The Missouri State Lady Bears are ranked. For the first time in 15 years, Missouri State’s women’s basketball program is in the top 25, checking in at No. 24 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll.
The Lady Bears are coming off the school’s fourth Sweet 16 appearance and finished the 2018-19 season with a 25-10 overall record and 16-2 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
After a 1-7 start to the year, Missouri State won 24 of its next 26 games, including three consecutive ranked wins against No. 21 Drake in the MVC title game, 24th-ranked DePaul in the NCAA first round, and No. 13 Iowa State on its home floor in the second round. MSU’s season ended with a nine-point loss to No. 2 seed and sixth-ranked Stanford in the Sweet 16.
Missouri State last made a poll appearance at 23rd in the Feb. 9, 2004, version of the AP poll, and was most recently in the Coaches Poll in the No. 4 spot of the final 2001 rankings. The AP does not release a postseason poll.
