FM); Poplar Bluff - KLID (1340 AM); St. Louis - KSLG (1380 AM); Sparta, Ill. - WHC) (1230 AM); Springfield - KTXR (101.3 FM) (flagship); Willow Springs - KUKU (100.3 FM).
Television - Neither of the team’s first two games will be televised.
 The Bears will appear live on Mediacom Connections (Channel 14 locally) eight times this season. Don West will provide the play-by-play description of the game, while KOLR-10 television personality Dan Lucy will provide color commentary. This is Mediacom’s fourth year providing television coverage of the Bears. The Missouri Cable Sports Network will also show the games throughout Missouri, and the schedule is determined by each local Mediacom market. Games on this year’s Mediacom Connections slate are: Nov. 22 (Arkansas), Dec. 10 (at Tulsa), Jan. 18 (at Illinois State), Jan. 28 (at Southern Illinois), Feb. 1 (at Creighton), Feb. 4 (Evansville), Feb. 10 (at Wichita State) and Feb. 17 (at Bradley).
MSU will be featured on FOX Sports Midwest twice this season -- Jan. 10 (at Northern Iowa) and Feb. 14 (Indiana State), while the Bears will be featured on two national ESPN telecasts at home Jan. 25 on ESPNU (UNI) and Feb. 7 on ESPN2 (Southern Illinois).
Bears Live! - The Auburn and Central Michigan games will be shown on Missouri State’s on-line video channel -- Bears Live!
 Bears Live is a new, premium broadband video destination for exclusive live and on-demand Missouri State streaming video & audio content. This broadband video channel is the ultimate place for Bears fans on the web and can be accessed through www.MissouriStateBears.com, the official web site of Missouri State Athletics.
Links to live game stats and the Missouri State Bears Basketball Radio Network free live audio stream can be found on the game notes page for this week’s game on the MSU Athletics Web page -- www.MissouriStateBears.com.
Poll Position - For the first time in their 19-year tenure in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Missouri State men were picked last in the 10-team conference. The Bears return three starters and six lettermen from a 17-16 team a year ago. Since joining the league in 1990-91, the Bears have been picked in the league’s upper division 16 times in the previous 18 preseason polls, as determined by conference coaches, sports information directors, beat writers and broadcasters.
 The only previous lower division predictions for the Bears in the Valley preseason poll were in 1995-96 and 2002-03 when Missouri State was picked eighth. In 1995-96, MSU finished 16-12 overall and 11-7 in the league, tying for fourth place. In 2002-03, the Bears completed a 17-12 season and tied for third (12-6) in the MVC.
 Creighton claimed 36 of the 39 first-place votes in this year’s preseason poll and was tabbed first with 386 points, followed by SIU (322), Illinois State (309), Drake (274), Bradley (219), UNI (186), Indiana State (137), Evansville (122), Wichita State (105), Missouri State (85). Likewise, no Bears were named to the preseason all-conference team.
Mo. State Against Each State - The Bears are 6-3 against teams from Alabama over the years, including a 2-0 record against both Troy and Alabama State. MSU is 1-0 against Samford, 1-0 against Spring Hill College (Mobile, Ala.), 0-1 against Alabama, 0-1 against Jacksonville State and 0-1 against UAB. The Bears have never played Auburn.
Missouri State is 4-2 all-time against opponents from Michigan, including a 1-0 mark against Central Michigan, Northern Michigan, and Hope College (Holland, Mich.). The Bears are also 1-1 against Detroit and 0-1 against Michigan State (1992 NCAA Tournament).
Court Captains - Seniors Spencer Laurie (G, Springfield, Mo.), Shane Laurie (G, Springfield, Mo.), Chris Cooks (F, Idabel, Okla.) and Wade Knapp (C, Wakeeney, Kan.) will share captain duties for the Bears this season. Spencer Laurie was a co-captain last season as well, making him one of 10 Bears to ever hold the honor of captain for more than one season. Previous multiple-year captains were: Finis Engleman (1914-15), Carl Fox (1927, 29), Gene Ruble (1949-50), Bill Thomas (1952-53), Max Oldham (1956-58), Danny Bolden (1966-67), Jimmy Dull (1977-78), Mark Lance (1981-82), and Danny Moore (1998-99).
Bears in the Final NCAA RPI - Since 1994-95, the Bears have finished in the NCAA Division I upper division in the Final RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) all 14 seasons, including four finishes in the top 40, five finishes in the top 50 and eight stops in the top 100. The Bears own three of the five best RPI’s not to have been selected for an at-large NCAA Tournament berth. MSU had the 21st-best RPI on Selection Sunday when it was snubbed for the Dance in 2005-06 as well as a Tourney exclusion after a No. 34 regular season placement in 1999-2000. The 2006-07 Bears were No. 36 in the NCAA’s power ratings on Selection Sunday. All three teams played in the NIT and were a collective 3-3 in the postseason those years. The 1996-97 Bears were 25-7 in the regular season, ranked No. 42 in the RPI and were also not awarded an NCAA at-large berth. The Bears have five 20-win seasons to their credit in the past 12 seasons and have recorded seven consecutive winning seasons.
Bears Basketball Centennial - The 2008-09 season marks the 100th anniversary of Missouri State’s first basketball team in 1908-09. The University did not field teams in 1911-12, 1912-13, 1943-44 or 1944-45 due to World War I and II, making this the 97th season the Bears have hit the hardwood. MSU is the 27th winningest NCAA Division I program, having compiled a 1,489-815 all-time basketball record. Cuonzo Martin is Missouri State’s 16th head basketball coach.
Debut of the "Q" - With a $30 million gift from Missouri State alumnus and Springfield-based hotel developer John Q. Hammons, the long-time dream of a new home for the Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears and an iconic tribute to MSU intercollegiate athletics has become a reality. JQH Arena features a seating capacity of 11,000, including 50 courtside seats, 24 suites, PRIME Overtime Club, Hall of Fame and Legacy of Competition exhibits, 114 loge seats, 1,363 reserved student seats and 9,637 chairback seats. Missouri State will play its inaugural game at JQH on November 22 when the Bears host Arkansas at 7:15 p.m.
For Openers - The Bears are 4-4 in season openers this decade and lost last season’s debut on November 10, 2007 at Toledo, 57-53. The Bears have two wins in their past three season openers and three in the last five.
 During the Division I era (1982-present), Missouri State has compiled a 17-9 record in their season openers. During this era, MSU is also 11-15 in their first road games of the season, but have won two of their last three road openers.
 Over the past 26 seasons, the Bears have also put together a 25-1 record in their home openers, with an 81-78 loss to North Texas in 2002-03 being the only blemish on the team’s home ledger.
Exhibition Excellence - Five Bears averaged double figures in scoring for Missouri State’s pair of preseason exhibition games this November. MSU defeated Quincy, 79-44, on November 3 before a 103-73 victory over East Central (Okla.) on November 10. Both games were played at Hammons Student Center.
 The Bears were led by Chris Cooks’ (Sr., F, Idabel, Okla.) who averaged 24.5 points per game, including 28 against East Central (Okla.) on November 10, the Bears averaged 91 points as a team and shot 46.4 percent from the field with 8.5 three-pointers per contest. Cardell McFarland (Fr., G, Evansville, Ind.) scored 12 points in his only exhibition appearance, while redshirt freshman Kyle Weems (F, Topeka, Kan.) averaged 11.5 per game in the preseason. Fellow starters Wade Knapp (Sr., C, Wakeeney, Kan.) and Spencer Laurie (Sr., G, Springfield, Mo.) averaged 11 and 10.5 points, respectively. Also, in two exhibition starts, Ryan Jehle (So., F, Overland Park, Kan.) averaged 9 points per game for the Bears.
 MSU surrendered just 58.5 points per game, forced 56 turnovers (28.0), and had a +8.0 rebound margin. The Bears also held a 46-14 assist advantage over their opponents in the preseason and snagged 29 steals.
Mountain West / Missouri Valley Conference Challenge - In October, The Missouri Valley Conference and the Mountain West Conference announced an agreement in principle to the formation of an annual Mountain West/Missouri Valley Challenge for men’s basketball, potentially beginning in 2009-10. All 19 members of both leagues will participate in the Challenge, which will feature head-to-head competition between nine Mountain West and nine Missouri Valley teams annually. Annually, one MVC school will not participate in the Challenge.
 The Mountain West has ranked among the Top 10 in the NCAA’s final RPI report in eight of the last nine years, while the Valley has been among the Top 8 in each of the last four. Teams from the two leagues have squared off 32 times since the inception of the Mountain West in 1999, with MWC teams holding a 17-15 edge in those contests. Specific details regarding the Challenge will be released at a later date. Officials from both leagues are working towards a four-year commitment that could begin as early as November, 2009.
Ahearn Named D-League Rookie of the Year - Missouri State alum Blake Ahearn (2003-07), the most accurate free throw shooter in NCAA Division I history, was named Rookie of the Year in the NBA Development League for the 2007-08 season. In 41 games for the Dakota Wizards, Ahearn averaged 19.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 29.4 minutes per game. He shot 49 percent (239-492) from the field, including 108-for-246 from three-point range, and 96 percent (191-199) from the free throw line.
 He was called up to the NBA’s Miami Heat on March 21, 2008, appearing in 12 games and scoring in double figures three times with 70 total points and an amazing 30-for-31 free throw effort on the game’s biggest stages. He failed to make the Minnesota Timberwolves’ opening day roster, and hopes to return to the D-League when its season begins on November 28.
Mitchell Signs Pro Contract for Austrian League - Deven Mitchell, who shared the Missouri State Coors Player of the Year Award last winter, began play in the Austrian Basketball League in October. Mitchell signed a contract to play for the Vienna Lions, a member of Austria’s top professional league. The Lions’ season runs from October to May in the 12-team Austrian League. A four-year MSU letterman and two-year starter, the 6-foot-5 Mitchell became the 27th player in Bears’ history to reach 1,000 career points when he hit that mark as a senior. In 2007-08, Mitchell was the only player to start all 33 Bear games and led the team in free throw accuracy (.893), rebounding (6.1) and steals (47).
Looking Back - The Bears finished the 2007-08 season with a 17-16 mark and 8-10 (tie for seventh) record in the Missouri valley Conference. The Bears went 1-1 in the State Farm MVC Tournament before bowling out to Illinois State in the quarterfinals and did not reach the postseason (NIT or NCAA) for just the 12th time in their 26-years at the NCAA Division I level.
 Four seniors and two additional squad members concluded their Missouri State careers in 2007-08. Starters Dale Lamberth (14.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Deven Mitchell (14.3, 6.1) and Drew Richards (7.2, 4.5) along with reserve Dex Manswell (2.3, 3.1) were seniors last season. Mitchell finished his career 19th on the Bears’ all-time scoring list with 1,131 points and became the 27th player in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau. Lamberth finished with 954 points in three seasons at MSU. Also not returning to the team this season are Tomas Brock (1.2, 0.6) and Lamont Austin (0.0, 1.0).
 Former MSU head coach Barry Hinson (1999-2008) finished his nine-year tenure with a 169-117 (.591) record overall and 95-67 (.586) mark in MVC play. Hinson is currently serving as administrative assistant for coach Bill Self at Kansas.
Looking Ahead - On November 12, Missouri State announced the receipt of National Letters of Intent from two men’s basketball prospects for the 2009-10 season. High school seniors Jerome Jones (6-5, 201, SG, St. Louis, Mo., Miller Career Academy) and Keith Pickens (6-4, 190, SG, St. Louis, Mo., Oakville High) have both signed letters of intent and announced their intentions to play for coach Cuonzo Martin’s Bears next season.
 Jones averaged 17.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a junior in 2007-08 at Miller Career Academy in St. Louis. He was an all-conference and second team all-state performer as a junior, while earning Post-Dispatch honorable mention all-metro distinction. He is regarded as one of the top athletes in St. Louis this season. As a sophomore, he averaged 13.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and was invited to the Nike Top 100 Hoop Jamboree. He has also been a key player for the St. Louis Eagles AAU team.
 Pickens averaged 13.0 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Oakville High School Tigers last season, also accounting for 2.3 blocks and 1.7 assists per game and making 37 percent of his three-pointers. As a sophomore, he averaged 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest. He is regarded as a great leaper, scorer and rebounder and escalated his stock over the summer with his performance on the Rameybaasketball.com squad.
From the Training Room - Derron Hobbs (Fr., G, St. Louis, Mo.) will not make the trip to Auburn with an ankle sprain and is expected to miss 2-3 weeks . . . Shane Laurie (Sr., G, Springfield, Mo.) is unable to practice or play while recovering from a concussion sustained on 10/3/08 in a non-basketball accident. He will not practice until his status is evaluated in December . . . Dominick Brumfield (Fr., F, Inglewood, Calif.) is out 4 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot . . . Justin Fuehrmeyer (Jr., G, St. Charles, Mo.) will miss four weeks with an ankle sprain sustained at practice Wednesday.
Back for More - Bears’ guard Spencer Laurie (Springfield, Mo.) returns for a fourth season with the Missouri State squad this season after being granted an additional year of eligibility under the NCAA waiver. The NCAA ruled this fall that due to the injury and personal circumstances during and following his second season at the University of Missouri (2004-05), he would be eligible for a fourth season of college basketball. After playing in 21 games as a true freshman at Missouri in 2003-04, he was injured after just 7 games in 2004-05. The injury coincided with a family emergency, which ultimately led to his transfer to Missouri State in his hometown of Springfield. He spent the 2005-06 season in residence at MSU after the transfer and became eligible for the Bears in 2006-07 -- his second full college season. He also played for MSU in 2007-08, originally believed to be his final season. He joins younger brother Spencer as two of the team’s three returning starters this year.
Creekmore Countdown - Will Creekmore (6-9, 242, C, Tulsa, Okla.) will become eligible to compete for Missouri State at the conclusion of the first semester after transferring to Missouri State during the spring 2008 semester from Boston University. The sophomore saw action in four games as a freshman for the America East Conference school, collecting 11 points and 10 rebounds and making good on 83-percent of his free throws. He averaged 23.0 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks per game as a senior at Thomas Edison High in Tulsa in 2006-07 where he had a 4.0+ grade point average.
Waiting in the Wings - Missouri State will welcome two Division I transfers to the program this year with the addition of former Eastern Kentucky standout Adam Leonard (6-0, 188, G, Lee’s Summit, Mo.) and Colorado product Caleb Patterson (7-0, 230, C, Ringwood, Okla.). Both players will be ineligible during the 2008-09 season. Leonard will have two remaining years of eligibility, and Patterson will be able to play three years for the Bears. Patterson played 14 games for the Buffaloes last season, gaining one start and scoring 20 total points. Leonard was a two-year starter for the Colonels where he helped EKU to the 2007 NCAA Tournament after accounting for 104 three-pointers his freshman season. He averaged 12.5 and 11.9 points, respectively, in his two seasons at EKU.
Up Next - The Bears will return home next Saturday for a 7:05 p.m. tipoff against Arkansas in the first-ever basketball game in JQH Arena. The Bears are 5-17 against the Razorbacks and have not played them in Springfield since a 56-49 win on 12/22/86.
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