2016–17 New Orleans Privateers men's basketball team

The 2016–17 New Orleans Privateers men's basketball team represented the University of New Orleans during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Privateers were led by sixth-year head coach Mark Slessinger and played their home games at Lakefront Arena as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 20–12, 13–5 in Southland play to win the regular season Southland championship. They defeated Sam Houston State and Texas A&M–Corpus Christi to win the Southland Conference Tournament. As a result, they earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament where they lost in the First Four to Mount St. Mary's.

2016–17 New Orleans Privateers men's basketball
Southland regular season and tournament champions
NCAA Tournament, First Four
Conference	Southland Conference
2016–17 record	20–12 (13–5 Southland)
Head coach	Mark Slessinger (6th season)
Assistant coaches	Jody Bailey Kris Arkenberg Bill Duany
Home arena	Lakefront Arena (Capacity: 10,000)

2016–17 Southland Conference men's basketball standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
New Orleans †	13	–	5		.722			20	–	12		.625
Texas A&M–CC	12	–	6		.667			24	–	12		.667
Houston Baptist	12	–	6		.667			17	–	14		.548
Stephen F. Austin	12	–	6		.667			18	–	15		.545
Sam Houston State	10	–	8		.556			21	–	13		.618
Lamar	10	–	8		.556			19	–	15		.559
Southeastern Louisiana	9	–	9		.500			16	–	16		.500
Nicholls State	7	–	11		.389			14	–	17		.452
Abilene Christian*	7	–	11		.389			13	–	16		.448
Northwestern State	7	–	11		.389			13	–	16		.448
Incarnate Word*	7	–	11		.389			12	–	17		.414
Central Arkansas	7	–	11		.389			8	–	24		.250
McNeese State	4	–	14		.222			7	–	22		.241
* Ineligible for postseason during transition to Division I
† 2017 Southland Tournament winner

Previous season

The Privateers finished the 2015–16 season 10–20, 6–12 to finish in a three-way tie for ninth place Southland play. They lost to Southeastern Louisiana in the first round of the Southland Tournament.

Roster

2016–17 New Orleans Privateers men's basketball team
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown G 0 Danny Cohen 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Fr Natchitoches Central Natchitoches, LA G 1 Tevin Broyles 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jr Gautier HS Gautier, MS G 2 Coleman Edwards 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Fort Bend Clements Sugar Land, TX G 3 Nate Frye 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jr Houma Christian HS Houma, LA F 4 Kevin Hill 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Sr John Ehret HS Westwego, LA G 5 Christavious Gill 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) 168 lb (76 kg) Jr Alexandria HS Alexandria, LA G/F 11 Michael Zeno 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) So Westbrook HS Beaumont, TX F 14 Erik Thomas 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Jr West Chapel Baton Rouge CC Wesley Chapel, FL F 15 Cameron Reed 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Fr Eastern Louisville, KY G/F 20 Evans Ganapamo 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Jr Mandeville HS France G 23 Venijie Wallis 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Brother Martin New Orleans, LA G 24 Corey Venson 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Fr Salmen Slidell, LA F 25 Travin Thibodeaux 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 245 lb (111 kg) So Brusly HS Plaquemine, LA G 32 Matthew Jiles 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 155 lb (70 kg) So Phoenix Braithwaite, LA F 33 Lamine Mbodji 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Jr St. Francis Catholic Otero JC Senegal C 45 Travis Avery 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Sr Country Day Algiers, LA	Head coach Mark Slessinger (Aurora) Assistant coach(es) Jody Bailey (Louisville) Kris Arkenberg (Franklin) Bill Duany (Indiana) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible (W) Walk-on Injured Current redshirt Roster Last update: 2016-09-24

Schedule and results

Date time, TV	Rank^#	Opponent^#	Result	Record	Site (attendance) city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 11, 2016* 7:00 PM		LaGrange	W 103–67	1–0	Lakefront Arena (739) New Orleans, LA
November 16, 2016* 7:00 PM, FSOK+		at Oklahoma State	L 72–117	1–1	Gallagher-Iba Arena (4,992) Stillwater, OK
November 19, 2016* 3:00 PM, ESPN3		at Tulsa	L 68–77	1–2	Reynolds Center (3,271) Tulsa, OK
November 22, 2016* 8:00 PM, P12N		at USC	L 54–88	1–3	Galen Center (2,711) Los Angeles, CA
November 25, 2016* 7:00 PM		Florida College	W 90–63	2–3	Lakefront Arena (413) New Orleans, LA
November 29, 2016* 7:00 PM, CST		Tulane	W 74–59	3–3	Lakefront Arena (1,308) New Orleans, LA
December 3, 2016* 5:00 PM, P12N		at Washington State	W 70–54	4–3	Beasley Coliseum (2,617) Pullman, WA
December 11, 2016* 6:00 PM, BTN		at Northwestern	L 49–83	4–4	Welsh-Ryan Arena (6,635) Evanston, IL
December 17, 2016* 6:15 PM		Louisiana–Lafayette	L 71–76	4–5	Lakefront Arena (1,411) New Orleans, LA
December 19, 2016* 8:00 PM		at Utah State	L 66–76	4–6	Smith Spectrum (5,825) Logan, UT
December 21, 2016* 7:00 PM		Williams Baptist	W 91–74	5–6	Lakefront Arena (311) New Orleans, LA
Southland regular season
December 29, 2016 7:45 PM		Abilene Christian	W 75–66	6–6 (1–0)	Lakefront Arena (608) New Orleans, LA
December 31, 2016 6:15 PM		Texas A&M–Corpus Christi	W 73–72 ^OT	7–6 (2–0)	Lakefront Arena (517) New Orleans, LA
January 5, 2017 8:00 PM, ESPN3		at Lamar	W 66–62 ^OT	8–6 (3–0)	Montagne Center (2,017) Beaumont, TX
January 7, 2017 3:00 PM		at Incarnate Word	W 87–72	9–6 (4–0)	McDermott Center (751) San Antonio, TX
January 12, 2017 7:45 PM		Sam Houston State	L 68–77	9–7 (4–1)	Lakefront Arena (721) New Orleans, LA
January 19, 2017 7:00 PM		Houston Baptist	W 72–64	10–7 (5–1)	Lakefront Arena (727) New Orleans, LA
January 21, 2017 4:00 PM		at Central Arkansas	W 81–63	11–7 (6–1)	Farris Center (429) Conway, AR
January 26, 2017 7:00 PM		McNeese State	W 75–56	12–7 (7–1)	Lakefront Arena (789) New Orleans, LA
January 28, 2017 6:00 PM		at Stephen F. Austin	L 61–71	12–8 (7–2)	William R. Johnson Coliseum (4,166) Nacogdoches, TX
February 1, 2017 7:00 PM		at Abilene Christian	L 69–70 ^OT	12–9 (7–3)	Moody Coliseum (1,485) Abilene, TX
February 4, 2017 6:15 PM		Nicholls	W 78–69	13–9 (8–3)	Lakefront Arena (1,782) New Orleans, LA
February 9, 2017 7:00 PM		at McNeese State	W 69–63	14–9 (9–3)	Burton Coliseum (375) Lake Charles, LA
February 11, 2017 5:00 PM, ESPN3		at Southeastern Louisiana	W 60–52	15–9 (10–3)	University Center (708) Hammond, LA
February 18, 2017 4:00 PM		Central Arkansas	W 84–61	16–9 (11–3)	Lakefront Arena (812) New Orleans, LA
February 23, 2017 7:45 PM		Stephen F. Austin	W 82–65	17–9 (12–3)	Lakefront Arena (1,211) New Orleans, LA
February 25, 2017 3:00 PM		at Northwestern State	L 82–83	17–10 (12–4)	Prather Coliseum (1,423) Natchitoches, LA
March 2, 2017 7:45 PM		Southeastern Louisiana	L 58–63	17–11 (12–5)	Lakefront Arena (1,302) New Orleans, LA
March 4, 2017 3:00 pm		at Nicholls	W 74–64	18–11 (13–5)	Stopher Gym (702) Thibodaux, LA
Southland Tournament
March 10, 2017 5:00 pm, ESPN3	(1)	vs. (5) Sam Houston State Semifinals	W 75–63	19–11	Merrell Center (2,318) Katy, TX
March 10, 2017 8:30 pm, ESPN2	(1)	vs. (2) Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Championship game	W 68–65 ^OT	20–11	Merrell Center (2,068) Katy, TX
NCAA Tournament
March 14, 2017* 5:40 pm, truTV	(16 E)	vs. (16 E) Mount St. Mary's First Four	L 66–67	20–12	UD Arena (11,855) Dayton, OH
*Non-conference game. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. E=East Region. All times are in Central Time.

See also

• 2016–17 New Orleans Privateers women's basketball team

References