SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State will host eight opponents at JQH Arena this winter as part of a 13-game non-conference men’s basketball schedule released Tuesday by head coach Paul Lusk.
Highlighting the pre-MVC slate are visits from Valparaiso and North Dakota State to Springfield, in addition to hosting regional rival Oral Roberts for the third straight season at “The Q.”
Valparaiso will visit on Saturday Dec. 10 after a 30-7 campaign that included a trip to the NIT championship game. The Crusaders will celebrate their 100th season of men’s basketball with one of the nation’s top returning players in 6-foot-8 standout Alec Peters who logged team bests with 18.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in addition to converting 85 percent of his free throws.
North Dakota State, which has advanced to the NCAA Tournament two of the last three seasons, will come to Springfield on Sunday, Nov. 27. The Bison were 20-13 a year ago and advanced to the Summit League Tournament finals en route to their fourth consecutive 20-win season.
Coach Scott Sutton begins his 18th season at the helm of Oral Roberts and will bring his Golden Eagles to Springfield for a third straight year. Last season, the Bears and ORU split a home-and-home series with Missouri State dominating the most-recent clash, 85-66, at JQH Arena on Dec. 16.
“With those three games and the most non-conference home games we’ve had in my time here, I’m really excited about the upcoming season,” Lusk said. “We have three true road games and two neutral games at the Las Vegas Classic that will push us and get us ready for the grind of the Missouri Valley Conference schedule.”
Lusk’s troops open the 2016-17 season with three straight home games, including the season opener against Alabama A&M on Friday, Nov. 11. MSU will then entertain Jacksonville State on Nov. 13, and Fontbonne University on Nov. 17.
After their first road game of the year at DePaul on Nov. 23, the Bears close out the month of November at home against NDSU.
December begins with a trip to the U.S. Air Force Academy on Dec. 3 as part of the Mountain West – Missouri Valley Challenge. Missouri State then plays its final non-conference road game with a matchup at Southeast Missouri State on Dec. 7 in the 146th meeting between the two programs.
MSU will then reel off four straight at JQH Arena with visits from Valpo and Oral Roberts before two preliminary games as part of the Las Vegas Classic on Dec. 17 and Dec. 19 against opponents to be announced at a later date.
The Bears will conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Dec. 22-23 with two games against USC, DePaul or Wyoming as part of the Las Vegas Classic.
Missouri State will also host one preseason exhibition game this season with a visit from Missouri Baptist University on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Spartans will make their first-ever trip to Springfield after a 19-12 campaign and the return of NAIA All-American standout Jared White.
The Missouri Valley Conference schedule is expected to be announced later in the summer.
Lusk is entering his sixth season as head coach of the Bears and returns four starters, nine lettermen and more than 70 percent of the club’s scoring and rebounding for 2016-17.
