How much did Missouri State basketball's upset change the conversation around the program?
Missouri State's 83-80 double-overtime win over Drake was one of the Bears' more surprising wins in a long time, considering how poorly they had played in recent weeks and the level of a team the Bulldogs appeared to be heading into the game.
A win like that happens sometimes and the Bears deserve the right to celebrate it. After losing five of their previous six and looking like one of the worst teams in the Missouri Valley Conference, the upset victory was a massive weight off of the players and coaching staff's shoulders.
Make no mistake, the Bears aren't suddenly going to be a team that can win a regular-season championship and they probably won't be able to claw back into contention for an Arch Madness bye. The Bears made their bed throughout the first few weeks and they'll have to lay in it.
The Bears, however, showed they're capable of beating any team in the league on any given night. It wouldn't be as big of a surprise to see them come away with another hopeful win but recent history has shown that it wouldn't be shocking to see them drop a game or two against teams they shouldn't.
After this needed win, there are new conversations to have around the Bears while some stay the same. Here's what we'll be looking at in the games ahead.
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Missouri State basketball gave hope that hadn't been there for several weeks
Most who follow the program typically say the same thing — Missouri State has the talent to be one of the better teams in the Valley. Why the Bears aren't one of the top teams can be argued between what sixth-year head coach Dana Ford referred to as his team's connection on the court or how some fans currently argue that it's the coaching they receive and a variety of other reasons.
Whatever your argument is, the Bears delivered a bit of hope that they can be, at the very least, competitive for the remainder of the year.
The effort from the team appears to have been fixed. How some argued that Ford lost the locker room is a moot point now. Missouri State's effort, since being called out by Ford which resulted in a statement from MSU Athletics Director Kyle Moats following the Jan. 10 blowout loss to Murray State, hasn't been questioned and the Bears are 2-2 since.
Get ready for the cliche storyline at the end of the year of "playing your best basketball at the right time." After all, those few days at Arch Madness are all that matter for the Bears at this point. If the Bears can have any type of consistency heading into the final weeks, maybe they can make it a little interesting.
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One great win doesn't change the program's big picture right now
Much of the conversation in recent weeks has been around Ford and the future of the program. Moats' social media statement after the Murray State seemingly laid the groundwork for a potential firing at the end of the year or the slight possibility that MSU would make a move midseason. The win over Drake erases any chance of an in-season change, if there was one to begin with, and Ford will be on the sideline come Arch Madness.
One great win doesn't change the overall big picture, however. There were still a handful of dreadful performances that happened when the expectations for Missouri State this season were much higher than what has transpired. Beating Drake doesn't erase a 26-point loss at Bradley, a 24-point loss to Murray State, a 22-point loss at Indiana State or a late-game collapse against what appears to be a poor Illinois State team.
The future of the program under Ford still should be seen as one that's hanging in the balance. The future of Moats being MSU's athletics director can also be questioned considering the types of changes that can be made with the university set to hire a new president in the coming months.
The Bears are still a team at the bottom half of the Valley standings and Great Southern Bank Arena continues to be as empty as it's ever been. There is still much to figure out over the next 11 games and Arch Madness appearance but consistent winning could change the narrative.
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For as great as Alston Mason has been, Missouri State basketball still needs a consistent second scoring option
Mason, the Bears' junior guard, put on a remarkable performance by scoring a career-high 36 points with 29 coming after halftime. He's been the team's best player this season and is well on his way to being an all-league performer.
The Bears have their go-to scorer in Mason but they're lacking consistency from a second option.
Chance Moore was once thought to be that player and could still ultimately be it. His struggles have been noted as he's only scored more than 10 points once since returning from a holiday break. He's been removed from the starting lineup and Ford gave him the night off in the Bears' loss to Illinois State.
Moore's grown as a defender while his shot has been off but the importance of his scoring ability has been noted since before the season began. His teammates haven't lost confidence in him and believe he'll figure it out by the end of the year. Others are going to have to pick it up in the meantime.
Cesare Edwards proved to be a go-to guy in overtime by scoring 10 points between the two periods against Drake. Some nights Donovan Clay has found a groove and there will be the occasional good matchup that allows N.J. Benson to dominate inside the paint.
The lack of a consistent second shooter has been a problem for the Bears in recent weeks. Finding another will play a big role when opponents are keying in on Mason and not allowing him to go for career nights.
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Did Missouri State capture any momentum with the crowd that was in attendance?
The Bears didn't have their biggest crowd of the season against Drake but they had their best.
The student section was packed, thanks in large part to Missouri State honoring its student-athletes who made the honor roll at halftime. Some left after the ceremony while most stayed and were treated to one of the more fun men's basketball games the Bears have delivered since one of the several Isiaih Mosley performances or Jarred Dixon's halfcourt shot at the buzzer in 2019.
Late in the game, most of the students in the section stood on their feet. The non-student crowd was sparse but got into the game as well. The energy from the students, created by the play on the court, turned into a fun atmosphere despite an announced crowd of 2,461.
Can anything like that carry over? Missouri State games had been dreadful to attend all year due to the lack of any gameday atmosphere when the school, not the team, hasn't done anything to try and enhance it. Consistent winning could go a long way to getting back to numbers of over 3,000.
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Missouri State basketball has three straight winnable games
The Bears have found a good spot to go on some type of a run. They now have three straight games against teams they are capable of beating.
Valparaiso is widely seen as the worst team in the league and the Bears will visit it on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Bears then travel to Southern Illinois which just snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the lowly Beacons.
SIU's losses were to the likes of MVC-contending Drake, Bradley and Northern Iowa with the latter two being by four points or fewer. The Salukis struggled at home against Valparaiso on Wednesday but put it away with a 75-69 win in the end.
Missouri State returns to Springfield on Feb. 3 to play Belmont which has proven to be a bit fraudulent since its 22-point win over Drake. The Bruins have lost their last four which included a recent 10-point loss at Illinois State.
If the Bears can grab momentum there, then you're paying close attention to a road trip to Northern Iowa, where MSU rarely wins, before a home matchup with Indiana State on Feb. 10.
Missouri Valley Conference standings heading into Saturday
1. Indiana State (17-3, 8-1)
T2. Drake (16-4, 7-2)
T2. Bradley (15-5, 7-2)
4. Northern Iowa (12-8, 6-3)
T5. Southern Illinois (13-7, 5-4)
T5. Murray State (8-12, 5-4)
T7. Belmont (11-9, 4-5)
T7. Illinois State (10-10, 4-5)
9. Missouri State (11-9, 3-6)
T10. Evansville (11-9, 2-7)
T10. Valparaiso (6-14, 2-7)
12. Illinois Chicago (8-12, 1-8)
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.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State basketball takeaways heading into rest of MVC season
