Missouri State University

Oct. 26, 2011

Missouri State men's basketball coach Paul Lusk will make his preseason debut Thursday and Saturday as the Bears host a pair of in-state Division II foes in exhibition action at JQH Arena. 

MSU will host Truman State Thursday at 8:05 p.m. before doing battle with William Jewell at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.  

Tickets for both events are on sale now by calling (417) 836-7678, visiting www.MissouriStateTix.com or stopping by the Chevy Pickup Window at JQH Arena during regular ticket office hours. For a complete list of MSU Homecoming activities and events, please visit www.MissouriState.edu/homecoming.

A few notes for this week's exhibition games are below: 

• The Bears are 83-45 all-time against Truman State, the second-most wins against any foe. The Bears have defeated Southeast Missouri State 87 times.
• Truman State's roster features freshman Paul McMahon from Jefferson City, the younger brother of  Missouri State video coordinator Sam McMahon.
• Since exhibition rules changed in 2004-05 to allow for games against Division II opponents, Missouri State has never played Truman or William Jewell in the preseason.
• MSU and William Jewell have met 20 times during the regular season, but not since Dec. 3, 1963. The Bears are 17-3 in the series and have not lost since 1956.
• Jewell head coach Larry Holley came to the Cardinals in 1979. He is 1-5 all-time against the Bears, all while he was head coach at Northwest Missouri State from 1977-1979.
• The Jewell roster features Hawken Thieme, a freshman from Greenwood High on the MSU campus.