MEN’S BASKETBALL 2016-17 SEASON C-USA PRESEASON NOTEBOOK Contact: Courtney Morrison Archer [email protected] CHARLOTTEFIUFLORIDA ATLANTICLOUISIANA TECHMARSHALLMIDDLE TENNESSEE NORTH TEXASOLD DOMINIONRICESOUTHERN MISSUABUTEPUTSAWKU 2016-17 MEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS |---------------CONFERENCE---------------| |------------------------OVERALL------------------------| TEAM W-L PCT. HOME AWAY W-L PCT. HOME AWAY NEUTRAL L10 STREAK CHARLOTTE 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- FIU 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- FLORIDA ATLANTIC 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- LOUISIANA TECH 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- MARSHALL 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- MIDDLE TENNESSEE 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- NORTH TEXAS 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- OLD DOMINION 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- RICE 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- SOUTHERN MISS 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- UAB 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- UTEP 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- UTSA 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- WKU 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 .000 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 -- PRESEASON HEADLINES HOW TO WATCH C-USA BASKETBALL UAB is the coaches’ selection as the pre- Date Game Coverage Time season favorite in C-USA this season. The Fri., November 11 Milligan at Middle Tennessee CUSA.tv 11:00a defending regular-season champions enter Louisiana Tech at South Carolina SEC Network + 5:30p the 2016-17 campaign riding the nation’s Florida Memorial at FIU CUSA.tv 6:00p fi fth-longest win streak at 25 games. James Madison at Old Dominion CUSA.tv 6:00p Newberry at Charlotte CUSA.tv 7:00p Conference USA welcomes three new head Sul Ross State at North Texas CUSA.tv 7:00p coaches to the league this season. UAB pro- Tougaloo at Southern Miss CUSA.tv 7:00p moted Rob Ehsan, who had served as the Arkansas Pine-Bluff at UAB CUSA.tv 7:00p Blazers’ associate head coach the past two UTSA at Fresno State MW Network 9:00p seasons. UTSA added former Oklahoma as- Rainbow Classic, Honolulu, Hawaii sistant Steve Henson, while Rick Stansbury Florida Atlantic vs. Texas State 9:00p joined the WKU staff as its top man. Sat., November 12 North Carolina Central at Marshall CUSA.tv 11:00a Middle Tennessee certainly garnered some Global Sports Classic, Bowling Green, Kentucky headlines with its performance in the 2016 Alabama State at WKU CUSA.tv 7:00p NCAA Tournament. The Blue Raiders return Louisiana College at UTEP CUSA.tv 8:00p a pair of all-conference performers and some exciting newcomers. Sun., November 13 Rice at James Madison JMUSports.com 1:00p UTSA at Oregon State Pac-12 Network 4:00p C-USA teams are participating in a number Rainbow Classic, Honolulu, Hawaii of early season tournaments. Old Dominion Florida Atlantic vs. SIUE 6:30p will be in the Bahamas for the sixth annual Battle 4 Atlantis. UTEP plays Wake Forest Mon., November 14 FIU at Stetson 6:00p in the fi rst round of the Gildan Charleston Old Dominion at Richmond 6:00p Classic, with a chance to meet defending Furman at UAB CUSA.tv 7:00p national champion Villanova on day two. Charlotte at Elon 7:00p UAB meets Kansas in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic Nov. 21. Florida Atlantic opens its season in Hawaii at the Rainbow Classic, All Times Central while Southern Miss will be there during Christmas at the Diamond Head Classic. @Conference_USA / @CUSAMBK ConferenceUSA #AllDayCUSA MEN’S BASKETBALL 2016-17 SEASON C-USA PRESEASON NOTEBOOK Contact: Courtney Morrison Archer [email protected] CHARLOTTEFIUFLORIDA ATLANTICLOUISIANA TECHMARSHALLMIDDLE TENNESSEE NORTH TEXASOLD DOMINIONRICESOUTHERN MISSUABUTEPUTSAWKU THIS WEEKEND IN CONFERENCE USA C-USA TIPS OFF ITS 22nd SEASON ON 11-11 RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE USA SELECTONS On Nov. 11 (11-11), Conference USA tips off its 22nd men’s basketball season at The following student-athletes are on a 2016-17 C-USA roster and received 11 a.m. CT, when defending champion Middle Tennessee hosts Milligan for its an All-Conference honor last season. Voting on the awards was done by season opener. The Blue Raiders are led by Conference USA All-Preseason Team the C-USA head coaches and media members in each conference city. selections Reggie Upshaw Jr. and Giddy Potts, along with some exciting new- comers. The team is expecting 4,000 students from Rutherford County Schools 2015-16 ALL-CONFERENCE USA SELECTIONS among the fans for the early start. Not only is this the fi rst C-USA game of the Marcus Evans, Rice, G, 6-2, 190, Chesapeake, Virginia (fi rst team) season, but marks the fi rst NCAA D-I contest of the 2016-17 campaign. The game Erik McCree, Louisiana Tech, F, 6-8, 222, Orlando, Florida (second team) will be streamed on CUSA.tv. Jeremy Combs, North Texas, F, 6-7, 196, Dallas, Texas (second team) Chris Cokley, UAB, F, 6-8, 241, Savannah, Georgia (second team) Six other C-USA teams will be playing on their home courts Friday night. Char- Giddy Potts, Middle Tennessee, G, 6-2, 220, Athens, Alabama (third team) lotte, FIU, North Texas, Old Dominion, Southern Miss and UAB each debut their Reggie Upshaw, Middle Tennessee, F, 6-8, 230, Chattanooga, Tenn. (third team) 2016-17 squads in front of their home crowds and the games will all be available William Lee, UAB, F, 6-9, 210, Plantersville, Alabama (third team) on CUSA.tv as well. Nick Norton, UAB, G, 6-10, 175, Bloomington, Illinois (third team) Lee Moore, UTEP, G, 6-4, 175, Kennesaw, Georgia (third team) UAB enters the season on a 25-game home court win streak, the fi fth-longest in 2015-16 CONFERENCE USA ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM the nation, as the Blazers welcome Arkansas-Pine Bluff for a 7 p.m. CT tip. As the Jon Davis, Charlotte, G, 6-2, 193, Upper Marlboro, Maryland defending regular-season champions and the coaches preseason pick to repeat, Andrien White, Charlotte, G, 6-3, 184, Richmond, Virginia UAB returns three All-Conference selections in juniors Chris Cokley, William Lee Zoran Talley, Old Dominion, F, 6-7, 195, Merrillville, Indiana and Nick Norton, as well as the C-USA Sixth Man of the Year in senior Dirk Wil- Marcus Evans, Rice, G, 6-2, 190, Chesapeake, Virginia liams. The game also marks the debut of fi rst-year head coach Rob Ehsan, who Terry Winn, UTEP, F, 6-7, 230, Monroe, Louisiana is no stranger to the Blazers as he has been on the sidelines as an assistant and associate head coach the past four seasons. 2015-16 CONFERENCE USA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM Brandan Stith, Old Dominion, R-So., F, 6-7, 230, Lawrenceville, Virginia Four C-USA teams are scheduled to debut on the road, beginning with Louisiana Marcus Evans, Rice, Fr., G, 6-2, 190, Chesapeake, Virginia Tech making the trip to South Carolina for a 5:30 p.m. CT tip on SEC Network William Lee, UAB, So., F, 6-9, 210, Plantersville, Alabama Plus. The Bulldogs will be led by seniors Erik McCree, a 2016 All-Conference USA second-team selection, and Qiydar Davis. Head coach Erik Konkol is also 2015-16 CONFERENCE USA FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR excited about his team stepping up to fi ll the shoes left by 2016 C-USA Player of Marcus Evans, Rice, G, 6-2, 190, Chesapeake, Virginia the Year Alex Hamilton. 2015-16 CONFERENCE USA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR William Lee, UAB, So., F, 6-9, 210, Plantersville, Alabama UTSA heads west to meet Fresno State Friday night at 9 p.m. CT on the Moun- tain West Network. It will be the debut of Roadrunner head coach Steve Henson, 2015-16 CONFERENCE USA SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR who is in his fi rst season as a head coach after spending the past 12 years as an Dirk Williams, UAB, Sr., G, 6-5, 180, Homewood, Alabama assistant at Oklahoma and UNLV. MIDDLE TENNESSEE DEFEATS MICHIGAN STATE Florida Atlantic is looking for a season as sunny as the location of its opener The 2015-16 Conference USA champion Middle Tennessee Blue Raider knocked as the Owls face Texas State in the fi rst round of the Rainbow Classic Friday off No. 2-seed and No. 2-ranked Michigan State, 90-81, to send C-USA basketball night. FAU also plays SIUE on Sunday and host Hawaii late Monday (or 4:15 a.m. into the NCAA Tournament Second Round for the second consecutive season. A ET Tuesday) on ESPN2. The Owls return four letterwinners and are also looking year after (14) UAB sent (3) Iowa State home early, MT became just the eighth No. forward to the contributions of three NCAA D-I transfers.