NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
Missouri State basketball coach Cuonzo Martin brings 15 newcomers to the Bears’ roster as he returns to the Great Southern Bank Arena sideline for the first time since 2011.
Martin’s new-look roster includes two returners, one sidelined for the season. It also features a mixture of Division I and juco transfers and a handful of incoming freshmen.
The Bears were picked to finish 11th in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll. Most of the league’s standouts from last season entered the transfer portal and are playing elsewhere. Only one player from the Valley’s postseason team returned, leaving much mystery heading into the Bears’ final season in the league.
Missouri State will tip off non-conference play when it travels to Butler for a 5:45 p.m. game on Nov. 4. The Bears will hold an exhibition game against Division II Southwest Baptist on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Here are the 2024-25 Bears:
Missouri State basketball players Jurrell Baldwin (back) and Makhai Valentine during homecoming practice on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
Baldwin could be an impact freshman as a 6-foot-7, 200-pound forward who averaged 28 points, nine rebounds and four assists as a senior.
Out of high school, he held offers from Saint Louis, Murray State, Illinois State, Eastern Illinois and Bryant.
Brady is expected to have a big role for the Bears as a 6-foot-3, 195-pound guard who started 52 games and made 63 appearances across two seasons at IUPUI.
Brady averaged 10 points and made 86 3’s during his first two seasons of Division I ball.
Downing-Rivers could be the Bears’ starting point guard after he led his juco program to a national title last season. He started 70 straight games, averaging 8.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists across two seasons.
Logan Epes, Midwestern State, Junior
Epes is a walk-on Division II transfer who appeared in seven games last season at Midwestern State.
C.J. Gaines, Calvary Day (Georgia), Freshman
Gaines is a 5-foot-8 walk-on who averaged 15.5…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/missouri-state-basketball-roster-2024-080324978.html
Author : Springfield News-Leader
Publish date : 2024-10-22 08:03:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
