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2015–16 Texas–Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball team

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2015–16 Texas–Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball
ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
Record8–22 (4–10 WAC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Andy Hipsher
  • Jai Steadman
  • Willie Watson
Home arenaUTRGV Fieldhouse
Seasons
2015–16 WAC men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
New Mexico State 13 1   .929 23 11   .676
Grand Canyon* 11 3   .786 27 7   .794
Cal State Bakersfield 11 3   .786 24 9   .727
Seattle 7 7   .500 15 17   .469
Utah Valley 6 8   .429 12 18   .400
UMKC 4 10   .286 12 19   .387
Texas–Rio Grande Valley 4 10   .286 8 22   .267
Chicago State 0 14   .000 4 28   .125
* Ineligible for postseason during transition to Division I.
2016 WAC tournament winner

The 2015–16 Texas–Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's basketball team represented the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Dan Hipsher's third season with the UTRGV program, although his first under the "UTRGV" name. The Vaqueros played their home games at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on the university's campus in Edinburg, Texas and were members of the Western Athletic Conference. They finished the season 8–22, 4–10 in WAC play to finish in a tie for sixth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the WAC tournament to Seattle.

This was the first season as an institution for UTRGV, which was formed in a consolidation between University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) and the University of Texas at Brownsville. The former UTPA athletic program was converted to that of UTRGV, with UTPA's conference membership and athletic history transferring directly to the new institution.

On March 15, 2016, the school removed Dan Hipsher as head coach.[1] On March 31, the school hired Lew Hill as head coach.[2]

Previous season

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The Texas-Pan American Broncs finished the 2014–15 season 10–21, 4–10 in WAC play to finish in a tie for seventh place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the WAC tournament to UMKC.

Departures

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Elijah Watson 1 G 6'2" 185 RS Freshman Chicago, IL Transferred to Kaskaskia College
Isaiah Hobbs 3 G 6'4" 178 Freshman Boynton Beach, FL Transferred to Howard College
Shaquile Boga 5 G 5'11" 170 Senior St. Louis, MO Graduated
Moe McDonald 10 G 6'4" 185 RS Freshman McAllen, TX Transferred to Highland Community College
Andreas Bigum 11 F 6'9" 218 Junior Copenhagen, Denmark Transferred to Fresno Pacific
Janari Jõesaar 21 F 6'6" 208 Sophomore Tartu, Estonia Signed to play professionally by Rapla
Shaun Noriega 22 G 6'4" 207 RS Senior Sarasota, FL Graduated
Josh Butler 33 F 6'6" 225 Sophomore Los Angeles, CA Walk-on; left the team for personal reasons

Incoming transfers

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
J. J. Thompson 3 G 6'0" 185 RS Senior Irving, TX Transferred from Southeast Missouri State. Will be eligible to play immediately since Thompson graduated from Southeast Missouri State.
Nick Dixon 5 G 6'2" 180 RS Junior Bellwood, IL Junior college transferred from Morton College
Lew Stallworth 13 G 6'1" 175 Sophomore Santa Clarita, CA Transferred from UTEP. Under NCAA transfer rules, Stallworth will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have three years of remaining eligibility.
Michael Hoffman 21 F 6'8" 192 Junior Burleson, TX Transferred from Lafayette. Under NCAA transfer rules, Hoffman will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have two years of remaining eligibility.
Dino Mercurius 30 G 6'4" 165 Sophomore Bronx, NY Transferred from South Florida. Under NCAA transfer rules, Mercurius will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have three years of remaining eligibility.
Ot Elmore 33 G 6'3" 190 RS Sophomore Charleston, SC Transferred from VMI. Under NCAA transfer rules, Mercurius will have to sit out for the 2015–16 season. Will have three years of remaining eligibility.
Dakota Slaughter 35 F 6'6" 220 RS Senior Fishers, IN Transferred from Alabama. Slaughter will be eligible to play immediately since Slaughter graduated from Alabama.

2015 incoming recruits

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US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
William Brooks
C
Torrance, CA Westwind Prep Academy 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Oct 23, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Walter Jones
SG
Newborn, AL Sunshine High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) N/A Oct 25, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Antonio Green
SG
Tupelo, MS Tupelo High School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg)  
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/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:

  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 18, 2015.

Roster

[edit]
2015–16 UTRGV Vaqueros men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Everett Osborne 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) RS Sr Palisades
Los Angeles Trade Tech
Los Angeles, CA
G 2 Mike Lopez 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) So Wylie Abilene, TX
G 3 J. J. Thompson 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) RS Sr Irving
Southeast Missouri State
Irving, TX
G 5 Nick Dixon 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Jr Proviso West
Morton College
Hillside, IL
G 13 Lew Stallworth (I) Current redshirt 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 187 lb (85 kg) So William S. Hart
UTEP
Santa Clarita, CA
G 20 Walter Jones 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Fr Sunshine Newbern, AL
F 21 Mike Hoffman (I) Current redshirt 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Jr Nolan Catholic
Lafayette
Burleson, TX
F 23 Dan Kimasa 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) So Tampa Bay Christian Academy Kigali City, Rwanda
F 24 Shaquille Hines 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Sr Harlan
Trent Prep High
Chicago, IL
G 30 Joaquin Pistokache (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) RS Jr Sharyland
Roberts Wesleyan
Mission, TX
F 32 Adonis Rwabigwi 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS So Tampa Prep
Furman
Kigali City, Rwanda
G 33 Ot Elmore (I, W) Current redshirt 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) RS So Fort Union Military
VMI
Charleston, WV
F 35 Dakota Slaughter 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 222 lb (101 kg) RS Sr Fishers
Alabama
Fisher, IN
F 44 Christopher Ikuenobe 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) RS Jr Nigerian Air Force Secondary School
Independence CC
Warri, Nigeria
G 55 Antonio Green 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Fr Tupelo Tupelo, MS
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

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

Roster

Schedule and results

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[3]

For the first time in club history, every home game will be televised. UTRGV has entered into a deal with TWCS Texas to broadcast all 13 home games. Every home game, unless it becomes a WAC DN exclusive, will air on the network.[4]

Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/07/2015*
7:00 pm
Texas A&M International W 67–58 
UTRGV Fieldhouse 
Edinburg, TX
Non-conference regular season
11/13/2015*
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at Miami (FL) L 59–86  0–1
BankUnited Center (6,607)
Coral Gables, FL
11/16/2015*
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at North Florida L 84–106  0–2
UNF Arena (2,718)
Jacksonville, FL
11/20/2015*
7:00 pm, TWCS
Texas A&M–Kingsville W 78–56  1–2
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,371)
Edinburg, TX
11/22/2015*
2:00 pm, TWCS
Portland State L 61–79  1–3
UTRGV Fieldhouse (523)
Edinburg, TX
11/24/2015*
7:00 pm, TWCS
Southeast Missouri State W 83–74  2–3
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,003)
Edinburg, TX
11/30/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Houston L 65–78  2–4
Hofheinz Pavilion (1,974)
Houston, TX
12/02/2015*
7:00 pm, TWCS Alt.
at Lamar L 60–83  2–5
Montagne Center (1,766)
Beaumont, TX
12/06/2015*
2:00 pm, TWCS
Angelo State W 76–75  3–5
UTRGV Fieldhouse (821)
Edinburg, TX
12/11/2015*
7:00 pm, TWCS
Tennessee–Martin L 64–72  3–6
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,169)
Edinburg, TX
12/13/2015*
2:00 pm
at Texas State L 59–68  3–7
Strahan Coliseum (1,389)
San Marcos, TX
12/21/2015*
9:00 pm
at Utah State
World Vision Classic
L 69–94  3–10
Smith Spectrum (8,156)
Logan, UT
12/22/2015*
6:30 pm
vs. North Dakota State
World Vision Classic
L 50–68  3–9
Smith Spectrum (7,746)
Logan, UT
12/23/2015*
6:30 pm
vs. Idaho State
World Vision Classic
L 64–76  3–10
Smith Spectrum (8,321)
Logan, UT
12/29/2015*
8:00 pm
at UTEP L 64–85  3–11
Don Haskins Center (6,819)
El Paso, TX
01/02/2016*
7:00 pm, TWCS
Our Lady of the Lake W 89–81  4–11
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,047)
Edinburg, TX
WAC Conference Play
01/07/2016
8:00 pm, TWCS
at Grand Canyon L 63–83  4–12
(0–1)
GCU Arena (5,452)
Phoenix, AZ
01/09/2016
8:00 pm, YouTube
at Utah Valley L 65–98  4–13
(0–2)
UCCU Center (1,881)
Orem, UT
01/14/2016
7:00 pm, WAC DN
Chicago State W 82–72  5–13
(1–2)
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,211)
Edinburg, TX
01/16/2016
7:00 pm, TWCS
UMKC W 71–66  6–13
(2–2)
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,189)
Edinburg, TX
01/21/2016
8:00 pm, ASN
at Cal State Bakersfield L 58–77  6–14
(2–3)
Icardo Center (1,501)
Bakersfield, CA
01/23/2016
9:00 pm, WAC DN
at Seattle L 59–70  6–15
(2–4)
KeyArena (1,752)
Seattle, WA
01/30/2016
8:00 pm, WAC DN
at New Mexico State L 68–92  6–16
(2–5)
Pan American Center (4,710)
Las Cruces, NM
02/04/2016
7:00 pm, TWCS
Utah Valley L 77–88  6–17
(2–6)
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,211)
Edinburg, TX
02/06/2016
7:00 pm, TWCS
Grand Canyon L 58–64  6–18
(2–7)
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,128)
Edinburg, TX
02/13/2016
2:00 pm, WAC DN
at UMKC L 58–75  6–19
(2–8)
Municipal Auditorium (1,670)
Kansas City, MO
02/18/2016
7:00 pm, TWCS
Seattle W 67–57  7–19
(3–8)
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,435)
Edinburg, TX
02/20/2016
7:00 pm, TWCS
Cal State Bakersfield L 57–70  7–20
(3–9)
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,299)
Edinburg, TX
02/28/2016
4:00 pm, ASN
at Chicago State W 89–79  8–20
(4–9)
Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center (1,902)
Chicago, IL
03/05/2016
7:00 pm, TWCS
New Mexico State L 44–83  8–21
(4–10)
UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,336)
Edinburg, TX
WAC tournament
03/10/2016
9:00 pm, WAC DN
vs. Seattle
Quarterfinals
L 52–75 
Orleans Arena (1,472)
Paradise, NV
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ LUCA, GREG. "UTRGV re-assigns men's basketball coach Dan Hipsher". The Monitor. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  2. ^ "Oklahoma assistant hired as UT Rio Grande Valley head coach". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  3. ^ "2015-16 Men's Basketball Schedule". UTRGV Vaqueros. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  4. ^ "UTRGV to Televise Men's and Women's Basketball Home Games". UTRGV Vaqueros. Retrieved October 6, 2015.