SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Missouri State fired coach Dana Ford on Monday after six seasons without an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Bears were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Tournament last week, giving them a 17-16 record. It was his fifth winning season with Ford, but his only trip to the postseason was a first-round loss in the NIT two years ago.
Missouri State has not participated in the NCAA Tournament since 1999, when it reached the Sweet 16 as a No. 12 seed.
Ford took over in 2018 after four seasons at Tennessee State, which included a 20-win season in 2016. He was 106-82 at Missouri State and 64-48 in Missouri Valley games, giving him a record 163-146 career as a coach.
Missouri State athletic director Kyle Moats said the search for Ford's replacement would begin immediately.
