New Coach Charlie Spoonhour is taking over a program that is as solid as they come but has a bit of a chip on their shoulder. To put it bluntly the Missouri State Bears got screwed last year. They were most definitely one of the best teams in the country to not play in a post season tournament. What else did they have to do? They played a fairly tough out of conference schedule and had success.  They finished in a tie for the regular season title in the Mid-Continent regular season.  Their undoing was of course their semifinal loss to Cinderella Valparaiso in the conference tourney semifinal.  So even though they finished with a terrific 20 and 10 record, the selection committee for the NIT thought that they were just in too weak of a conference to warrant post season play.  How egregious was this? Well, the post season power brokers got together and decided that any team that wins or ties for the regular season title in ANY conference will at the very least be invited to the NIT. It doesn’t help last year’s team but it is the right thing do as the obvious slight against this program probably comes from the fact they are new to the party.  College sports is still even in today’s world an Old Boys Network and they don’t like outsiders trying to crash their parties.  Just ask Boise State and BYU in football about that one. It isn’t fair but you know the adage and besides it sure gives these little programs a heck of a lot motivation moving forward. Here’s telling you that Coach Spoonhauer is taking over a team that is ready for bear. 

Missouri State has built a program based on basic tenants of what it takes to win in basketball whether you are playing in the pros or in fifth grade intramural basketball.  It all starts with defense.  As the saying goes defense wins championships and it could be not be more true for any program than for the Bruins.  No matter who the coach and Spoonhour is just the next in line of a crew of gifted coaches who live and breathe tough man to man defense.  From Andy McDonald through Bob Vanatta and Eddie Matthews as the program jumped through divisions and finally former star Bill Thomas who was a starting guard on the NAIA national championship teams, they all teach that defense is the process in which a champion becomes a champion.  The Bears rely on their defense so much to win that some think they do not have the requisite offensive talent to compete at this level.  They could be right but Coach Spoonhour decided to showcase what he had and it was more than enough on most nights matched with their stifling defense to keep them in games.  The Bears played many close games (sixteen decided by five points or less) as their style would suggest.  If they would have won a few more of these close ones (they were 9 and 7 in these games) especially against high caliber opponents from bigger conferences they might have got that invite to the NIT?   

Leading the way for the Bears as he has done for the last three years will be senior stalwart Curtis Perry.  Perry was chosen MVP of the Mid-Continent conference and rightfully so.  He is the most complete player in the conference and helped his team win more games than anybody else.  Perry came in from DC and immediately gave this team something it never had before.  He is a physically gifted athlete who can hang with anyone no matter where they come from, schoolyard, black top or corn fields.  Perry is the only player on this team that has the kind of presence and talent to start on a major Division One team.  You know Bobby Knight or John Thompson would have loved to have this kid on their team.  Yes, he is that good!  A gifted power player underneath at six seven and 220 Perry is not afraid to mix it up in the paint and has great timing and positioning for his favorite passion, rebounding.  Perry can also hit midrange shots and is not afraid to take them but he is not selfish about it.  Though he led the team in scoring he only averaged a little over 13 a game and this great team player still averaged almost 2 assists a game.  Perry makes his impact primarily on defensive end and on the boards (remind you of anyone from Oh IDK the Bay area) but he can score too.  He can guard just about anyone from quick forwards to centers.  He is a great rebounder (the only player in the league over ten a game) and plays tremendous low-post defense though he is not a shot blocker.  He leads the team in not only scoring but hustle.  When your best player is taking charges and diving for loose balls it becomes contagious and it was not like this was not a gritty bunch before Perry got to Springfield.  Perry will be leaving SWMS after this year but unlike some of his teammates that got here before him he has not tasted the champagne.  He has got close but no cigar yet. He will forever leave an imprint as the best player to ever suit it up for the Bears and is the template of what a Missouri State player should be but he wants that ring.  

Junior wing Daryel Garrison is a potent scorer for the Bears.  And if you are wondering yes, that is how he spells his name and no he is not a referee.  Garrison understands the game inside and out and more than makes up for his shortcomings with knowledge of how to play the game. Garrison is the primary scoring threat for this team as he uses his athleticism to get to the hoop but can also fire it in from long range.  This Kansas City Kid started from the minute he walked on campus and has not stopped firing in baskets for the Bruins.  Daryel has a bit of a mean streak (remind you of any back woods guy) and is an intense competitor who does not back down from any challenge.  Garrison is also a good passer who averaged almost three assists a game and helps on the boards.  His ability to score on the wing gives this team more options offensively than you might think but he is also a solid defender who is an essential part of the full court press Spoonhour will continue to deploy at times though this team is known for their lockdown half court D.  Garrison will be the main option offensively as he can create shots and finish and could have a huge year in Springfield.  He should lead the team in scoring over Perry as some of the guys taking some minutes away have moved on. 

Senior legend Jerry Anderson started the year as the starter in a three guard set for Thomas.  Anderson has had one of the best careers ever for the Bears (MVP of both NAIA tourney champions is pretty dang good) but was a bit over matched at times last year.  Playing against guys much bigger than you takes it’s toll and he obligingly gave up minutes as the year progressed.  Still, his leadership and competitive are were huge for this team’s success.  He is penciled in to start one more year for Spoonhour because to be honest if he did not there would be some rioting going on at at JQH arena.  The same cannot be said for his sidekicks in glory. Gene Ruble, Forrest Hamilton, Max Oldham, Bill Lea, Russ Robinson, Don Carlson and Big Don Anielak put this program on the map and gave the Ozarks region the kind of basketball cred it craved.  Hamilton will still have a role but he is one of those tweeners that does not fit anywhere, too small for post and not quick enough for the perimeter but he is too good not to play somewhere. Oldham also has a shot as a small forward but is awful small for that position.  Ruble has graduated and will move on to bigger things after he was the first star here but the others will still be on the roster this winter though if last year was an indication they won’t be playing often. They are just not big enough for post play in D-1 basketball but man were they something back in the day. 

Next to Perry up front Spoonhour will rotate several guys trying to find the right combination.  Seniors Lou Shepherd, Jack Israel and Danny Bolden, Junior William ‘don’t call me Doctor’ Doolittle and Sophomores Kelby Stuckey will all get their shot at the post.  The aforementioned Anielak is a St. Louis native who was a star for the NAIA schools and can score down low and has some size but is not athletic enough and took a bow to the bench early last year.  He probably could have been alright if he would have made it through the out of conference schedule (it is the Mid-Continent after all) but getting dominated by the likes of Benoit Benjamin and Bob Kurland and had his former teammate, Thomas, looking for someone a little bigger and more mobile at center.  This opened up a heck of a cattle call for the Bears. Bolden is a hometown hero who was heavily recruited out of high school and quickly became a solid player for the Bears. Bolden is an athletic six four kid who produces solid numbers and played many minutes.  He started most of the games at the small forward but plays more like a post and does not have the outside range or mobility Spoonhour wants on the wing.  He is a gamer though and was not going to give up minutes without a fight.  He lost time primarily due to his lack of size as Spoonhour wanted someone a little bigger next to the six seven Perry and though he started at the three does not quite fit there.  These tweener forwards are almost always better suited for bench play and by the end of last year Garrison was starting at the three and Bolden was coming off the bench relieving both the three and the four. He does give Spoonhour flexibility off the bench.  Speaking of flexible, Israel has had to be all of that in his life.  This stud started his career at Mizzou but then got drafted into the military (yes, there was a draft in other things besides sports) and served for four years.  He returned to the states last year and Thomas gave him a shot.  He was a bit rusty but by the end of the year this 6’5 hometown hero was getting some minutes.  He is a tweener as well so he might not get many this year but don’t count him out, he has traveled too far to play this game he loves.  Speaking of traveling, Shepherd came from DC with Perry and might be best suited to play next to his buddy.  He has a similar style as Curtis and thus had to ride the pine behind others most of his first two years here. He really pushed the guys in practice and last year got his shot. Shepherd might even be more physical then his sidekick and had a terrific year playing next to Perry.  He does not score a lot but he can and he is tough on defense. His biggest downside is he is not huge, the same size as Perry, and Spoonhour does not want a 6’7 guy guarding guarding the rim again.  Doolittle is a similar type player who does not score at all but does board and bang.  He has bided his time on JV but he is not quite ready for prime time offensively.  With Perry as the main man this team needs more size down low and someone who can really score in the paint.  Stuckey played half of the year on the JV squad (this program likes to build slowly and there is a hierarchy based on seniority but that might all change this year) and was dominating down there.  He is a solid contributor who does not put up huge numbers but is a winner.  He is much like Perry in that sometimes you just do not notice how effective he is at doing all of the little things until after the game is over. Spoonhour showed he was not afraid to go outside of the norm this last summer and is recruiting out of state and even the juco ranks. Spoonhour has many connections in the Juco world and does not miss going to Hutchinson Kansas for the national tournament to try and find some talent or usually a diamond in the rough.  He has a few of these studs coming in this year as he understands the talent he has here is not good enough for this level of basketball.

The point guard position is a bit in flux and rumors are there is some JC kid who is coming to town and is going to take over the quarterback role.  For now the guys on the roster trying to take over the starting role are juniors Andy Newton, Rangy Magers, Randy Towe and sophomore Anthony Boggs.  Newton is the favorite as he a terrific passer and can score and does lead.  He is the only one of this group who got serious minutes last year.  The two Randys are a little out of their league but will lace them up again.  Magers is the starting shortstop on the baseball team and came here because he could play both sports.  That was before it went D-1 and has not played much on the varsity here.  Towe is small but can really pass and had a great second year on JV.  Boggs defines what many players are going through around here.  He was recruited when this program was at a lower division but has had to adjust for this level.  He might not have the game for that but like most Bears he is a gamer so don’t count him out. 

Spoonhour also had some solid contributors off the bench who had nice seasons on the wing and in the back court.  The so called ‘Chinese Bandits’ were a terrific mix of gamers who could shoot and defend.  Spoon was trying to find someone who could fill it up from the perimeter and still play the type of defense this program is famous for.  Junior Jimmy Dull is a ferocious player who loves to mix it up.  He led the team in disqualifications and became a huge fan favorite.  His ability to score and defend (though he is not the greatest athlete for a wing) really helped this team off the bench.  He loves the three-point shot but can also get inside.  Fellow Junior Chuck Williams has a little bit more left in the tank and also plays wing.  Williams is a winner and his overall game is consistent and solid and like Dull is a heck of a shooter.  The aptly named ‘Springfield Rifle’ is the best long-range guy on the team but he is not the best defensive guy which does not work well around these parts.  Speaking of shooting, the best shooter on the team has got to be senior Jim Gant.  Gant can flat fill it up but got hurt last year and missed most of the season.  He just got a medical redshirt and will be back but might miss some time early on.  This team needs these three on the perimeter in the modern basketball world where the three is kind.  All of these guys will be in the mix but will be challenged by a good group of first year players Spoonhour is bringing in but do not throw the baby out with the bathwater Charlie.   

New Coach Charlie Spoonhauer has taken over a nice program in Missouri.  The Southwest Missouri State Bears (boy isn’t that a mouthful) and have changed that to just Missouri State.  Though there will be some outdated sweatshirts the change is good as this program looks to continue it’s climb up the D-1 conference level. The Bears put together a fine season in the Mid Continent conference last year. They did not get the respect they deserved and may have been the best team not to play in a postseason tournament.  This program will be around for a while with a great coach like Spoonhour and a tradition of winning and recruiting players who do make a difference and can play basketball.  Ironically as good as this season was there are higher expectations than what they finished as after all this was a dominant lower Division program who was coming off a dominant first year in the not elite Mid-Continent conference.  Sometimes things look awfully good on paper but as the motto of this state implies they don’t play the games on paper (the Rock is thankful for this).  To make it in big time basketball you have to ‘show me’ that you can hang with the big boys and the Bear just did not do that last year.  Five losses to future (hopefully) classmates from the Valley (no this is not the OC) hurt this team’s rep as a program who could play with anyone and deserved to be in the elite clicks with the cool kids.  One year does not ruin all the work this program has done to work itself up in this crazy class struggle we call capitalism er I mean major college basketball but if this program wants to be the powerhouse it was at the lower levels it needs to win more games against the good teams.  Beating up on the lesser programs does not make you great, it just makes you a bully and these Bruins understand that their namesake from Westwood beat all comers not just the nerds with tape on their glasses and pocket protectors.  Then again going 20 and 10 and winning a share of your league’s regular season title is no small achievement no matter what the competition is?  Now if you can just convince the boys from the NIT of this maybe these Bears could have showed how loud they can growl and how stingy that infamous defense really is to some bullies from the big name conferences. Many of these schools were afraid to schedule them like the Big 8’s Missouri representative from up the road in Columbia.  After all even though those Mizzou boys don’t like to admit they are their neighbors and this is the Ozarks and contrary to what that TV show showed (lots of shows in Missouri) you treat your neighbors with hospitality in this state.  Tigers versus Bears seems like such a good fit but where are the Lions?  They need to do the right thing and play these guys.  After all this is not Ohio.  Oh, well this program is not going away and if they have any trouble down there setting up the game perhaps they can call up Ruth Langmore; you know she will get er done!