Missouri Valley Conference prognosticators predicted the Missouri State Bears would take a step up this year, finishing ninth in the 10-team league. The move would be just a baby step for Missouri State, which finished 11-20 overall and last in the Valley (3-15) under rookie coach Cuonzo Martin last year.

The "good" news that the Bears should rise from the floor of the Valley caused Martin to chuckle.

"Our talent level is different. I'm not sure it's better," Martin said. "The key for me as a coach was getting a year under my belt with the guys."

Last year's squad spent its time learning a new system and had little time to get to know Martin, who spent eight years as an assistant at Purdue under Gene Keady and Matt Painter.

"Some of the seniors were trying to see where he was coming from and took awhile to figure it out, so we didn't have the same kind of leadership last year," said sophomore Kyle Weems. "Everyone was learning, so no one was there to reinforce what Coach was saying."

Weems recalled a couple of highlights in an otherwise tough year. The Bears trailed Auburn by a point with less than 10 minutes left in the season opener before losing 75-60, and beat Arkansas 62-57 in the first official game at the Bears' new home court, the JQH Center. Missouri State also had several close calls in conference games, losing nine by single digits, two in overtime.

"Some of those games gave you hope that it can only get better from here," Weems said.

Six of the Bears gained experience last year and two transfers participated in all practices last season, from which Weems and senior point guard Justin Fuehrmeyer emerged as leaders.

"They are delivering the same message, saying, 'This is what Coach means,' when I'm not there to say it," Martin said. "They're driving those guys to play at a higher level."

By his own admission, Weems "has always been kind of a vocal guy," but he walks the walk as well. A sophomore from Topeka, Weems was named to the Valley's all-freshman team and ranks first among the Bears' returners in points and rebounds a game, 10.2 and 4.9, respectively.

Fuehrmeyer, a graduate of Francis Howell Central, will return for his third season as the starting point guard and leads active players in the Valley in career assists with 231. Martin said he expected Fuehrmeyer, less vocal than Weems, to lead by example and hard work.

"The intensity level was so much higher last year," said Fuehrmeyer, who suffered a thumb injury in practice last month and could miss the opening of the regular season. "Coach Martin stressed everything has to be at game speed. This year, all the returning guys know that and have experience. We definitely expect a better season than last year."

The Bears have one other returning starter, Cardell McFarland, who averaged 7 points last year and underwent thumb surgery in late September but is expected to return for the opener against Auburn on Nov. 16 in Springfield. The returning players will need help, though, from a pair of transfers who sat out last year — guard Adam Leonard, who started his collegiate career at Eastern Kentucky, and center Caleb Patterson, who left Colorado after his freshman season.

A graduate of Lincoln High in East St. Louis, Martin tapped into his area roots to lure a pair of recruits, Keith Pickens of Oakville and Jerome Jones of Miller Career Academy, to join him in Springfield this year.

"They are working hard, and that's the most important thing," Martin said. "Everything else will take care of itself. The main thing is to compete and play hard this season, for them and everyone else on the team."