1996–97 Southwest Texas State Bobcats men's basketball team

The 1996–97 Southwest Texas State Bobcats men's basketball team represented Southwest Texas State University in the 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bobcats, led by head coach Mike Miller, played their home games at Strahan Arena in San Marcos, Texas as members of the Southland Conference.

1996–97 Southwest Texas State Bobcats men's basketball
Southland regular season co-champions
Southland tournament champions
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Record16–13 (10–6 Southland)
Head coach
Home arenaStrahan Arena
Seasons
1996–97 Southland Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
McNeese State 10 6   .625 18 12   .600
Southwest Texas State 10 6   .625 16 13   .552
Louisiana-Monroe 10 6   .625 14 14   .500
Northwestern State 8 8   .500 13 15   .464
Stephen F. Austin 8 8   .500 12 15   .444
Texas-Arlington 8 8   .500 12 15   .444
Nicholls State 7 9   .438 10 16   .385
Sam Houston State 7 9   .438 8 18   .308
UTSA 4 12   .250 9 17   .346
1997 Southland tournament winner
Rankings from AP Poll[1]

The Bobcats finished atop the regular season conference standings, won the Southland tournament, and received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As No. 16 seed in the Midwest region, Southwest Texas State was beaten by No. 1 seed and eventual Final Four participant Minnesota, 78–46.[2]

Roster

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1996–97 Texas State Bobcats men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown
C 42 Jeff Foster 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) RS So San Antonio, Texas
F Solomon Clark 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Sr
G Geoff Golden 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Sr
F Elijah Hobley 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Sr
G Kenyatta Isable 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Jr
F Ross Johnson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Jr
F Dennis Malone 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Jr
G Donte Mathis 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
So San Antonio, Texas
F Jermal McCoy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Sr
F Carlos Morris 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Jr
G Dameon Samson 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Sr
G Rodney Walton 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Sr
G Wesley Williams 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Fr
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

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

Roster

Schedule and results

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Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular season
Nov 25, 1996*
Texas Southern W 78–73  1–0
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Nov 29, 1996*
vs. Troy L 52–85  1–1
Worthen Arena 
Muncie, Indiana
Nov 30, 1996*
vs. Coastal Carolina W 74–58  2–1
Worthen Arena 
Muncie, Indiana
Dec 2, 1996*
at Connecticut L 49–66  2–2
Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (14,104)
Storrs, Connecticut
Dec 7, 1996*
at Centenary L 75–78  2–3
Gold Dome 
Shreveport, Louisiana
Dec 10, 1996*
San Diego State W 81–77 OT 3–3
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Dec 14, 1996*
Hardin-Simmons W 71–45  4–3
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Dec 21, 1996*
at Lamar L 67–73  4–4
Montagne Center 
Beaumont, Texas
Dec 27, 1996*
vs. Tulsa
All-College Tournament
L 60–76[3]  4–5
Myriad Convention Center 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Dec 28, 1996*
vs. Western Illinois
All-College Tournament
L 61–68  4–6
Myriad Convention Center 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Jan 2, 1997
McNeese State W 80–64  5–6
(1–0)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Jan 4, 1997
Nicholls State W 82–73  6–6
(2–0)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Jan 9, 1997
at Louisiana-Monroe L 54–58  6–7
(2–1)
Fant–Ewing Coliseum 
Monroe, Louisiana
Jan 11, 1997
at Northwestern State W 65–58  7–7
(3–1)
Prather Coliseum 
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Jan 15, 1997
at Texas-Arlington L 63–66 OT 7–8
(3–2)
Texas Hall 
Arlington, Texas
Jan 18, 1997
Sam Houston State W 75–60  8–8
(4–2)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Jan 20, 1997
Stephen F. Austin W 86–71  9–8
(5–2)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Jan 25, 1997
at UTSA W 100–85  10–8
(6–2)
Convocation Center 
San Antonio, Texas
Jan 30, 1997
Northwestern State W 87–77  11–8
(7–2)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Feb 1, 1997
Louisiana-Monroe W 72–62  12–8
(8–2)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Feb 6, 1997
at Nicholls State L 73–76  12–9
(8–3)
Stopher Gymnasium 
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Feb 8, 1997
at McNeese State L 70–87  12–10
(8–4)
Burton Coliseum 
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Feb 15, 1997
UTSA W 86–78 OT 13–10
(9–4)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Feb 20, 1997
Texas-Arlington W 64–63  14–10
(10–4)
Strahan Coliseum 
San Marcos, Texas
Feb 27, 1997
at Stephen F. Austin L 55–65  14–11
(10–5)
William R. Johnson Coliseum 
Nacogdoches, Texas
Mar 1, 1997
at Sam Houston State L 69–71  14–12
(10–6)
Bernard Johnson Coliseum 
Huntsville, Texas
Southland tournament
Mar 7, 1997*
(2) vs. (3) McNeese State
Semifinals
W 76–59  15–12
Hirsch Memorial Coliseum 
Shreveport, Louisiana
Mar 8, 1997*
(2) vs. (1) Louisiana-Monroe
Championship game
W 74–64  16–12
Hirsch Memorial Coliseum 
Shreveport, Louisiana
NCAA tournament
Mar 14, 1997*
(16 MW) vs. (1 MW) No. 3 Minnesota
First round
L 46–78[2]  16–13
Kemper Arena 
Kansas City, Missouri
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central.

Source[4]

References

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  1. ^ sports-reference.com 1996-97 Southland Conference Season Summary
  2. ^ a b "Golden Gophers Bury SW Texas State, 78-46". The Washington Post. March 15, 1997. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  3. ^ "Sealed and Delivered: Guard Scores 24 as Tulsa Outmuscles Southwest Texas". The Oklahoman. December 28, 1996. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  4. ^ "1996-97 Men's Basketball Schedule". Texas State Athletics. Retrieved February 15, 2022.