Who is on the Missouri State men's basketball roster heading into the 2023-24 season?

Missouri State head coach Dana Ford has rare roster continuity heading into his sixth season in charge of the Bears. There are plenty of familiar faces who are looking to take the next step while the Bears hope the newcomers fit in and help the Bears become a contender in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Here's a breakdown of the roster heading into 2023-24.

Donovan Clay, senior

Clay is the undisputed leader of the Bears heading into his final season of eligibility. He was an All-MVC second-teamer a year ago and was picked as a preseason first-teamer this year.

At 6-foot-8, Clay can do a little bit of everything. Ford touts him as the league's best defender and we saw him have the best offensive season of his career a year ago. His versatility will be used all over the court and he's going to have to continue to be really good if the Bears want to do special things this year.

More: Will Missouri State finally have its breakthrough? Biggest questions before 2023-24 season

Matthew Lee, senior

After missing all but two games last year with a torn ACL, Lee is expected to return to the Bears' starting lineup and be their point guard this year. He's a transfer from Saint Peter's where he helped the Peacocks reach the Elite Eight.

At Saint Peter's, during his senior year, Lee averaged 6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and three assists per game while starting 25 out of 30 games. Through about 1.75 games last season, Lee was exactly who the Bears needed him to be while distributing the ball for eight assists. A healthy Lee could make a big difference for MSU this season.

More: After ACL tear, Matthew Lee hopes to lead Missouri State to his second Cinderella run

Dawson Carper, senior

After entering the transfer portal at the end of last season, Carper decided to stay at Missouri State where he figures to have a similar role to the one he's had in recent seasons.

The 6-foot-11 center will come off the bench and contribute when the Bears' starters are in foul trouble or if they need extra size in the post. He played in seven games last season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. The year before, he averaged 6.2 minutes, 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds.

Chance Moore, junior

Moore is the one on the team that the Bears hope will make a big jump from his first year to his second. He has the potential to be one of the better players in the league as an athletic 6-foot-6 guard capable of scoring from anywhere on the court.

Moore was an MVC All-Bench honoree last season while averaging 10.6 points in three starts and 31 appearances. The 21.9 minutes he averaged per game last year is going to see a jump as it sounds like he has earned more trust on the defensive end from his coaches. A big year for Moore should equate to a big year for the Bears.

Alston Mason, junior

Mason is also in line to make a jump from his first year to the second in the Missouri State program. He started 20 games for the Bears last season and should see more time in his natural position at the two thanks to Lee's return.

Mason can score, as was proven with a great second half to the season when he was inserted into the Bears' starting lineup. In nine of the Bears' last 12 games, he scored in double figures while going for 14 or more eight times. His growth, next to Moore, should excite Bears fans heading into the year.

Cesare Edwards, junior

The newcomer who will likely have the biggest impact on the Bears this season is Edwards, a transfer from Xavier. He has been touted as a starter as a 6-foot-9 junior who had plenty of experience with the Musketeers.

Edwards is considered an offensive upgrade over what the Bears had at the position last year although defense and rebounding could take a slight hit until he develops throughout the year. In 23 games at Xavier last season, he averaged 7.9 minutes, 2.2 points and 4.4 boards while shooting 56.4% from the field. If N.J. Benson isn't starting, it will be Edwards playing alongside Clay in the Bears' frontcourt.

More: Meet Missouri State men's basketball's newcomers entering the 2023-24 season

Raphe Ayres, junior

Ayres saw his first bit of extended action for the Bears last season after seeing limited time in the two years prior. The 6-foot-5 junior guard's role will be an interesting one to watch heading into the year after he played in 24 games and made nine starts last season.

Ayres averaged 8.4 minutes last season and was a player Ford liked to use to set the tone energy-wise for the Bears last season. Ford has often liked to use players like Ayres to provide a spark to his team as others follow. There could be some opportunities for different 3-point specialists on the team early in the season and Ayres could be one to try and take advantage.

Damien Mayo Jr., sophomore

Mayo will continue to have a major role for the Bears heading into his second year with the program. His growth last season saw him turn into a starting point guard and someone Ford could depend on both sides of the court.

Mayo can run the show or he can be the tough player who dives after loose balls and plays hard every second he's on the court. He's the type of player Ford and Springfield love — he does a little bit of everything and is a winner.

N.J. Benson, sophomore

Benson is a high-ceiling player as he enters his second college season. He played 27 games last year and should continue to see an expanded role, even as a potential starter.

Benson is a 6-foot-8 post player who will would start if Edwards doesn't. He averaged 2.8 points and 2.5 rebounds last season and was a 53.4% shooter from the field. He's one of the more impressive high school prospects that Ford has attracted to Springfield over his career and Benson should have an opportunity to break out in 2023-24.

Tommy Pinegar, redshirt freshman

Pinegar earned the Bears' vacant scholarship heading into the season and it remains to be seen what his role will look like as he sees his first collegiate action in 2023-24.

Pinegar was known for his 3-point shooting ability when he played at Greenwood Laboratory on Missouri State's campus. He made 322 shots from deep over his career and ranks seventh all-time in state history. Pinegar added some muscle in the offseason and we'll have to wait and see how Ford uses him this year.

Nick Kramer, redshirt freshman

Kramer is a sharpshooting transfer from Saint Louis. He attended Saint Louis University High where he was a two-time Class 6 all-state performer while averaging 16.2 points per game over his career.

Kramer could see a role as a 3-point specialist this season but we'll have to wait on him to get healthy. Ford hasn't disclosed specifics on an injury that Kramer has been dealing with but he's currently easing his way back into playing. It could be December before we see Kramer on the court.

Kanon Gipson, redshirt freshman

A standout at Logan-Rogersville, Gipson will see his first action with the Bears after redshirting last season.

The 6-foot-3 walk-on guard can be a bit of a streaky shooter but we've heard good things about him during the offseason. If he knocks down his first shot from the outside, he could really get going. He's another we'll have to wait and see how much Ford will use this year.

Davion Hill, freshman

Hill, the younger brother of Alize Johnson, could see time on the court as a true freshman because he sounds exactly like the player Ford likes to play.

Hill can score, as he proved in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he averaged 34.3 points per game last season, but at Missouri State, this season, the energy he brings to the court could earn him minutes. He's a high-energy player who will dive for loose balls and play extremely hard at both ends of the court.

Tyler Bey, freshman

Bey is a high-ceiling freshman guard who stands at 6-foot-8 with a pretty shooting stroke from the outside. How his defense develops in practice will determine how much Ford will decide to use him as a true freshman. If he comes along on the defensive end, he's another weapon that Ford could deploy at some point this year.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL. He's also the host of the weekly "Wyatt's World Podcast" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State men's basketball roster heading into 2023-24