2016–17 Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's basketball team

The 2016–17 Southern Utah Thunderbirds basketball team represented Southern Utah University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Thunderbirds were led by first-year head coach Todd Simon and played their home games at the Centrum Arena in Cedar City, Utah as members of the Big Sky Conference. They finished the season 6–27, 3–15 in Big Sky play to finish in a tie for 11th. As the No. 11 seed in the Big Sky Tournament, they defeated Montana State in the first round before losing to Weber State in the quarterfinals.

2016–17 Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's basketball
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
2016–17 record6–27 (3–15 Big Sky)
Head coachTodd Simon (1st season)
Assistant coaches
  • John Wardenburg
  • Andy Johnson
  • Drew Allen
Home arenaCentrum Arena
2016–17 Big Sky men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
North Dakota144 .778  2210  .688
Eastern Washington135 .722  2212  .647
Idaho126 .667  1914  .576
Weber State126 .667  2014  .588
Montana117 .611  1616  .500
Montana State117 .611  1616  .500
Sacramento State99 .500  1318  .419
Portland State711 .389  1516  .484
Northern Colorado*711 .389  1118  .379
Northern Arizona612 .333  923  .281
Southern Utah315 .167  627  .182
Idaho State315 .167  526  .161
Conference tournament winner

Previous season

The Thunderbirds finished the season 5–24, 3–15 in Big Sky play to finish in a tie for 11th place. They lost in the First Round of the Big Sky Tournament to North Dakota. On March 9, 2016, head coach Nick Robinson was fired.[1][2] On March 22, the school hired Todd Simon as head coach.[3]

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownNotes
Travon Langston3G6'3"190SeniorLas Vegas, NVGraduated
Trey Kennedy4G6'3"195JuniorLas Vegas, NVTransferred to Midwestern State
Daniel Melifonwu12F6'9"220FreshmanSan Diego, CATransferred to Connors State College
Christian Thompson25G/F6'7"180SeniorPhoenix, AZGraduated
Casey Oliverson32F6'8"225SeniorLogan, UTGraduated
A. J. Hess35G/F6'6"210SeniorCarefree, AZGraduated

Incoming Transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Jadon Cohee12G6'4"182JuniorLangley, BCTransferred from Seattle. Under NCAA transfer rules, Cohee will have to sit out for the 2016–17 season. Will have two years of remaining eligibility.
Christian Musoko34F6'8"235JuniorKinshasa, CongoJunior college transferred from Salt Lake CC
Elliott SmithF6'6"185JuniorOakley, CAJunior college transferred from Harcum College
Hamdi KarouiF6'7"220JuniorParis, FranceJunior college transferred from College of Eastern Utah

2016 incoming recruits

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Kaijae Yee-Stephens
SG
Santa Cruz, CA Santa Cruz High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Oct 13, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Taylor Miller
SG
Las Vegas, NV Palo Verde High School 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) N/A  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Maizen Fausett
SG
Saratoga Springs, UT Westlake High School 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) N/A  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Jacob Calloway
SG
Juneau, AK Thunder Mountain High School 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Decardo Day
PG
Jackson, MS Callaway High School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 170 lb (77 kg) May 10, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Ivan Madunic
PF
Split, Croatia 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Apr 21, 2016 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2016 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved 2015-08-27.

    Roster

    2016–17 Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    G 2 Randy Onwausor 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)210 lb (95 kg) RS JrInglewood HS
    Texas Tech
    Inglewood, CA
    G 3 Decardo Day 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)170 lb (77 kg) FrCallaway HS Jackson, MS
    G 4 Neema Namdar (W) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)170 lb (77 kg) FrAlta HS Sandy, UT
    G 5 John Marshall 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)180 lb (82 kg) SrWestwind Prep Phoenix, AZ
    F 10 Jacob Calloway 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)205 lb (93 kg) FrOn Point Academy Juneau, AK
    F 11 Will Joyce 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg) SrNewark East Side
    New Mexico Military Institute
    Newark, NJ
    G 12 Jadon Cohee (I)  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)205 lb (93 kg) JrWalnut Grove Secondary
    Seattle
    Langley, BC
    G 13 Race Parsons 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)185 lb (84 kg) SrSouth Sevier HS Monroe, UT
    G 14 James McGee (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg) RS JrMater Dei HS San Clemente, CA
    F 22 Ivan Madunic 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)220 lb (100 kg) FrNone Split, Croatia
    G 24 Adonis Saltes 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg) SoValley HS Pine Ridge, SD
    G 33 Matthew Johnson (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)185 lb (84 kg) SoCoronado HS Las Vegas, NV
    F/C 34 Christian Musoko 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)235 lb (107 kg) JrLayton Christian HS
    Salt Lake CC
    Kinshasa, Congo
    F 35 Brayden Holker 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)225 lb (102 kg) RS FrWestlake HS Saratoga Springs, UT
    F 44 Joel Swallow (W) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)220 lb (100 kg) SoMillard HS Howell, UT
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster

    Schedule and results

    Date
    time, TV
    Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Exhibition
    10/29/2016*
    6:30 PM
    Master's W 110–86 
    Centrum Arena (400)
    Cedar City, UT
    11/04/2016*
    6:30 PM
    La Verne W 103–89 
    Centrum Arena (600)
    Cedar City, UT
    Non-conference regular season
    11/11/2016*
    6:00 PM
    at Valparaiso
    Men Who Speak Up Main Event
    L 65–79  0–1
    Athletics–Recreation Center (3,560)
    Valparaiso, IN
    11/14/2016*
    6:00 PM
    at Saint Louis
    Men Who Speak Up Main Event
    L 76–88  0–2
    Chaifetz Arena (4,725)
    St. Louis, MO
    11/18/2016*
    6:30 PM
    Bethesda W 108–92  1–2
    Centrum Arena (600)
    Cedar City, UT
    11/21/2016*
    4:00 PM
    vs. Coastal Carolina
    Men Who Speak Up Main Event Middleweight
    L 68–83  1–3
    MGM Grand Garden Arena 
    Paradise, NV
    11/23/2016*
    1:30 PM
    vs. Ball State
    Men Who Speak Up Main Event Middleweight
    L 83–94  1–4
    MGM Grand Garden Arena 
    Paradise, NV
    11/26/2016*
    4:30 PM
    Life Pacific W 101–56  2–4
    Centrum Arena (350)
    Cedar City, UT
    11/30/2016*
    7:00 PM
    UNLV L 81–89  2–5
    Centrum Arena (4,249)
    Cedar City, UT
    12/03/2016*
    1:00 PM
    at Oakland L 68–78  2–6
    Athletics Center O'rena (2,984)
    Rochester Hills, MI
    12/08/2016*
    8:00 PM
    at Loyola Marymount L 68–75  2–7
    Gersten Pavilion (1,561)
    Los Angeles, CA
    12/10/2016*
    7:00 PM
    at Cal State Fullerton L 62–75  2–8
    Titan Gym (520)
    Fullerton, CA
    12/17/2016*
    4:00 PM
    IUPUI L 81–101  2–9
    Centrum Arena (1,012)
    Cedar City, UT
    12/19/2016*
    8:00 PM
    at Seattle L 75–89  2–10
    KeyArena (1,235)
    Seattle, WA
    12/21/2016*
    8:00 PM
    at San Jose State L 82–92  2–11
    Event Center (1,289)
    San Jose, CA
    Big Sky regular season
    12/31/2016
    12:00 PM
    at Northern Arizona W 93–80  3–11
    (1–0)
    Walkup Skydome (581)
    Flagstaff, AZ
    01/05/2017
    7:00 PM
    at Northern Colorado T 76–76  4–11
    (2–0)
    Bank of Colorado Arena (833)
    Greeley, CO
    01/07/2017
    2:00 PM
    at North Dakota L 65–95  4–12
    (2–1)
    Betty Engelstad Sioux Center (1,749)
    Grand Forks, ND
    01/12/2017
    6:30 PM
    Sacramento State L 83–88  4–13
    (2–2)
    Centrum Arena (1,668)
    Cedar City, UT
    01/14/2017
    6:30 PM
    Portland State L 77–88  4–14
    (2–3)
    Centrum Arena (2,658)
    Cedar City, UT
    01/19/2017
    7:00 PM
    at Idaho L 67–79  4–15
    (2–4)
    Cowan Spectrum (889)
    Moscow, ID
    01/21/2017
    2:00 PM
    at Eastern Washington L 68–83  4–16
    (2–5)
    Reese Court (1,621)
    Cheney, WA
    01/26/2017
    6:30 PM
    North Dakota L 89–91  4–17
    (2–6)
    Centrum Arena (2,069)
    Cedar City, UT
    01/28/2017
    4:00 PM
    Northern Colorado L 71–89  4–18
    (2–7)
    Centrum Arena (1,802)
    Cedar City, UT
    02/02/2017
    7:00 PM
    at Weber State W 74–70  4–19
    (2–8)
    Dee Events Center (6,436)
    Ogden, UT
    02/04/2017
    7:05 PM
    at Idaho State L 68–94  4–20
    (2–9)
    Holt Arena (1,721)
    Pocatello, ID
    02/09/2017
    6:30 PM
    Montana L 55–70  4–21
    (2–10)
    Centrum Arena (1,923)
    Cedar City, UT
    02/11/2017
    2:00 PM
    Montana State L 78–83  4–22
    (2–11)
    Centrum Arena (1,761)
    Cedar City, UT
    02/18/2017
    2:00 PM
    Northern Arizona W 84–68  5–22
    (3–11)
    Centrum Arena (1,738)
    Cedar City, UT
    02/23/2017
    8:00 PM
    at Portland State L 86–93  5–23
    (3–12)
    Peter Stott Center (592)
    Portland, OR
    02/25/2017
    8:00 PM
    at Sacramento State L 76–86  5–24
    (3–13)
    Hornets Nest (902)
    Sacramento, CA
    03/02/2017
    6:30 PM
    Eastern Washington L 75–91  5–25
    (3–14)
    Centrum Arena (2,159)
    Cedar City, UT
    03/04/2017
    4:00 PM
    Idaho L 75–84  5–26
    (3–15)
    Centrum Arena (2,010)
    Cedar City, UT
    Big Sky Tournament
    03/07/2017
    8:05 PM
    (11) vs. (6) Montana State
    First Round
    W 109–105 3OT 6–26
    Reno Events Center (1,507)
    Reno, NV
    03/09/2017
    8:05 PM
    (11) vs. (3) Weber State
    Quarterfinals
    L 70–90  6–27
    Reno Events Center (1,903)
    Reno, NV
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Mountain Time.
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    References

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