the 2017–18 missouri state bears basketball team represented missouri state university during the 2017–18 ncaa division i men's basketball season. the bears, led by seventh-year head coach paul lusk, played their home games at jqh arena in springfield, missouri as members of the missouri valley conference. despite being the preseason favorite in the mvc, the bears finished the season 18–15, 7–11 in mvc play to finish in a three-way tie for seventh place. as the no. 7 seed in the mvc tournament, they beat valparaiso in the first round before losing to southern illinois in the quarterfinals.