2015–16 Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's basketball team

The 2015–16 Southern Utah Thunderbirds basketball team represented Southern Utah University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Thunderbirds were led by fourth-year head coach Nick Robinson and played their home games at the Centrum Arena in Cedar City, Utah. They were members of the Big Sky Conference. 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.

2015–16 Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's basketball
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
2015–16 record5–24 (3–15 Big Sky)
Head coachNick Robinson (4th season)
Assistant coaches
  • Chad Bell
  • Todd Okeson
  • Drew Allen
Home arenaCentrum Arena
2015–16 Big Sky men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
Weber State153 .833  269  .743
Montana144 .778  2112  .636
Idaho126 .667  2113  .618
Idaho State117 .611  1615  .516
Eastern Washington108 .556  1816  .529
North Dakota108 .556  1716  .515
Montana State99 .500  1417  .452
Portland State810 .444  1318  .419
Northern Colorado711 .389  1021  .323
Sacramento State612 .333  1417  .452
Northern Arizona315 .167  525  .167
Southern Utah315 .167  524  .172
Conference tournament winner

On March 9, 2016, head coach Nick Robinson was fired.[1][2] He finished at SUU with a four-year record of 28–90. On March 22, the school hired Todd Simon as head coach.[3]

Previous season

The Thunderbirds finished the season 2014–15 season 10–19, 7–11 in Big Sky play to finish in ninth place. They failed to qualify for the Big Sky Tournament.

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownNotes
Austin Waddoups2G6'2"160FreshmanAmerican Fork, UtahTransferred to Salt Lake CC
Tyler Rawson21F6'9"220FreshmanAmerican Fork, UtahTransferred to Salt Lake CC
Sherron Wilson22G/F6'6"220FreshmanLas Vegas, NevadaTransferred to Paris JC
Eric Rippetoe24F6'6"215SeniorPanaca, NevadaGraduated
Cal Hanks34C6'11"240SeniorLogan, UtahGraduated

Incoming Transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Randy Onwuasor2G6'3"190JuniorInglewood, CaliforniaTransferred from Texas Tech. Under NCAA transfer rules, Onwuasor will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have two years of remaining eligibility.
Will Joyce11F6'5"220JuniorNewark, New JerseyJunior college transferred from New Mexico Military Institute

2015 incoming recruits

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Nicholas Pete
#92 SF
Hemet, California Tahquitz High School 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Aug 30, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 65
Brayden Holker
#68 PF
Saratoga Springs, Utah Westlake High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Oct 20, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals: N/A   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 65
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:

  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved 2015-09-25.

    Roster

    2015–16 Southern Utah Thunderbirds men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    G 2 Randy Onwausor (I)  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)210 lb (95 kg) JrInglewood HS
    Texas Tech
    Inglewood, California
    G 3 Travon Langston 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg) SrLas Vegas HS
    Utah State Eastern
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    G 4 Trey Kennedy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)195 lb (88 kg) JrBishop Gorman HS Las Vegas, Nevada
    G 5 John Marshall 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)180 lb (82 kg) JrWestwind Prep Phoenix, Arizona
    F 11 Will Joyce 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg) JrNewark East Side
    New Mexico Military Institute
    Newark, New Jersey
    F 12 Daniel Melifonwu 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)220 lb (100 kg) FrBalboa City Prep/Lincoln San Diego, California
    G 13 Race Parsons 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)185 lb (84 kg) JrSouth Sevier HS Monroe, Utah
    G 14 James McGee (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg) RS SoMater Dei HS San Clemente, California
    G 15 Juwan Major 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)180 lb (82 kg) JrLas Vegas HS Las Vegas
    G/F 25 Christian Thompson 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)180 lb (82 kg) SrArcadia HS
    Tohono O’odham CC
    Phoenix, Arizona
    F 32 Casey Oliverson 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)225 lb (102 kg) SrSky View HS
    Salt Lake CC
    Logan, Utah
    G/F 35 A. J. Hess (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)210 lb (95 kg) SrPhoenix Country Day Carefree, Arizona
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)

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

    Roster

    Schedule

    [4]

    Date
    time, TV
    Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Exhibition
    12/12/2015*
    7:00 PM
    Bristol University W 79–41 
    Centrum Arena (1,133)
    Cedar City, Utah
    Non-conference regular season
    11/13/2015*
    7:30 PM, P12N
    at No. 16 Utah
    Old Oquirrh Bucket
    L 71–82  0–1
    Jon M. Huntsman Center (12,050)
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    11/18/2015*
    8:30 PM
    at UNLV L 64–84  0–2
    Thomas & Mack Center (10,824)
    Paradise, Nevada
    11/21/2015*
    7:00 PM
    UTSA L 79–82  0–3
    Centrum Arena (3,256)
    Cedar City, Utah
    11/24/2015*
    7:00 PM
    Cal State Fullerton L 66–80  0–4
    Centrum Arena (938)
    Cedar City, Utah
    11/28/2015*
    11:00 AM
    at Eastern Kentucky L 85–98  0–5
    Alumni Coliseum (1,300)
    Richmond, Kentucky
    12/03/2015*
    7:00 PM
    La Verne W 105–85  1–5
    Centrum Arena (1,428)
    Cedar City, Utah
    12/05/2015*
    7:00 PM
    at Utah Valley
    Old Oquirrh Bucket
    W 68–54  2–5
    UCCU Center (2,233)
    Orem, Utah
    12/16/2015*
    8:00 PM
    at Saint Mary's L 36–92  2–6
    McKeon Pavilion (1,836)
    Moraga, California
    12/19/2015*
    11:00 AM
    at IUPUI L 68–82  2–7
    Fairgrounds Coliseum (886)
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    12/22/2015*
    6:30 PM, FS2
    at No. 9 Butler L 52–88  2–8
    Hinkle Fieldhouse (7,128)
    Indianapolis, Indiana
    Big Sky regular season
    12/31/2015
    4:00 PM
    Montana State W 93–82  3–8
    (1–0)
    Centrum Arena (941)
    Cedar City, Utah
    01/02/2016
    7:00 PM
    Montana L 66–83  3–9
    (1–1)
    Centrum Arena (2,330)
    Cedar City, Utah
    01/09/2016
    7:00 PM
    Northern Arizona L 63–73  3–10
    (1–2)
    Centrum Arena (3,011)
    Cedar City, Utah
    01/14/2016
    7:05 PM
    at Eastern Washington L 80–106  3–11
    (1–3)
    Reese Court (1,572)
    Cheney, Washington
    01/16/2016
    8:00 PM
    at Idaho W 85–83  4–11
    (2–3)
    Cowan Spectrum (1,456)
    Moscow, Idaho
    01/21/2016
    7:00 PM
    Northern Colorado L 80–90  4–12
    (2–4)
    Centrum Arena (1,356)
    Cedar City, Utah
    01/23/2016
    4:00 PM
    North Dakota L 72–88  4–13
    (2–5)
    Centrum Arena (1,337)
    Cedar City, Utah
    01/28/2016
    7:00 PM
    at Idaho State L 68–87  4–14
    (2–6)
    Holt Arena (1,644)
    Pocatello, Idaho
    01/30/2016
    7:00 PM
    at Weber State
    Old Oquirrh Bucket
    L 50–77  4–15
    (2–7)
    Dee Events Center (7,052)
    Ogden, Utah
    02/04/2016
    7:00 PM
    Idaho L 44–68  4–16
    (2–8)
    Centrum Arena (1,213)
    Cedar City, Utah
    02/06/2016
    7:00 PM
    Eastern Washington L 67–81  4–17
    (2–9)
    Centrum Arena (1,309)
    Cedar City, Utah
    02/11/2016
    7:00 PM
    at Montana L 53–86  4–18
    (2–10)
    Dahlberg Arena (3,351)
    Missoula, Montana
    02/13/2015
    2:05 PM
    at Montana State L 73–80  4–19
    (2–11)
    Worthington Arena (2,624)
    Bozeman, Montana
    02/18/2016
    7:00 PM
    Weber State
    Old Oquirrh Bucket
    L 83–87  4–20
    (2–12)
    Centrum Arena (2,028)
    Cedar City, Utah
    02/20/2016
    7:00 PM
    Idaho State L 71–89  4–21
    (2–13)
    Centrum Arena (1,568)
    Cedar City, Utah
    02/27/2016
    2:00 PM
    at Northern Arizona W 69–59  5–21
    (3–13)
    Walkup Skydome (1,365)
    Flagstaff, Arizona
    03/03/2016
    8:05 PM
    at Sacramento State L 63–69 OT 5–22
    (3–14)
    Colberg Court (689)
    Sacramento, California
    03/05/2016
    8:05 PM
    at Portland State L 86–88  5–23
    (3–15)
    Peter Stott Center (622)
    Portland, Oregon
    Big Sky Tournament
    03/08/2016
    3:30 PM
    vs. North Dakota L 80–85  5–24
    Reno Events Center (1,406)
    Reno, Nevada
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Mountain Time.

    References

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