Friday, November 13th, is circled on Marquette Women’s Basketball’s calendar, marking the first clash in a newly announced home-and-home series against Missouri State. This isn't just another non-conference game on the slate, folks. While the Golden Eagles are repping the Big East, this road trip to Springfield, Missouri, has some serious historical weight behind it, and it kicks off near the end of the second week of the season. The return game? That's set for the McGuire Center sometime in November or December of 2027.
Why This Isn't Just Another Non-Con Game
Now, I can hear you thinking, "Wait, why is a Big East team like Marquette, trying to be a high-major program, making such a big deal about announcing a home-and-home with a non-power conference opponent like Missouri State?" Good question! Head coach Cara Consuegra is clearly not afraid to take her team anywhere, and we've seen that already. In her first year, Marquette hit the road against Bowling Green, a team consistently in the top 180 of the BartTorvik.com rankings, before hosting them this past season. Those were solid matchups, but this Missouri State announcement feels different. Why? Because the Bears are a legitimate force, plain and simple.Missouri State's Resume Is No Joke
This Missouri State team has been in the NCAA tournament field five times in the last 10 years! If the 2020 event hadn't been canceled, it would have been six in 11, and they were 26-4 and AP ranked on March 2nd that year, their 12th week in the poll. They boast 18 total NCAA tournament appearances to Marquette’s 15, and here’s the kicker: they have **two Final Four banners** hanging in their arena! Yeah, the most recent one was from 2001, but Marquette hasn’t even made a Sweet 16 yet. Last season, in Beth Cunningham’s first year coaching in Conference USA after Missouri State moved because their football team went FBS, she won the conference tournament and then a First Four game to make the 64-team bracket. That was her fourth straight 20+ win season in charge, and even with their "worst" BartTorvik.com ranking at #128, they were in a league where the best team was only at #89.The Kaemyn Bekemeier Problem
Missouri State is bringing back their top three scorers, led by the absolute beast that is 5'9" guard Kaemyn Bekemeier. This kid dropped 17.4 points per game last season and is likely to be the CUSA Preseason Player of the Year. Not only that, but those same three top scorers were also their top three rebounders, with Bekemeier hauling in 8.2 boards per game! If Missouri State brings their historical form to the court, this November 13th road game is going to be a huge test for Marquette’s NCAA tournament hopes. Get ready for a showdown against a legitimately tough squad, with a player like Bekemeier ready to make some noise.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.