SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Interstat) — A surging Delaware team riding its first winning streak in Conference USA play will face a Missouri State squad looking to rebound from a stalemate when the men’s basketball teams meet Saturday at JQH Arena. The Blue Hens (8-16, 4-7 CUSA) have won two straight, including a 68-66 road victory at Florida International on Thursday, after a prolonged slump. The Bears (13-10-1, 5-5-1 CUSA) are coming off a rare 68-68 tie against Louisiana Tech, a result that halted a modest two-game skid. Delaware’s recent success is fueled by guard Christian Bliss, who is averaging 18.4 points and 5.1 assists over his last seven games. He scored 17 points with five assists in the win over FIU and had a near triple-double (21 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) in an overtime win over Middle Tennessee on Feb. 7. Missouri State will counter with forward Keith Palek, a consistent scoring threat. Palek is averaging 19.1 points over his last six contests, including a 25-point, 9-rebound performance in a narrow loss at Liberty on Feb. 7. The Bears won the season’s first meeting decisively, 61-43, at Delaware on Dec. 29. In that game, Missouri State’s defense held the Blue Hens to 29.6% shooting from the field. Delaware, however, arrives with improved momentum. Beyond Bliss, forward Tyler Houser and guard Justyn Fernandez each added 17 points in the recent win at FIU. Missouri State seeks to re-establish its home-court advantage after the tie ended a two-game home winning streak. The game is part of a tight Conference USA mid-table clash as the regular season enters its final weeks. Following this matchup, Delaware hosts Western Kentucky on Wednesday, while Missouri State welcomes Kennesaw State. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CST on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.