A back-and-forth second half ultimately fell the way of the home team, and Southern Illinois (2-1, 1-0) defeated Missouri State (0-4, 0-1), by a 20-18 count here Saturday in the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for both teams.

Missouri State took its first lead of the night, 18-17, on a one-yard touchdown run by Chris Douglas with six seconds left in the third quarter and started to take charge throughout the fourth quarter. After the two-point conversion failed, the Bears soon forced a Salukis fumble at their own 43 with 13:05 to go. MSU would then drive to the SIU 27 before Trevor Wooden was picked off in the end zone to end the threat.

The Bears’ defense came up with another big series after that and forced the No. 13 Salukis into a punt from their own 31 with 6:47 to play.  However, the Bears would punt it back just three plays later, and Southern took over at its own 28 to set up the game-winning drive.

SIU drove 62 yards on 11 plays to the MSU 10-yard line before settling for a 27-yard field goal by Jackson MacLachlan — a Springfield, Mo., native — to give the Salukis a 20-18 lead with 50 seconds remaining.

The Bears returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 39, but a sack set the Bears back to their own 31 before Wooden was picked off for the third and final time of the game on the next play. James McFadden hauled in the desperation pass at the SIU 21 with 12 seconds to go, securing a home win for SIU and giving Missouri State its 11th straight road loss.

Wooden finished 9-for-19 for 167 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked just twice and finished with 183 yards of total offense. Chris Douglas added 85 yards on 14 carries, while Jermaine Saffold caught five passes for 122 yards, giving him his seventh career 100-yard receiving game.

Jewel Hampton carried 21 times for 119 yards for SIU, while Paul McIntosh finished 13-for-24 through the air for 206 yards, while adding 60 ground yards on 16 carries.

The Salukis scored on the game’s opening drive when McIntosh punched it into the end zone from 12 yards out to make it 7-0. The seven-play, 46-yard drive was set up by a long opening kickoff return that put SIU in Missouri State territory to start the game.

Missouri State didn’t take long to retaliate as Wooden connected with Jermaine Saffold for a 76-yard touchdown pass on the Bears’ first play from scrimmage moments later.  The extra point attempt failed when the snap eluded holder Ian Starnes to make it a 7-6 game.

In the second quarter, McIntosh capped an 86-yard, 11-play drive for SIU to give the home club a 14-6 advantage with 12:20 to go in the half. Once again, the Bears bounced back with an 81-yard touchdown drive. This time, Wooden connected with tight end Matt Thayer from 16 yards out to cap a nine-play series that took nearly four-and-a-half minutes. The Bears’ two-point conversion attempt failed as Wooden’s pass to Thayer in the left corner of the end zone was underthrown.

The Salukis would miss a 22-yard field goal attempt with 2:23 left in the half, and the Bears appeared to be driving into field goal range in the closing moments of the half. But a Wooden pass with 20 seconds remaining was tipped and the line of scrimmage and picked off by Jayson DiManche of SIU to midfield. SIU took two shots at the end zone, but McIntosh could not make connections on either try.

SIU tacked on a 31-yard field goal by Jackson McLachlan at the 11:41 mark of the third quarter to build a 17-12 lead. The kick capped a 61-yard drive for the Salukis after the home club held the Bears on the opening drive of the second half.

— MSU Sports Information —

After giving No. 12 Oregon all it wanted early in Satuday’s non-conference matchup, Missouri State couldn’t stop the Ducks from rolling to a 56-7 victory over the Bears before a sellout crowd of 58,847 at Autzen Stadium. Oregon seized momentum from a key defensive stop early in the second period to score on six consecutive possessions and turn a 14-7 contest into a 49-point margin.

Oregon, which racked up 681 total yards and scored on five of its first six possessions of the game, took advantage of three Darron Thomas touchdown passes and a 90-yard run by LaMichael James to seize control. Thomas connected on 11-of-15 pass attempts for 203 yards overall, and hooked up with Lavasier Tuinei on two of his three touchdown strikes.

James, meanwhile, matched a career high with three rushing touchdowns and totaled a season-high 204 yards on 12 carries, including a 90-yard touchdown run that represented the longest in the 45-year history of Autzen Stadium.

While Oregon’s offense rolled, it was the Duck’s defense that turned in perhaps the biggest play of the opening half. The Bears’ offense provided plenty of reasons for optimism early in the game, piling up 11 first downs in the opening half to surpass their total for the entire game against previous FBS opponent Arkansas. MSU outgained the Ducks 147-98 in the first quarter, as Wooden would connect on all four pass attempts for 80 yards in the period.

But, with Missouri State driving toward a potential game-tying touchdown early in the second quarter, the Ducks’ defense rose to the occasion, stopping Chris Douglas on a fourth-and-one attempt at the seven yard line to thwart the MSU drive and spark a turning point in the game.

The Ducks would score three unanswered touchdowns over the ensuing six-and-a-half minutes to build a 35-7 halftime lead, then found the endzone on their first three possessions of the second half to put the game out of reach for good. Oregon’s defense did its part as well, as the Ducks totaled 10 first downs in the second half before the Bears got their first and limited MSU to 32 total yards in the third period en route to running their record to 2-1 on the season.

The outcome marked a stark contrast to the onset of the contest that saw the Bears take the opening kickoff and march down the field for a nine-play, 84-yard drive that was capped by Douglas’s three-yard touchdown run.

Sophomore quarterback Trevor Wooden hooked up with junior tight end Matt Thayer on a pair of key completions to set up the drive. On a third and five from the Missouri State 21 yard line, Wooden found a wide open Thayer down the sideline for a 30-yard gain. Following a 18-yard scamper by Wooden, the MSU signal-caller found Thayer once again, this time for an eight-yard gain to the Oregon 16. A 12-yard pickup by freshman Julian Burton moved the ball to the Ducks three, and Douglas punched home his first touchdown of the season to punctuate the drive at the 10:22 mark.

The early score handed the Bears their first lead over an NCAA FBS opponent since the 2005 season, when they claimed a 3-0 advantage over Arkansas.

The Ducks wasted little time in recovering, as De’Anthony Thomas turned in the first of two critical first-half returns to get the ball rolling. The freshman brought  the ensuing kickoff out to the Oregon 44 to set up a 10-play, 56-yard drive. Darron Thomas connected on three of four passing attempts, and James nicked the Bears’ defense for 26 yards on six carries, including a one-yard run that knotted the score at 7-7 with 7:21 to play in the opening quarter.

After yielding a first down via a Wooden 10-yard completion to Burton on Missouri State’s next possession, Oregon’s defense clamped down to force the Bears’ first punt of the afternoon.

That’s when De’Anthony Thomas struck again, returning Jordan Chiles’s punt 48 yards to the MSU 37 to spark another Ducks’ scoring drive. After three different Ducks rushed for 29 yards to set up a first-and-goal at the MSU eight, Darron Thomas found a wide-open Tuinei in the end zone to put the home team on top for the first time.

Missouri State went right back to work, however, as a 13-yard run by freshman Vernon Scott and a 32-yard completion that deflected off of at least two Bears put MSU in prime position to put points on the board once again.

Oregon needed just three plays and 37 seconds to find the endzone and push its lead to 21-7, as Darron Thomas connected with three different receivers to cover 93 yards, the last seven coming on a short completion to Colt Lyerla with 12:11 to go in the half.

James extended the Oregon lead further with his record-breaking run with 8:36 to go. The big run for the 2010 Doak Walker Award winner also matched the longest TD run for a Bear opponent in the 100-season history of the MSU program. UO added another touchdown with 5:33 remaining on the clock, as Darron Thomas again found Tuinei on a scoring strike, this one from 34 yards out to push the Duck lead to 35-7.

MSU, which finished with 289 yards of total offense controlled the clock throughout the game, totaling nearly 40 minutes in time of possession.

Wooden led the Bears with 73 yards rushing on 16 carries to go along with a 6-of-13 showing through the air, good for 91 yards. Scott sparked the Bears’ rushing attack with 53 yards on 14 carries in his first game action for Missouri State.

Up next, the Bears (0-3) conclude their season-opening four-game road swing next Saturday (Sept. 24) against Southern Illinois (1-1) to kick off the 2011 Missouri Valley Football Conference campaign. Game time at Salukis Stadium is set for 6 p.m.\\\

— MSU Sports Information —

A solid comeback attempt by Missouri State (0-2) fell short here Saturday as the Bears fell to Eastern Kentucky (1-1), 28-24 in non-conference play.

After trailing 14-0 at the half and being outgained 276-132 after two quarters, the Bears took the opening drive of the third quarter all the way for a score as Trevor Wooden engineered a 60-yard drive that consumed 14 plays and 6 minutes, 54 seconds. He converted three third downs on the sequence and called his own number from the two-yard line for the score with 8:06 left in the third period.   The MSU TD made it a 14-7 game at the time.

The Bears outgained the Colonels 132-4 in the third quarter and ended the period knocking on the door of a potential game-tying score. On third-and-goal, Chris Douglas was cut down at the one-yard line, and MSU elected to kick an 18-yard field goal. Austin Witmer converted the chip shot attempt to wrap a 14-play, 63-yard drive to make it a 14-10 game just 48 seconds into the final period.
However, just as it looked like the momentum was changing for good, EKU brought the home crowd of 9,200 back into the game with an 88-yard kickoff return by Jeremy Caldwell to make it 21-10 with 14:11 to go in the contest.

Missouri State bounced off the canvas with a quick strike of its own on the next series. Julian Burton returned the ensuing kickoff to the Bears’ 29, setting up a 71-yard touchdown strike from Wooden to Jermaine Saffold on the very next play to make it 21-17 after Witmer’s PAT.

The teams exchanged punts on the next two series, but when the Colonels took over at their own 41 with 8:41 to go, Pryor put together a 59-yard touchdown drive to seal the win for the home club. The 13-play drive was capped with a 12-yard scamper by Jeremiah Williams to end the nearly-five-minute drive and made it 28-17 with 3:55 remaining in the contest.

MSU rallied on its next series, staying in the game with a 60-yard drive that culminated in a nine-yard TD pass from Wooden to Saffold to make it 28-24 with 1:54 to go. The series took nine plays and consumed just over two minutes as the senior wideout collected his 10th career touchdown catch.

Eastern recovered the ensuing sky kick at its own 33 and ultimately ran out the clock in sealing a 28-24 win.

In his first career start, Wooden finished 22-for-32 for 262 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was sacked three times, all in the first half, and had a team-high 71 rushing yards with a score.  Stephen Johnston added 42 yards on the ground, and Douglas tacked on 36 more.  Saffold had a game-high six receptions for 126 yards.

Pryor was 14-for-22 for 146 yards for EKU with 69 additional yards on the ground. Williams finished with 119 yards on 24 carries to lead the Colonels who were outgained by MSU 411-391.

Eastern Kentucky has converted 6-of-11 third down plays and collected 276 total yards to build a 14-0 advantage in the first half here over visiting Missouri State with both clubs looking for their first win of the 2011 season.
The Colonels scored first, taking the opening drive of the game 75 yards to paydirt on eight plays to build a 7-0 lead. Pryor found a wide open Chris Moore for a 33-yard touchdown strike, followed by a Luke Pray kick.
The Bears punted four times in the first half and committed a costly turnover with 9:21 left in the second. Wooden coughed up the ball after a keeper to midfield. Jeremy Caldwell picked up the loose ball and returned it to the Bears’ 26.  Three plays later, Williams broke three tackles and completed a seven-yard run in the end zone to make it 14-0.

EKU threatened again later in the quarter, but elected to fake a field goal with 1:21 to go which the Bears snuffed out to take over on downs at their own 20.  On third-and-10, Wooden carried 30 yards to the 50-yard line, but was sacked twice before time ran out to end the MSU threat and keep it 14-0 at the break.

Missouri State will travel to No. 13 Oregon next week for a 2:30 p.m. (Central) kickoff. The Bears begin Missouri Valley Football Conference play on Sept. 24 at Southern Illinois (6 p.m.).

— MSU Sports Information —

The Missouri Valley Conference has finalized its 2011-12 men’s basketball schedule, the league announced Thursday (Sept. 8), completing Missouri State University’s slate for the upcoming campaign.

The defending MVC regular-season champions and first-year head coach Paul Lusk will open league play on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at Creighton before their conference home opener on New Year’s Eve against Drake.

Including a pair of October exhibition games, the Bears will host 17 opponents at JQH this winter. Season ticket information is available now by calling (417) 836-7678 or (888) 476-7849.

In league play, Missouri State will have five home dates in January and three in February before concluding the regular season at Evansville on Feb. 25.

Coach Lusk said the upcoming season will provide ample challenges for his squad, and the MVC portion of the schedule will bring the intensity fans have come to expect.

“As always, the conference schedule is very competitive,” Lusk said. “There are no easy nights in The Valley, and our guys will have to be prepared for that intensity every time they hit the floor.”

The pairings for the iBN Sports Las Vegas Classic have also been finalized since the non-conference schedule was released earlier this summer. The Bears will host Kennesaw State (Dec. 17) and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Dec. 19) before advancing to the event finals in Las Vegas against West Virginia (Dec. 22) and St. Mary’s (Dec. 23).

MSU’s home opener will be Nov. 19 against Emporia State on a night the team will raise its 2010-11 MVC Championship banner and present rings to the squad. Including the Sears BracketBusters game (Feb. 17, 18 or 19), the Bears will play six non-conference opponents at JQH Arena this season. Tulsa (Nov. 26) and Oklahoma State (Dec. 7) come to town during the early portion of the season before the two games in the preliminary round of the Las Vegas Classic.

The Bears also have non-conference road games at Nevada (Nov. 11), Arkansas State (Nov. 15), Oral Roberts (Nov. 30), New Mexico (Dec. 3) and UALR (Dec. 10).

“We are very pleased with the balance of our non-conference schedule,” Lusk said. “Our fans will get a chance to see a Big 12 opponent come to JQH Arena, we’ll see some impressive teams in Las Vegas, and we will be tested with some quality opponents on the road. From a coach’s standpoint, you want a schedule that gets your team ready for conference play, and this will certainly do that.”

National, regional and institutional television information will be finalized by early October.

Missouri State returns six lettermen from a 26-9 team that finished 15-3 in the MVC to claim the program’s first-ever Valley regular-season crown. The Bears finished as runners-up in the MVC Tournament a year ago and advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.

— MSU Sports Information —

Missouri State was out-gained 466-163 in a 51-7 season-opening loss at No. 15 Arkansas here Saturday night.

The Bears collected 145 of their yards in the second half and  produced their only points on a 33-yard touchdown pass from true freshman starter Kierra Harris to All-America wide receiver Jermaine Saffold. The one-play drive started at the UofA 33 after a forced fumble was recovered by Nick Canavan there to set up the Bears’ only points.

Both teams committed just one turnover, and the Bears were penalized just four times on the night while the Bears collected three sacks to Arkansas’ two.

Chris Douglas led MSU with 18 carries for 72 yards, while Harris finished 8-for-14 with an interception and 70 yards. Special teams performers Julian Burton, Jordan Chiles and Kaleb Mueller also had big nights, with Burton collecting 110 return yards, and Chiles averaging 45.9 yards on 8 punts.

Mike Crutcher led the MSU defense with 10 total tackles, while Ryan Callender added 8.

Arkansas covered 80 yards on 10 plays on the game’s opening drive before Tyler Wilson found Jarius Wright from 33 yards out for the first score.  Joe Adams’ punt return and a missed extra point followed two-and-a-half minutes later to make it 13-0.  Bobby Petrino’s squad then capped a 70-yard drive before the end of the first quarter as Kody Walker punched it into the end zone from one yard out on the 12th play of the 70-yard series.

The Razorbacks scored twice more in the second quarter as Brandon Mitchell connected on a three-yard pass to Chris Gragg at the 5:01 mark before a 32-yard field goal by Zach Hocker with 25 ticks left in the second.

The largest crowd ever for a Missouri State game, 70,607, saw the home club tack on 14 more points in the third quarter on a 29-yard TD pass from Wilson to Wright. The play was initially called incomplete, but was challenged by the Razorbacks despite a 30-0 advantage, and the play was ultimately overturned and resulted in a touchdown.

Later in the quarter Adams tacked on a 78-yard punt return that took an eternity to evolve as the Bears gave chase to make the score 44-0 with 4:15 left in the third.

Missouri State finally got on the board with 45 seconds left in the period. After a strip by Andrew Biesel and a fumble recovery by Canavan gave the Bears the ball at the Arkansas 33.  On the first play of the sequence, Harris threw a strike to Saffold in the right corner end zone for the touchdown.  The completion was Harris’ first of his career and Saffold’s ninth.

Arkansas tacked on a one-yard TD run by Walker early in the fourth. Ronnie Wingo led Arkansas with 43 ground yards on 11 carries, while Wilson was 18-for-24 for 260 and a pair of scores. Reserve Mitchell was 10-for-11 for 104 yards, and Wright led all receivers with 6 catches for 108 yards.

The Bears continue a four-game home stand to start the season next Saturday at Eastern Kentucky (0-1), with a 5 p.m. (Central) start from Richmond, Ky.

— MSU Sports Information —

Not even Missouri State’s wins over three Top 25 opponents and a pair of Division I playoff teams a year ago were enough to impress its peers around the Missouri Valley Football Conference with the release of the league’s 2011 preseason poll and all-conference team on Monday (Aug. 1).

Coming off a third-place tie at 4-4 in the MVFC standings in 2010, the Bears were picked ninth in this year’s conference preseason poll as selected by league coaches, media and sports information directors. It marks the first time since 1987 that MSU has been picked last in the league preseason poll.

“It’s more important where you are at the end of the season than at the beginning,” said MSU head coach Terry Allen who is beginning his sixth season with the Bears. “We have a lot of new faces, so I understand why they put us where they did.”

The Bears return five starters on offense and four on defense, but will have 34 lettermen and 56 squad members back when camp opens Aug. 4.

Including eight seasons at Northern Iowa, this is also the first time in 13 MVFC seasons that Allen has been picked last in the conference preseason poll. In those 13 years, his squads have never finished worse than predicted, with six finishes higher than projected and seven as projected, including six years when UNI was picked to win the conference and did so.

Northern Iowa recieved 29 of the 36 first-place votes and 316 total points to hold down the top spot in this year’s poll. The Panthers were followed by North Dakota State with six first-place votes and 275 points and Southern Illinois with the remaining top vote and 207 total points. South Dakota State (172), Illinois State (169), Indiana State (168), Western Illinois (151) and Youngstown State (88) were ranked fourth through eighth, respectively, while the Bears tallied 74 total points — by far the most ever by a team picked last in the MVFC preseason poll, which dates to 1986.

The only MSU player to earn Preseason All-MVFC first-team distinction is wide receiver Jermaine Saffold (Sr., Grandview, Mo.) who was an All-MVFC second-team selection last year after he caught 53 passes for 869 yards and five touchdowns.  Three other Bears earned Preseason All-MVFC honorable mention status, including All-America candidate Chris Douglas (Sr., RB, Lawrenceville, Ga.), punter Jordan Chiles (Sr., Hillsboro, Ill.) and cornerback Jimmie Strong (Sr., Texarkana, Texas).

In 2010, Douglas became just the 10th MSU back to accumulate 1,000 rushing yards in a single season when he tallied 1,051 yards on 152 carries, scored 11 touchdowns and finished second in the nation in yards per carry (6.9). He achieved all that while getting just one start and sharing the workload with classmate Stephen Johnston who had 147 carries, 752 yards and 10 starts.

Chiles averaged 38.3 yards per punt as a junior. Half of his 56 punts were fair caught or downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, and he is poised for his fourth season as a starter on the Bears’ special teams.

Strong led the Bears with four interceptions in 2010 and did so in just nine games as he spent a great deal of his junior year fighting the injury bug. He tallied 31 total tackles and defended six passes.

Consensus Draft Services picked Douglas as a preseason All-America running back earlier this summer. Meanwhile, Saffold, Douglas, Strong and Chiles garnered preseason honors by being named to the College Football Performance Awards Watch Lists for their respective positions. Likewise, Phil Steele’s College Football Preview named Saffold and Chiles as preseason All-MVFC first-team picks, while the publication had Douglas, Strong and linebacker Nick Canavan (So., Norman, Okla.) on the preseason second team.

Season tickets for MSU’s four-game home slate are available by calling (417) 836-7678. The Bears went undefeated at Plaster Field in 2010 and own a six-game home winning streak headed into the 2011 season.

The Bears will kick off the 2011 season at Arkansas on Sept. 3 (6:00 p.m.) and will play their first four contests on the road, including their MVFC opener at Southern Illinois on Sept. 24.

— MSU Sports Information —

Missouri State University Director of Athletics Kyle Moats announced Wednesday (July 27) the University has received a waiver from the NCAA to also play a women’s basketball exhibition game at Missouri Southern State University on Saturday, Nov. 5. The game will be part of a doubleheader, including a previously-announced game between the men’s teams of the two schools.

The event on the campus of Missouri Southern in Joplin will be held in conjunction with ongoing area-wide relief efforts to aid victims of the May 22 tornado that tore through the southwest Missouri community about 70 miles west of Springfield. All proceeds from the games will go directly to the Missouri Southern Foundation’s Tornado Emergency Relief Fund to help aid the relief effort for the deadly natural disaster.

The NCAA waivers allow the Bears and Lady Bears to retain their two home exhibition games. The Lady Bears’ non-conference schedule is still being finalized.

“This will be a unique event with both of our teams in action for a great cause,” said Moats. “The people of Joplin are still hurting, and we want them to know we are with them for the long haul.”

Game times will be 5 p.m. for the women’s game and 7 p.m. for the men’s game at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the MSSU campus.

Tickets for the doubleheader are $15 for reserved seats and $10 for general admission and will be available to the general public, starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, August 8 by calling the MSSU Ticket Office at (417) 625-9366. The ticket office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

— MSU Sports Information —

Missouri State University has announced ticket plans for its two games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents Arkansas and Oregon.

Seats for both games will be located in the visiting fan section and will be available for purchase beginning Monday, July 25.  Fans may visit the Chevy Pickup Window at the Missouri State Athletics Box Office in JQH Arena or call (417) 836-7678 or (888) 476-7849. During the summer months, MSU Tix operates Monday through Friday from Noon to 5 p.m.

Individual tickets for the Bears’ season opener at Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 3 (6 p.m.) in Fayetteville are $45 each and will be available until August 18 or when all tickets are sold.

Single-game tickets for the Bears’ trip to Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 17 (2:30 p.m., CT) in Eugene are $35 apiece.

Season tickets for the Bears’ four home contests at Plaster Field are also available, starting at just $50. Additional discounts are available for Missouri State faculty and staff as well as seniors.

— MSU Sports Information —

A solid non-conference schedule awaits Missouri State men’s basketball coach Paul Lusk in his first year with the program. The Bears’ new sideline boss, who will have the opportunity to play four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last year, released the team’s non-conference slate Wednesday (July 20). In all, MSU will play no fewer than 11 opponents that saw postseason tournament action a year ago.

“We are very pleased with the balance of our non-conference schedule,” Lusk said. “Our fans will get a chance to see a Big 12 opponent come to JQH Arena, we’ll see some impressive teams in Las Vegas, and we will be tested with some quality opponents on the road. From a coach’s standpoint, you want a schedule that gets your team ready for conference play, and this will certainly do that.

Lusk noted that the team is still seeking one additional non-conference opponent for a November home game.

Including the open home date and the Sears BracketBusters game (Feb. 17-19), the Bears will play six non-conference opponents at JQH Arena this season. Tulsa (Nov. 26) and Oklahoma State (Dec. 7) come to town during the early portion of the season before visits from Kennesaw State (Dec. 17) and Corpus Christi (Dec. 19) in the preliminary round of the 11th Annual iBN Sports Las Vegas Classic.

The eight-team Las Vegas Classic field also includes West Virginia, Baylor, Saint Mary’s, Bethune-Cookman and Tennessee Tech. Both Baylor and West Virginia were NCAA Tournament teams last season, while St. Mary’s was in the NIT. Each team in the tournament will play four games, including the first two at campus sites and the final two rounds at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, December 22-23.

Missouri State will open the regular season at Nevada (Nov. 11) in a return game from the 2010 BracketBusters series. The Bears will have a short turn-around before going to Arkansas State (Nov. 15). The club will then return to JQH Arena for a pair of home games with the open date Nov. 19-22 and the Nov. 26 visit from Tulsa before closing out the month at Oral Roberts (Nov. 30).

December begins with a trip to New Mexico and a date with former MSU head coach Steve Alford in the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge on Dec. 3. The Bears are 1-0 all-time in the MWC-MVC Challenge and will be playing the Lobos for just the second time (1962).

From Albuquerque, the Bears return home for the Oklahoma State game on Dec. 7 and then take a trip to 2011 NCAA Tournament participant Arkansas-Little Rock. MSU will then close out December with the Las Vegas Classic before beginning conference play.

The Missouri Valley Conference is expected to release its schedule in late August. The 2011-12 league slate will again feature home-and-home games with the other nine MVC foes. Including Missouri State, six MVC teams participated in postseason tournaments in 2011, including Indiana State in the NCAA and Wichita State, which won the National Invitation Tournament.

The State Farm MVC Tournament will take place March 1-4 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Of the Bears’ 13 potential non-conference foes, six finished with an RPI in the top 100 last season, including West Virginia (21), St. Mary’s (53), Oklahoma State (58), New Mexico (71), Tulsa (84), and Baylor (95). Of those, only Tulsa did not participate in a postseason tournament. Additionally, UALR (196) was an NCAA Tournament team, while Oral Roberts (135) played in the CIT.

The club will also have a rare opportunity to play three preseason exhibition games this season, all against in-state foes. Lusk’s troops will welcome Truman State (Oct. 27) and William Jewell (Oct. 29) to JQH Arena before a trip to Joplin to take on Missouri Southern for a Nov. 5 benefit game. All proceeds from the game at MSSU will go directly to the Missouri Southern Foundation’s Tornado Emergency Relief Fund to help aid the relief effort for the May 22 natural disaster that destroyed much of the Joplin community.

Complete television information, including nine games produced by KY3, Inc. for the Missouri State Television Network, will be finalized by November 1.

Missouri State, which finished with an RPI of 39 and played in the NIT last season, is coming off a 26-9 campaign in which the Bears claimed the MVC regular-season title for the first time. Lusk came onto the scene April 1 to inherit a program that returns six lettermen, including 2011 MVC Player of the Year Kyle Weems (16.0 ppg), and seven newcomers.

— MSU Sports Information —

Missouri State senior Jordan Chiles (Hillsboro, Ill.) has been named to the College Football Performance Awards Preseason Watch List for Division I punters in the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision. The list of 42 of the nation’s top punters was compiled to highlight players whose performances merit preseason recognition and may ultimately be considered for the CFPA Performer of the Year honors at the end of the season.

In 2010, Chiles averaged 38.3 yards per punt which ranked sixth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and 56th nationally. Of his 56 punts during his junior season, 28 were fair caught or downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. He was on the MVFC Academic All-Conference second team and finished 18th in the MVFC in scoring (4.36) with a five field goals and a perfect 33-for-33 in extra points.

He earned All-MVFC honorable mention distinction his sophomore year in 2009 and earned a spot on the Valley All-Newcomer team in 2008.  He finished 24th nationally in punting average in 2009 (40.1).

Chiles is the fourth Missouri State player to be named to the CFPA Preseason Watch Lists, joining running back Chris Douglas (Sr., Lawrenceville, Ga.), wide receiver Jermaine Saffold (Sr., Grandview, Mo.), and cornerback Jimmie Strong (Sr., Texarkana, Texas).

Season tickets for MSU’s four-game home slate are available by calling (417) 836-7678. The Bears were undefeated at Plaster Field in 2010 and own a six-game home winning streak headed into the 2011 season. Coach Terry Allen’s troops are coming off a third-place finish in the MVFC after going 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the nine-team league last season

Chiles and the Bears will kick off the 2011 season at Arkansas on Sept. 3.