SPRINGFIELD, Mo--Cuonzo Martin's second stint as head coach the Missouri State Bears tipped off Tuesday night at Great Southern Bank Arena.

Well at least a soft opening.

Missouri State played its only exhibition game of the preseason against Southwest Baptist out of Bolivar.

In our Bear Nation report, this game was critical because Martin has 15 new faces on this Bears squad.

And they desperately need to jell before the season starts for real next Monday at Butler.

And Mo State's Dez White saves the ball to Vincent Brady for the slam dunk, it's 2-2.

Then the Bears going inside to Michael Osei-Bonsu and Missouri State was up by two.

Southwest Baptist was hot from the perimeter, Jevin Sullivan with the three, it's 7-4 Bearcats.

Missouri State's Dez White, pulls up from the elbow, it's a two point game.

Then the Bears defense, steals the ball, and Brady running the floor, the head fake and the finish, 13-11 Bears.

Later Osei-Bonsu with another basket in the paint, the junior from Illinois had 17 points and seven rebounds.

Three other Bears were in double figures.

And Missouri State holds off a pesky SBU team 72-65.

News Source : https://www.ozarksfirst.com/sports/zos-bears-slip-past-sbu-in-exhibition-72-65/