By SPRINGFIELD — It’s no secret that Missouri State men’s basketball schedule hasn’t started with many eye-popping matchups.
The Bears are 3-0, with wins over Division II opponents in every game. It’s been a great chance for a new roster to learn to play together. For the fans, it hasn’t been the most entertaining start to the season.
“No disrespect to the three opponents that we’ve played, but we’re done auditioning,” Missouri State coach Cuonzo Martin said after the latest win over Newman. “Now we're in it."
Missouri State opens its Division I slate against Abilene Christian at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16, at home.
The Bears' lack of scheduling impressive teams is not just a localized problem — it’s an issue for mid-major programs around the country and in Conference USA.
At the conclusion of non-conference play, every Conference USA member will have played at least two non-Division I teams.
If anything, Missouri State may have had the best string of non-Division I teams in the league. Seven Conference USA teams will play against an NAIA opponent. The Bears are the only team in the league to not schedule a Division III or NAIA opponent.
Liberty, New Mexico State, FIU and Middle Tennessee will also play against National Christian College Athletic Association programs. That’s the same division as local schools Mission University and College of the Ozarks.
Because of its games against Division II opponents, Missouri State's season hasn't started with much juice. But it could be much worse. For example, Sam Houston faces two NAIA teams down the road, while they started the year against a Division III team.
This whole issue is just indicative of college basketball scheduling in a nutshell. Mid-major programs struggle to get games against programs above them or of similar stature. This is not just a Missouri State issue; it’s a problem across the landscape of college hoops.
With so many changes in college sports, one thing for which Missouri State fans can be thankful is that they don’t have to watch courtrooms to see whether a player is eligible to play.
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State isn't the only team playing lower-level teams, it could be worse
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/missouri-state-isnt-only-team-221138734.html
