Sam Houston Bearkats Defeat Missouri State Bears 80-71
Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 8:00 PM ET · Great Southern Bank Arena
Sam Houston Bearkats 80, Missouri State Bears 71, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Sam Houston Bearkats vs Missouri State Bears?
Sam Houston Bearkats beat Missouri State Bears 80-71 at Great Southern Bank Arena on January 28, 2026.
Who was favored in Sam Houston Bearkats vs Missouri State Bears?
Missouri State Bears were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -125 (about 56% implied). The underdog won.
In a decisive matchup, the Sam Houston Bearkats triumphed over the Missouri State Bears with a final score of 80-71 at the Great Southern Bank Arena. This victory marked a continuation of Sam Houston's strong performance, extending their winning streak to four games, while Missouri State faced a challenging defeat.
The Bearkats entered the game with a record of 14-7, showcasing a solid recent form with a 6-4 record over their last ten games and an impressive average of 81.8 points scored per game, while allowing 72.6 points. Their recent victories included notable wins against Western Kentucky and Kennesaw State, where they scored 73 and 93 points, respectively. In contrast, the Bears had a record of 12-9 and had been performing well with a 7-3 record in their last ten games, averaging 76.3 points scored and 71.5 points allowed. Missouri State's recent form included wins against UTEP and New Mexico State, but they were unable to keep pace with the Bearkats in this matchup.
At home, Missouri State had a strong record of 4-0 in their last four games, while their away performance showed a more balanced 3-3 record. Sam Houston's away record stood at 2-3, but their recent form indicated they were finding their rhythm on the road.
In terms of previous meetings, there are no specific details provided in the block regarding past encounters between these two teams, but the current form suggests that Sam Houston was the more formidable opponent in this matchup.
Injury reports were not mentioned in the block, so both teams appeared to be at full strength for the contest.
The betting market indicated that DraftKings had priced the game with a spread of -1.5 in favor of Missouri State, with a total set at 148.5. The home money line was listed at -125.0, while the away money line was at 105.0, reflecting the competitive nature of the matchup.
The conditions during the game were not detailed, but the atmosphere in the Great Southern Bank Arena was likely charged, given the stakes of the game for both teams.
As the game progressed, key moments included free throws from Darrion Sutton and Jacob Walker, which helped Sam Houston maintain their lead. Walker's contributions were crucial, as he made significant scoring plays, including a layup and free throws that pushed the Bearkats ahead. The final scoring plays saw Zaxton King making a three-point jumper for Missouri State, but it was not enough to close the gap.
Overall, this matchup highlighted the strengths of the Sam Houston Bearkats, particularly their offensive capabilities, as they effectively outscored the Bears in the second half. The victory not only solidified their winning streak but also demonstrated their potential as a competitive force in the league.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | MOST -1.5 | 148.5 o -108 / u -112 | Sam Houston Bearkats +105 · Missouri State Bears -125 |
Leaders
- PointsMichael Osei-Bonsu22Missouri State Bears
- AssistsAntwan Burnett4Missouri State Bears
- ReboundsAntwan Burnett9Missouri State Bears
- PointsJacob Walker16Sam Houston Bearkats
- AssistsJustin Begg4Sam Houston Bearkats
- ReboundsKashie Natt7Sam Houston Bearkats
Recent form
Missouri State Bears
Last 10: 7-3Streak W276.3 scored · 71.5 allowed per game4-0 at home
- W62-57at UTEP MinersJan 24
- W84-75at New Mexico State AggiesJan 23
- L87-90at Middle Tennessee Blue RaidersJan 17
- L72-87at Western Kentucky HilltoppersJan 15
- W79-71vs Florida International PanthersJan 10
- L80-90at Kennesaw State OwlsJan 8
- W89-82vs New Mexico State AggiesJan 4
- W79-55vs UTEP MinersJan 3
- W61-43at Delaware Blue HensDec 29
- W70-65vs Lindenwood LionsDec 23
Sam Houston Bearkats
Last 10: 6-4Streak W481.8 scored · 72.6 allowed per game2-3 away
- W73-58vs Western Kentucky HilltoppersJan 24
- W93-87vs Kennesaw State OwlsJan 22
- W76-63at Florida International PanthersJan 17
- W77-62at Jacksonville State GamecocksJan 15
- L74-82vs Liberty FlamesJan 10
- W72-60vs Delaware Blue HensJan 9
- L67-68at Middle Tennessee Blue RaidersJan 4
- L91-102at Western Kentucky HilltoppersJan 2
- W117-57vs College of Biblical Studies AmbassadorsDec 28
- L78-87at New Mexico State AggiesDec 21
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 26-8 | - | 17-3 |
| Sam Houston | 22-12 | 4 | 13-7 |
| Louisiana Tech | 20-14 | 6 | 11-9 |
| Western Kentucky | 18-14 | 6 | 11-9 |
| Middle Tennessee | 17-15 | 6 | 11-9 |
| Kennesaw State | 21-14 | 7 | 10-10 |
| Jacksonville State | 15-17 | 7 | 10-10 |
| New Mexico State | 16-16 | 9 | 8-12 |
| Missouri State | 16-18 | 9 | 8-12 |
| Florida International | 15-17 | 9 | 8-12 |
| UTEP | 11-20 | 8 | 7-13 |
| Delaware | 10-21 | 11 | 6-14 |
Box score
| Stat | Sam Houston Bearkats | Missouri State Bears |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 31-57 | 27-56 |
| Field goal % | 54 | 48 |
| Three-pointers | 4-13 | 6-15 |
| Three-point % | 31 | 40 |
| Free throws | 14-19 | 11-18 |
| Free throw % | 74 | 61 |
| Rebounds | 35 | 28 |
| Offensive rebounds | 10 | 9 |
| Defensive rebounds | 25 | 19 |
| Assists | 12 | 12 |
| Steals | 7 | 10 |
| Blocks | 4 | 2 |
| Turnovers | 14 | 12 |
| Team turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 12 | 19 |
| Fast-break points | 16 | 4 |
| Points in the paint | 50 | 36 |
| Fouls | 16 | 16 |
| Largest lead | 12 | 4 |
| Lead changes | 3 | 3 |
| Time in front | 87 | 7 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half43-41Cameron Boone makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half44-41Matt Dann makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half45-41Matt Dann makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half45-44Trey Williams Jr. makes 28-foot three point jumper (Keith Palek III assists)
- 2nd Half47-44Matt Dann makes 3-foot jumper
- 2nd Half47-46Trey Williams Jr. makes 9-foot jumper
- 2nd Half49-46Jacobe Coleman makes layup
- 2nd Half50-46Jacobe Coleman makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half50-48Michael Osei-Bonsu makes 8-foot hook shot (Trey Williams Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half51-48Matt Dann makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half52-48Matt Dann makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half52-50Keith Palek III makes layup (Darrion Sutton assists)
- 2nd Half53-50Veljko Ilic makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half53-51Keith Palek III makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half55-51Kashie Natt makes 8-foot jumper
- 2nd Half57-51Jacob Walker makes layup
- 2nd Half57-54Keith Palek III makes 24-foot three point jumper (Antwan Burnett assists)
- 2nd Half59-54Veljko Ilic makes 8-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half59-56Darrion Sutton makes 1-foot dunk (Trey Williams Jr. assists)
- 2nd Half61-56Kashie Natt makes 8-foot jumper
- 2nd Half63-56Kashie Natt makes 7-foot jumper
- 2nd Half63-58Keith Palek III makes 20-foot jumper (Antwan Burnett assists)
- 2nd Half64-58Jacob Walker makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half65-58Jacob Walker makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half65-60Michael Osei-Bonsu makes layup
- 2nd Half65-61Michael Osei-Bonsu makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half65-64Keith Palek III makes 24-foot three point jumper (Zaxton King assists)
- 2nd Half67-64Po'Boigh King makes 8-foot jumper
- 2nd Half68-64Jacob Walker makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half69-64Jacob Walker makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half72-64Justin Begg makes 28-foot three point jumper (Veljko Ilic assists)
- 2nd Half74-64Jacob Walker makes layup
- 2nd Half74-65Darrion Sutton makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half74-66Darrion Sutton makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half76-66Jacob Walker makes layup
- 2nd Half76-68Michael Osei-Bonsu makes layup
- 2nd Half78-68Kashie Natt makes 1-foot dunk (Po'Boigh King assists)
- 2nd Half79-68Jacob Walker makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half80-68Jacob Walker makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half80-71Zaxton King makes 23-foot three point jumper (Antwan Burnett assists)
Win probability
Above the line favours Missouri State Bears, below favours Sam Houston Bearkats.
Venue
- Great Southern Bank ArenaSpringfield, MO
- Attendance2316
- OfficialsTodd Austin, Josue Nieves, Erroll Lewis
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