2015–16 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team

The 2015–16 Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball team represented Mississippi State University in the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulldogs, led by first year head coach Ben Howland, played their home games at the Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi as a member of the Southeastern Conference. They finished the season 14–17, 7–11 in SEC play to finish in 11th place. They lost to Georgia in the second round of the SEC tournament.

2015–16 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record14–17 (7–11 SEC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaHumphrey Coliseum
Seasons
2015–16 SEC men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 15 Texas A&M 13 5   .722 28 9   .757
No. 10 Kentucky 13 5   .722 27 9   .750
South Carolina 11 7   .611 25 9   .735
Vanderbilt 11 7   .611 19 14   .576
LSU 11 7   .611 19 14   .576
Ole Miss 10 8   .556 20 12   .625
Georgia 10 8   .556 20 14   .588
Florida 9 9   .500 21 15   .583
Arkansas 9 9   .500 16 16   .500
Alabama 8 10   .444 18 15   .545
Mississippi State 7 11   .389 14 17   .452
Tennessee 6 12   .333 15 19   .441
Auburn 5 13   .278 11 20   .355
Missouri* 3 15   .167 10 21   .323
2016 SEC tournament winner
*Ineligible for postseason play due to self-imposed postseason ban.
Rankings from AP poll

Previous season

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The Bulldogs finished the 2014–15 season 13–19, 6–12 in SEC play to finish in a tie for 11th place. They lost in the first round of the SEC tournament to Auburn. On March 21, head coach Rick Ray was fired.[1] Shortly thereafter, Ben Howland was hired as head coach.[2]

Before the season

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Departures

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The Bulldogs lost 4 scholarship players, two to graduation and two transfers. The team also had 2 senior walkons graduate.

Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Maurice Dunlap 0 Guard 6'2" 175 Freshman Greenwood, MS Transferred to Jones County JC
Trivante Bloodman 3 Guard 6'0" 190 Senior Bronx, NY Graduated
Isaiah Butler 5 Guard 6'2" 214 Senior Brandon, MS Graduated (Walk-on)
Jeffery Johnson 10 Guard 6'2" 173 Senior Memphis, TN Graduated (Walk-on)
Roquez Johnson 25 Forward 6'7" 214 Senior Montgomery, AL Graduated
Oliver Black 33 Guard 6'9" 215 Freshman Jackson, MS Transferred to Arkansas–Little Rock

Recruits

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Malik Newman at the 2015 McDonald's All-American Boys Game
US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Aric Holman
PF
Owensboro, KY Owensboro (KY) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 200 lb (91 kg) May 21, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Malik Newman
PG
Jackson, MS Callaway (MS) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 174 lb (79 kg) Apr 24, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Joseph Strugg
PF
Montgomery, AL George Washington Carver (AL) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Jun 11, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Quinndary Weatherspoon
SG
Canton, MS Velma Jackson (MS) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 184 lb (83 kg) Jul 30, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:     ESPN: 
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 16   Rivals: 25  247Sports: 23  ESPN: 19
  • 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:

  • "Mississippi State 2015 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  • "2015 Mississippi State Basketball Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  • "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved May 15, 2014.

In addition, the Bulldogs added a transfer in Xavian Stapleton from Louisiana Tech.[3] Stapleton will have to sit out the 2015–16 but will then have 3 years of eligibility.

Roster

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2015–16 Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 1 Fred Thomas 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 206 lb (93 kg) Sr Jim Hill HS Jackson, MS
F 2 Demetrius Houston 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) So G. W. Carver HS Montgomery, AL
F 4 Johnny Zuppardo 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) RS Sr Jones County JC Bay St. Louis, MS
G 11 Quinndary Weatherspoon 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 184 lb (83 kg) Fr Velma Jackson HS Camden, MS
G 13 Xavian Stapleton   6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) So Madison Central HS Flora, MS
G 14 Malik Newman 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 174 lb (79 kg) Fr Callaway HS Jackson, MS
G 15 I.J. Ready 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Jr Parkview Magnet HS Little Rock, AR
F 20 Gavin Ware 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Sr Starkville HS Starkville, MS
C 22 Fallou Ndoye 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) RS So Findlay Prep Senegal
F 23 Travis Daniels 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) RS Sr Shelton State CC Russellville, AL
G 32 Craig Sword 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 194 lb (88 kg) Sr G. W. Carver HS Montgomery, AL
F 35 Aric Holman 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Fr Owensboro HS Owensboro, KY
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

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

Roster

Schedule and results

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[4]

Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/06/2015*
7:00 pm
Fort Valley State W 95–56 
Humphrey Coliseum 
Starkville, MS
Non-conference regular season
11/13/2015*
8:00 pm, SECN
Eastern Washington W 106–88  1–0
Humphrey Coliseum (9,931)
Starkville, MS
11/16/2015*
7:00 pm
Southern L 72–76  1–1
Humphrey Coliseum (5,895)
Starkville, MS
11/19/2015*
4:00 pm, ESPN2
vs. Miami (FL)
Puerto Rico Tip-Off quarterfinals
L 79–105  1–2
Roberto Clemente Coliseum (1,947)
San Juan, PR
11/20/2015*
4:00 pm, ESPNU
vs. Texas Tech
Puerto Rico Tip-Off consolation round
L 72–74  1–3
Roberto Clemente Coliseum 
San Juan, PR
11/22/2015*
11:00 am, ESPN3
vs. Missouri State
Puerto Rico Tip-Off 7th place game
W 84–70  2–3
Roberto Clemente Coliseum 
San Juan, PR
11/28/2015*
12:00 pm
Tennessee–Martin W 76–51  3–3
Humphrey Coliseum (7,150)
Starkville, MS
12/02/2015*
7:00 pm, SECN
Texas Southern W 86–73  4–3
Humphrey Coliseum (6,239)
Starkville, MS
12/12/2015*
4:05 pm, ASN
at UMKC L 67–72  4–4
Municipal Auditorium (2,886)
Kansas City, MO
12/16/2015*
8:00 pm, ESPN2
at Florida State L 66–90  4–5
Donald L. Tucker Center (5,466)
Tallahassee, FL
12/19/2015*
3:00 pm, SECN
Tulane W 69–59  5–5
Humphrey Coliseum (4,804)
Starkville, MS
12/23/2015*
7:00 pm, SECN
vs. Northern Colorado W 93–69  6–5
Mississippi Coliseum (4,512)
Jackson, MS
12/31/2015*
1:00 pm
North Carolina Central W 71–48  7–5
Humphrey Coliseum (2,016)
Starkville, MS
SEC regular season
01/06/2016
8:00 pm, SECN
No. 21 Texas A&M L 60–61  7–6
(0–1)
Humphrey Coliseum (6,693)
Starkville, MS
01/09/2016
2:30 pm, SECN
at Arkansas L 68–82  7–7
(0–2)
Bud Walton Arena (11,157)
Fayetteville, AR
01/12/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN
at No. 14 Kentucky L 74–80  7–8
(0–3)
Rupp Arena (23,897)
Lexington, KY
01/16/2016
2:30 pm, SECN
Tennessee L 75–80  7–9
(0–4)
Humphrey Coliseum (5,926)
Starkville, MS
01/19/2016
6:00 pm, ESPNU
at Florida L 78–81  7–10
(0–5)
O'Connell Center (8,250)
Gainesville, FL
01/23/2016
1:00 pm, SECN
Ole Miss W 83–77  8–10
(1–5)
Humphrey Coliseum (8,932)
Starkville, MS
01/26/2016
6:00 pm, SECN
at South Carolina L 74–84  8–11
(1–6)
Colonial Life Arena (12,764)
Columbia, SC
01/30/2016
7:30 pm, SECN
at Missouri W 76–62  9–11
(2–6)
Mizzou Arena (7,175)
Columbia, MO
02/02/2016
8:00 pm, SECN
Alabama L 80–82 OT 9–12
(2–7)
Humphrey Coliseum (6,265)
Starkville, MS
02/06/2016
5:00 pm, ESPN2
at LSU L 77–88  9–13
(2–8)
Maravich Center (13,123)
Baton Rouge, LA
02/09/2016
8:00 pm, SECN
Arkansas W 78–46  10–13
(3–8)
Humphrey Coliseum (6,272)
Starkville, MS
02/13/2016
7:00 pm, SECN
Georgia L 57–66  10–14
(3–9)
Humphrey Coliseum (6,811)
Starkville, MS
02/16/2016
8:00 pm, SECN
Vanderbilt W 75–74  11–14
(4–9)
Humphrey Coliseum (6,194)
Starkville, MS
02/20/2016
1:30 pm, SECN
at Alabama W 67–61  12–14
(5–9)
Coleman Coliseum (15,383)
Tuscaloosa, AL
02/24/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN2
at No. 21 Texas A&M L 66–68  12–15
(5–10)
Reed Arena (8,312)
College Station, TX
02/27/2016
1:30 pm, SECN
South Carolina W 68–58  13–15
(6–10)
Humphrey Coliseum (7,488)
Starkville, MS
03/02/2016
6:00 pm, SECN
at Ole Miss L 78–86  13–16
(6–11)
The Pavilion at Ole Miss (9,500)
Oxford, MS
03/05/2016
1:30 pm, SECN
Auburn W 79–66  14–16
(7–11)
Humphrey Coliseum (7,722)
Starkville, MS
SEC tournament
03/10/2016
8:30 pm
vs. Georgia
Second round
L 69–79  14–17
Bridgestone Arena (11,750)
Nashville, TN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

See also

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2015–16 Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs basketball team

References

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  1. ^ "Mississippi State fires basketball coach Ray". March 21, 2015.
  2. ^ "Mississippi St. hires ex-UCLA coach Howland". ESPN.com. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  3. ^ Rothstein, Jon (July 5, 2015). "Louisiana Tech transfer Stapleton headed to Mississippi State". CBSSports.com. CBS. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Men's Basketball".