Bears fall to Middle Tennessee in regular season finale

Missouri State seniors Michael Osei-Bonsu and Keith Palek III combined for 30 points and 17 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as visiting Middle Tennessee spoiled the Bears' senior night.

Mar. 8, 2026 at 8:27am

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Missouri State fell to Middle Tennessee 75-63 in the regular-season finale for both teams. Seniors Michael Osei-Bonsu and Keith Palek III had strong performances, with Osei-Bonsu recording a double-double, but the Bears couldn't overcome a late first-half run by the Blue Raiders. Missouri State will be the No. 9 seed in the upcoming Conference USA Tournament.

Why it matters

The loss ends the regular season for Missouri State, who will now prepare for the Conference USA Tournament as the No. 9 seed. The Bears had a tough season, finishing 14-17 overall and 8-12 in conference play, but will look to make a run in the postseason tournament.

The details

Missouri State seniors Michael Osei-Bonsu and Keith Palek III combined for 30 points and 17 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as visiting Middle Tennessee spoiled the Bears' senior night with a 75-63 decision. Osei-Bonsu finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the campaign, while Palek scored 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. The game was decided in the final three minutes of the first half, when Middle Tennessee went on an 11-2 run to take a 37-27 halftime lead. The Bears were unable to overcome the deficit in the second half.

  • The regular-season finale for both teams was played on Saturday.

The players

Michael Osei-Bonsu

A Missouri State senior who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

Keith Palek III

A Missouri State senior who scored 10 points and grabbed 6 rebounds, becoming the only Bear in program history to exceed 500 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season.

Torey Alston

The leading scorer for Middle Tennessee with 17 points.

Tre Green

Scored 12 points for Middle Tennessee, including 4 of the team's 9 three-pointers.

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What’s next

The Conference USA Tournament will be played at Propst Arena in Huntsville, March 10-14.

The takeaway

Despite strong performances from their senior leaders, Missouri State was unable to overcome a late first-half run by Middle Tennessee and fell in their regular-season finale. The Bears will now look to regroup and make a run in the upcoming Conference USA Tournament as the No. 9 seed.