2020-21 Finish: 17-7; 12-6 MVC (3rd)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/3
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/1
Coming off a season in which the Bears matched a program record for conference road wins (7), Missouri State enters the 2021-22 campaign with all five starters returning, 89 percent of its scoring and 91 percent of its rebounding back from a squad that finished third in the MVC.
Highlighting MoState’s long list of returnees are a pair of All-MVC first-teamers in fifth-year senior Gaige Prim and junior Isiaih Mosley. The tandem made the Bears the first Valley team since 2015 to boast two first-team performers outside the league champion or runner-up.
With his ability to finish around the bucket, hit the mid-range or extend beyond the arc, Mosley became the first Bear to lead the league in scoring a year ago. He finished with a 19.8 average and also led the league in free throw percentage (.847).
Prim wasn’t far behind, finishing third in The Valley in scoring (16.7) and leading the conference in rebounding (9.1). He also earned a spot on the MVC All-Defensive Team and finished 10th nationally in field goal percentage (.599).
Also back for the Bears is standout point guard Demarcus Sharp who seemed to improve the deeper the season progressed. He ultimately averaged 8.2 points per game and dished out a team-high 77 assists while claiming a spot on the coveted MVC All-Newcomer Team.
Missouri State also returns guard Ja’Monta Black who averaged just under 10 points per game (9.6) with a team-high 54 3-pointers to his credit. In fact, his 2.3 treys per game ranked second in a guard-heavy Missouri Valley Conference during Black’s sophomore campaign in 2020-21.
The other returning starter for the Bears is swing man Keaton Hervey who got the start in all 24 contests after earning a reputation as one of the league’s top on-ball defenders. His offense wasn’t bad either, firing at a 49.1 percent clip overall and 43.6 percent rate from beyond the arc while snagging 7.4 points and 4.6 boards a night.
After working through an injury last winter, 7-footer Dawson Carper expects to make a greater impact with MSU this season, along with fellow post Nic Tata who seemed to make the most of his 5.8 minutes per game every time he hit the floor last year. The Bears also bring back a cast of five sophomores – Lu’cye Patterson (14.5 mpg), Elijah Bridgers, Skylar Wicks, Raphe Ayres and Melvyn Ebonkoli – who grew into their roles as true freshmen during the team’s 17-7 season last year.
Joining the crew in Springfield are three sensational newcomers to add to the talent-rich roster coach Dana Ford has accumulated. Tops on the list is Valparaiso transfer Donovan Clay who made the MVC All-Freshman Team two years ago and scored in double figures 14 times a year ago while ranking among the league leaders in blocked shots and rebounds. IUPUI graduate transfer Jaylen Minnett comes to MSU after scoring 1,403 career points and setting a Horizon League record for most consecutive games with a 3-pointer (69), which is the fifth-longest in NCAA Division I history. And freshman guard Isaac Haney also adds depth after finishing his prep career with 3,141 points -- No. 4 all-time in Missouri prep history – and a pair of state championships.