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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – No. 9 Missouri State (16-17, 8-12 CUSA) advances to the semifinal round, upsetting No. 1 Liberty (15-17, 10-10 CUSA) 77-69 in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Air National Guard CUSA Championship Wednesday evening at Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center.
 
Missouri State forward Michael Osei-Bonsu was sensational going for a career-high 31 points on 14-16 shooting with eight boards and four assists. Osei-Bonsu’s 87.5 clip from the floor is the highest field goal percentage in a CUSA tournament game with at least 11 makes. Kobi Williams poured in 19 points with three made triples.
 
The Bears are the first No. 9-seeded team to advance to the semifinal round in the CUSA tournament since Southern Miss in 2018.
 
Missouri State is set to face the winner of the Louisiana Tech and MTSU contest on Friday at 11:30 a.m. CT on CBS Sports Network.
 
Missouri State Head Coach Cuonzo Martin
Opening Statement…
“Great team win. Great program win, you know, even though Missouri State has been around for a long time, has had a lot of success, but coming into this league, with new guys. Our guys displayed a lot of heart and resiliency and beat an extraordinary team and a phenomenal program. We're talking about one of the best in America, doesn't matter what level. We had to take this game. And it's one of those games that’s mentally taxing, because they're good. They're not going to give you anything. You’ve got to take the game. We were resilient, and we stayed the course. I thought we did a phenomenal job in the second half defensively. Because when you have that level of shooters and a playmaker like Zach Cleveland, they put you in so many compromising situations, but we did a phenomenal job. 31 points by Mike [Osei-Bonsu], and obviously, Keith [Palek III] didn't score a lot, but facilitated and probed the defense, and he keeps him at bay because of his ability to pass and shoot the ball. So, great, great win for our guys. I'm happy for them.”
 
On adjustments after trailing 10 in second half…
“We're used to that. I mean, we've been in situations. We have an intelligent group of guys, so it’s just really saying what's going on. They can comprehend it. The biggest thing is to relax, gather yourself and hear what I'm saying. Let's stick to the game plans, and let's get out of here with a win. And I think that's the biggest thing, just gather yourself, understand what's going on and embrace it. We’ve got to execute and take care of the basketball. Shooters be ready to shoot the ball. And all those simple things, man, because they pick stuff up. At this point, you've been through a lot, you've seen a lot, and it's just a matter of reeling them in as best you can. It's not a lot of yelling and beating people down. I mean, they understand that, and they’re trying hard, they're working hard, so just say, here's what it takes to win this game, let's stick to it. So, 10 points down, 12 points. We were down 20 at their place and gave ourselves a chance to win the game. We're a group of fighters.”
 
Missouri State Forward Michael Osei-Bonsu
On the team’s mindset coming into the game…
“Honestly, it meant a lot to us, obviously, because we put in all the work throughout the whole year. Our coach puts in toughness all the time to us, telling us to go hard, telling us to stay the course, trusting your teammates, and playing for each other, so it feels great that we put in the work, and it's finally paying off.”
 
Liberty Head Coach Ritchie McKay
Opening Statement…
“Yeah, congratulations, to Missouri State. Coach Martin's a great person. Their staff is terrific. A really, really well-coached team, and my hat's off to them. They're a really tough out. Proud of our group, though, I thought we fought. We had a couple of times where we separated, got a double-digit lead, and just couldn't pull away. They came back each time and got it back to a two-possession game within one or two possessions, or two or three possessions. But, again, I'll ride with our group every day of the week. Just, I love these men, what they're about, what they stand for, how they represent their families, and how they represent our university.”