| MATCHUP | Sam Houston State Bearkats | Missouri State Bears |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 13-7 | 12-8 |
| Where | Great Southern Bank Arena, Springfield, MO | |
| When | Wednesday, January 28, 2026 | |
| Time | 08:00 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
The Sam Houston Bearkats and the Missouri State Bears meet Wednesday in college basketball action from JQH Arena in Springfield. Here’s a Sam Houston vs Missouri State prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Sam Houston vs Missouri State pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
Sam Houston Bearkats Betting Preview
The Bearkats got off to a reasonable start this year, going 8-4 over their first 12 games with losses to Texas Tech, Utah, Oklahoma State and New Mexico State. Sam Houston hit a 1-3 run from there with losses to Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and Liberty, then took out Jacksonville State, FIU, Kennesaw State and Western Kentucky in the next four. That makes for a 13-7 run so far.
In the Western Kentucky rematch at home back on Saturday, the Bearkats entered the second half with a dominant 38-21 advantage. Sam Houston closed on a 37-35 deficit on the way to a 73-58 victory in the end. Po’Boigh King led the team on 27 points in 31 minutes while Veljko Ilic had 12 points and seven rebounds. Kashie Natt added 11 points with eight rebounds and three assists as well.
Missouri State Bears Betting Preview
Over on the Missouri State side, they logged a 4-5 run in their first nine games this season but quickly recovered on wins over Oral Roberts, Lindenwood, Delaware, UTEP and New Mexico State. The Bears lost to Kennesaw State, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee over the next four, then beat New Mexico State and UTEP for a 12-8 overall record in the books across the first 20 outings.
In the UTEP game on Saturday, the Bears were sitting in the locker room with a 31-21 deficit on the road. Missouri State woke up in the second half though, posting a 41-26 advantage on the way to a 62-57 comeback victory. Kobi Williams was tops on 21 points with five rebounds and two assists while Michael Osei-Bonsu added 17 points with nine rebounds and two assists.
Sam Houston State Bearkats @ Missouri State Bears Betting Trends: January 28, 2026
Why the Missouri State Bears will win
- Missouri State has won each of its last six home games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Sam Houston State Bearkats will win
- Sam Houston State has won each of its last four games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
- Missouri State has lost eight of its last nine Wednesday night games.
- Missouri State has lost the first half in three of its last four games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Sam Houston vs Missouri State Prediction
I’ll just stick with Sam Houston. The Bearkats didn’t have a ton of issues with a visiting Western Kentucky team in their last outing, hitting 49.2 percent from the field with a 40-20 advantage in the paint and just nine turnovers. It wasn’t perfect though, as Sam Houston had just 8-of-20 (40 percent) at the line and got out-rebounded 37-31. That gives the Bearkats four straight wins now, with 73 or more points scored in each of those.
As for Missouri State, they shot 44.4 percent from the field with a 34-23 rebounding edge in their win over UTEP, but also coughed up 15 turnovers along the way. The Bears have now won consecutive games—both on the road—and may be able to give Sam Houston a bit of trouble here if all goes well.