After 59 years of being Southwest Missouri
State, the Bears officially became Missouri State on August
28th. Barry Hinson’s squad was streaky at best last
year. They won six in a row early and then managed to lose seven
of their next eight contests. After a couple more impressive
winning streaks and a three game skid in February, the Bears
took a trip to the NIT, eventually losing to Davidson.
Who’s Out:
Tamarr Maclin was the leading scorer and rebounder last year
with 10.9 and 7.9, respectively. Returnees Deven Mitchell and
Sky Frazier will be asked to increase their roles to pick up the
slack left by the departure of Maclin. Anthony Shavies started
29 of the 32 contests for the Bears. The point guard averaged
8.8 points and a team high 3.6 assists per game. Trevyor Fisher
played in 27 games but saw very limited minutes as a senior.
Who’s In:
The backcourt will receive some depth with the additions of
Justin Fuehrmeyer, Shane Laurie, Derrick Moore and Dale Lamberth.
Fuehrmeyer, a 6-0 point guard from Saint Charles, Missouri, will
see some time backing up returning senior Deke Thompson. Laurie
is a smart player who will create his own shot. Before his time
is up, the Kickapoo High School product will be a fan favorite
in Springfield. Moore is an athletic left-handed wing and should
immediately help out the Bears on the glass. Lamberth redshirted
last year after transferring from Northern Oklahoma College. The
6-5 swingman will most likely compete for minutes in the
backcourt, but, at 215 pounds, he can bang it under the basket
if he needs to.
Who to Watch:
Deke Thompson will anchor a strong backcourt
alongside of Blake Ahearn and Tyler Chaney. Thompson averaged
8.9 points and 1.7 assists during his first season for the Bears
after a stint at Chipola Junior College. For his senior
campaign, the 6-0 point guard from Tulsa, Oklahoma will have to
become more of a team leader on the floor.
Projected Conference Rank:
A 4th place finish for Missouri
State is good enough for another trip to the NIT. The Bears have
the talent to aim higher than just a berth to the NIT, but the
loss of Tamarr Maclin and Anthony Shavers leaves some question
marks that will take a little time to answer.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
NIT
Projected Starting Five:
Deke Thompson, Senior, Guard, 8.9 points per game
Blake Ahearn, Junior, Guard, 10.0 points per game
Tyler Chaney, Junior, Guard, 8.7 points per game
Nathan Bilyeu, Junior, Forward, 6.9 points per game
Deven Mitchell, Junior, Forward, 5.6 points per game
