Missouri State in Springfield competes in the Missouri Valley Conference and has produced competitive basketball teams over the decades. The Bears have made NCAA Tournament appearances and benefit from playing in one of the nation's strongest mid-major conferences.
The Bears mascot was adopted to represent the black bears historically found in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri, near the Springfield campus.
The 1999 Sweet Sixteen run as a #12 seed, when the Bears (then Southwest Missouri State) upset Wisconsin and Tennessee before falling to Duke.
The university was known as Southwest Missouri State until 2005, when it officially became Missouri State University, better reflecting its role as a statewide institution.
The Missouri State Bears compete in the CUSA and hold an all-time record of 803–583 (.579 winning percentage) across 45 recorded seasons dating back to 1952-53.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 16-18 | 8-12 (CUSA) | Cuonzo Martin | |
| 2024-25 | 9-23 | 2-18 (MVC) | Cuonzo Martin | |
| 2023-24 | 17-16 | 8-12 (MVC) | Dana Ford | |
| 2022-23 | 17-15 | 12-8 (MVC) | Dana Ford | |
| 2021-22 | 23-11 | 13-5 (MVC) | Dana Ford | |
| 2020-21 | 17-7 | 12-6 (MVC) | Dana Ford | |
| 2019-20 | 16-17 | 9-9 (MVC) | Dana Ford | |
| 2018-19 | 16-16 | 10-8 (MVC) | Dana Ford | |
| 2017-18 | 18-15 | 7-11 (MVC) | Paul Lusk | |
| 2016-17 | 17-16 | 7-11 (MVC) | Paul Lusk | |
| 2015-16 | 13-19 | 8-10 (MVC) | Paul Lusk | |
| 2014-15 | 11-20 | 5-13 (MVC) | Paul Lusk | |
| 2013-14 | 20-13 | 9-9 (MVC) | Paul Lusk | |
| 2012-13 | 11-22 | 7-11 (MVC) | Paul Lusk | |
| 2011-12 | 16-16 | 9-9 (MVC) | Paul Lusk | |
| 2010-11 | 26-9 | 15-3 (MVC) | Cuonzo Martin | |
| 2009-10 | 24-12 | 8-10 (MVC) | Cuonzo Martin | |
| 2008-09 | 11-20 | 3-15 (MVC) | Cuonzo Martin | |
| 2007-08 | 17-16 | 8-10 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 2006-07 | 22-11 | 12-6 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 2005-06 | 22-9 | 12-6 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 2004-05 | 19-13 | 10-8 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 2003-04 | 19-14 | 9-9 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 2002-03 | 17-12 | 12-6 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 2001-02 | 17-15 | 11-7 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 2000-01 | 13-16 | 8-10 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 1999-00 | 23-11 | 13-5 (MVC) | Barry Hinson | |
| 1998-99 | 22-11 | 11-7 (MVC) | Steve Alford | |
| 1997-98 | 16-16 | 11-7 (MVC) | Steve Alford | |
| 1996-97 | 24-9 | 12-6 (MVC) | Steve Alford | |
| 1995-96 | 16-12 | 11-7 (MVC) | Steve Alford | |
| 1994-95 | 16-11 | 9-9 (MVC) | Mark Bernsen | |
| 1993-94 | 12-15 | 7-11 (MVC) | Mark Bernsen | |
| 1992-93 | 20-11 | 11-7 (MVC) | Mark Bernsen | |
| 1991-92 | 23-8 | 13-5 (MVC) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1990-91 | 22-12 | 11-5 (MVC) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1989-90 | 22-7 | 11-1 (Mid-Cont) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1988-89 | 21-10 | 10-2 (Mid-Cont) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1987-88 | 22-7 | 12-2 (Mid-Cont) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1986-87 | 28-6 | 13-1 (Mid-Cont) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1985-86 | 24-8 | 10-4 (Mid-Cont) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1984-85 | 17-13 | 8-6 (Mid-Cont) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1983-84 | 18-10 | 9-5 (Mid-Cont) | Charles Spoonhour | |
| 1982-83 | 13-15 | 6-3 (Mid-Cont) | Bob Cleeland | |
| 1952-53 | 24-4 | Ind | Bob Vanatta | AP #20 |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|