Lady Bears Top Middle Tennessee; Cunningham Earns 250th Career Win

Missouri State women's basketball team defeats Middle Tennessee in conference matchup

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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The Missouri State Lady Bears women's basketball team defeated Middle Tennessee 60-54 on Thursday night, with the win marking the 250th career victory for head coach Beth Cunningham. Kaemyn Bekemeier led the Lady Bears with a game-high 25 points, while the team got contributions from nine different players. The Lady Bears overcame a seven-point deficit in the second quarter with a 9-0 run to take the lead, and they never surrendered it for the rest of the game.

Why it matters

This win is a significant milestone for Coach Cunningham, who has built the Missouri State women's basketball program into a Conference USA contender. The Lady Bears' ability to rally from a deficit and maintain their lead throughout the second half demonstrates their resilience and team-oriented approach, which will be important as they continue their conference play.

The details

The Lady Bears trailed Middle Tennessee by seven points midway through the second quarter, but a 9-0 run sparked by freshman Audrey Hopkins gave Missouri State the lead. The Lady Bears maintained that lead for the rest of the game, stretching it to as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter. Bekemeier had a standout performance, scoring a game-high 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. As a team, the Lady Bears outrebounded Middle Tennessee 37-24 and held a 24-12 advantage in points in the paint.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • The win marked the 250th career victory for head coach Beth Cunningham.

The players

Beth Cunningham

The head coach of the Missouri State Lady Bears women's basketball team, who earned her 250th career win with this victory.

Kaemyn Bekemeier

A Missouri State player who led the team with a game-high 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range.

Audrey Hopkins

A Missouri State freshman who sparked a 9-0 run in the second quarter to give the Lady Bears the lead, which they never relinquished.

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What’s next

The Lady Bears will host Western Kentucky on Saturday, February 7, 2026, which will mark their annual Play4Kay pink game and the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Final Four team.

The takeaway

The Lady Bears' ability to rally from a deficit and maintain their lead throughout the second half demonstrates their resilience and team-oriented approach, which will be important as they continue their conference play.