A Strategic Matchup
Marquette’s women’s basketball program has announced a home‑and‑home series with Missouri State, beginning with a contest in Springfield, Missouri, on November 13. The agreement marks a deliberate step for the Golden Eagles to test themselves against a program that, despite its non‑power status, carries a deep tournament pedigree.
Missouri State arrives with a résumé that includes 18 NCAA tournament appearances — outpacing Marquette’s 15 — and two Final Four banners hanging in its arena, the most recent earned in 2001. The Bears have consistently turned strong regular‑season performances into deep tournament runs, a tradition that adds a layer of intrigue to the upcoming series.
Adding to the narrative, Beth Cunningham, the Bears’ head coach, captured the Conference USA tournament in her inaugural season, underscoring her immediate impact. Cunningham will now guide a squad that returns its top three scorers, each of whom also features among the team’s leading rebounders.
Among those returnees is guard Kaemyn Bekemeier, who averaged 17.4 points per game last season and is being discussed as a potential Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year. Bekemeier’s all‑around contributions extend to the glass, where she leads the team with 8.2 rebounds per game, making her a focal point for opponents and a key factor in Missouri State’s outlook.
Why the Series Matters
For Marquette, the series represents more than a early‑season schedule filler. It offers a chance to gauge the team’s progress against a program that, while not belonging to a Power Five conference, has proven it can compete with the nation’s elite on the tournament stage. The matchup also provides a platform for marquee names like Cara Consuegra, a veteran presence for the Golden Eagles, to shine against a high‑caliber opponent.
The strategic value of the series extends beyond the hardwood. By engaging with a Missouri State team that has been ranked #128 in the BartTorvik.com metrics and has faced a league champion ranked #89, Marquette can sharpen its competitive edge and potentially boost its own postseason résumé. The Bears’ strong postseason history, highlighted by their 2001 Final Four run, serves as a reminder that upsets and deep runs are never out of reach.