Friday, March 2nd, 9:35 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Scottrade Center (20,000) -- St. Louis, Missouri. Television: FSN. Home Record: WSU 11-4, MSU 12-4. Away Record: WSU 5-7, MSU 8-4. Neutral Record: WSU 1-2, MSU 1-1. Conference Record: WSU 8-10, MSU 12-6. Series Record: Missouri State leads, 25-21.

GAME NOTES: The quarterfinal round of the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament concludes tonight with the third-seeded Missouri State Bears taking on the sixth-seeded Wichita State Shockers. The survivor will advance to face either Creighton or Indiana State in the semifinals on Saturday. The Bears finished third in the regular season standings with a league mark of 12-6, and they have won two straight and seven of their last nine games heading into this tourney. Speaking of this event, MSU has posted a 21-15 all-time mark in the MVC Tournament, although it has just one title (1992) to its credit. As for Wichita State, it was the top seed in last year's tournament, but this season the team finished just sixth with a losing record of 8-10. The Shockers, who were once ranked in the top-10 after a 9-0 start to the season, enter the tournament on the decline, having dropped their last four outings. WSU has posted a 20-25 all-time mark in this event, but it hasn't won the championship since 1987. In terms of the all-time series, MSU owns a 25-21 edge over the Shockers and it swept both meetings during the regular season, including a 71-65 triumph on the road just last week.

The Shockers come into tournament play averaging a respectable 68.8 ppg behind 46.0 percent shooting from the field and 71.1 percent from the foul line. Kyle Wilson is the team's top scorer at the moment with 13.9 ppg and he is also collecting 5.2 rpg and converting on 85.2 percent of his free-throw tries. P.J. Couisnard is WSU's most versatile player, as he turns in 11.6 ppg and 3.1 apg to go along with team highs of 5.9 rpg and 35 steals. Sean Ogirri chips in with 9.8 ppg and his the team's top three-point shooter, with 38.8 percent accuracy from beyond the arc.

The Bears are one of the more balanced teams in the league and they are currently averaging 74.8 ppg on 47.9 percent shooting from the floor and an equally as good 40.0 percent from three-point range. Blake Ahearn is one of the premier shooters in the conference and he was recently recognized for that with All-MVC First Team honors. Ahearn, the team's top scorer (15.4 ppg), is making good on 47.5 percent of his shots from downtown and an impressive 93.4 percent at the foul line. Tyler Chaney has done a little of everything for MSU, as he contributes 10.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 3.0 apg. Deven Mitchell has provided the Bears with a spark off the bench and he turns in 10.1 ppg and 4.8 rpg. Mitchell, who won the MVC Sixth Man of the Year award, also leads MSU in steals with 41.

Missouri State has momentum on its side and its depth and solid shooting will be too much for a fading Wichita State club to handle.

Predicted Outcome

Missouri State 76, Wichita State 67