This interactive overview is derived from the Wikipedia article on the 2016โ€“17 UT Arlington Mavericks men's basketball team. Read the full source article here. (opens in new tab)

Mavericks' Ascent

An analytical examination of the UT Arlington Mavericks' championship season, their strategic play, and their journey through collegiate basketball's competitive landscape.

Season Overview ๐Ÿ‘‡ Explore Roster โ›น๏ธโ€โ™‚๏ธ

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Season Overview

A Season of Triumph

The 2016โ€“17 season marked a significant chapter for the UT Arlington Mavericks men's basketball program. The team achieved a remarkable overall record of 27 wins and 9 losses, demonstrating consistent performance throughout their campaign. This stellar record culminated in them securing the Sun Belt Conference regular season championship, a testament to their dominance within the league. Their postseason journey extended to the Quarterfinals of the prestigious National Invitation Tournament (NIT), showcasing their capability on a broader national stage.

Coaching Cadre

Guiding the Mavericks through this successful season was Head Coach Scott Cross, who was in his eleventh season at the helm. His extensive experience and strategic acumen were pivotal in shaping the team's performance. He was supported by a dedicated team of assistant coaches, including Greg Young, Zak Buncik, and Kenneth Mangrum, whose collective efforts contributed to the team's tactical execution and player development.

Home Court Advantage

The Mavericks played their home games at the College Park Center, a venue that served as a formidable fortress for the team. The energy and support from their home crowd undoubtedly played a role in their impressive home record and overall success, providing a crucial advantage in key conference matchups and non-conference contests.

Previous Season

Building Momentum: The 2015-16 Foundation

The 2015โ€“16 season laid crucial groundwork for the subsequent year's success. The Mavericks concluded that season with an overall record of 24 wins and 11 losses, including a 13โ€“7 record in Sun Belt Conference play, which placed them in third position within the league. Their postseason endeavors included reaching the semifinals of the Sun Belt tournament, where they ultimately fell to Louisianaโ€“Monroe after defeating Texas State. Furthermore, the team participated in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT), where they achieved their first-ever post-season tournament win against Savannah State before advancing to the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by NJIT. This experience provided valuable tournament exposure and competitive maturity for the returning players.

Team Roster

The Maverick Squad: Player Profiles

The 2016โ€“17 UT Arlington Mavericks men's basketball team comprised a diverse group of student-athletes, each contributing to the team's dynamic. The roster featured a blend of experienced upperclassmen and promising underclassmen, hailing from various hometowns, including international talent. This collective talent and depth were instrumental in their championship run.

Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Hometown
G1Erick Neal5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)155 lb (70 kg)JrDallas, Texas
G2D. J. Bryant5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)180 lb (82 kg)FrSarasota, Florida
G3Nathan Hawkins6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg)JrGarland, Texas
G4Drew Charles6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)193 lb (88 kg)SrAzle, Texas
G5Kaelon Wilson6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)192 lb (87 kg)JrLancaster, Texas
G10Jalen Jones6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)209 lb (95 kg)SrCedar Hill, Texas
F13Erkam Kiris6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)209 lb (95 kg)FrIstanbul, Turkey
F15Scott Muirhead6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)206 lb (93 kg)RS FrEnnis, Texas
F20Julian Harris6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)235 lb (107 kg)JrMansfield, Texas
C22Link Kabadyundi7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)274 lb (124 kg)JrMontreal, Quebec, Canada
G23Mairega Clarke6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)184 lb (83 kg)SrQueens, New York
F25Kevin Hervey6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)230 lb (104 kg)JrArlington, Texas
G30Patrick Binzer6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)183 lb (83 kg)FrWeatherford, Texas
F34Faith Pope6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)195 lb (88 kg)SrMount Pleasant, Iowa
F45Jorge Bilbao6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)245 lb (111 kg)SrBilbao, Biscay, Spain

Game Schedule

Non-Conference Gauntlet

The Mavericks' non-conference schedule was strategically designed to test the team against diverse opponents, preparing them for the rigors of Sun Belt play. Notable victories included an impressive road win against No. 12 Saint Mary's and a triumph over Texas, demonstrating their capacity to compete with nationally recognized programs. Despite early losses to Minnesota, Florida Gulf Coast, and Arkansas, the team quickly found its rhythm, building a strong foundation for the rest of the season.

Sun Belt Dominance

Within the Sun Belt Conference, UT Arlington showcased exceptional performance, culminating in a 14โ€“4 record and the regular season championship. Key victories over rivals like Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, and Arkansas State highlighted their consistent competitive edge. While facing tough losses against Texas State, Troy, Coastal Carolina (away), and Louisianaโ€“Lafayette (away), the Mavericks maintained their composure and ultimately secured the top seed.

Postseason Odyssey

The postseason saw the Mavericks enter the Sun Belt tournament as the top seed, where they defeated Coastal Carolina in the quarterfinals before a challenging loss to Texas State in the semifinals. As regular season champions, they earned an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Their NIT run was particularly noteworthy, featuring impressive victories over BYU and Akron, propelling them to the quarterfinals before a hard-fought loss to Cal State Bakersfield concluded their season.

Date & Time Opponent Result Record Site (Attendance) City, State
11/12/2016 7:30 pmTexas SouthernW 89-821โ€“0College Park Center (4,532)Arlington, TX
11/14/2016 7:00 pm, BTN+Minnesota Golden Gopher ShowcaseL 67โ€“841โ€“1Williams Arena (7,986)Minneapolis, MN
11/16/2016 6:00 pmat Florida Gulf CoastL 72โ€“851โ€“2Alico Arena (4,415)Fort Myers, FL
11/18/2016 6:00 pm, SECN+at Arkansas Golden Gopher ShowcaseL 67โ€“711โ€“3Bud Walton Arena (13,587)Fayetteville, AR
11/21/2016 7:00 pmSt. Francis (IL) Golden Gopher ShowcaseW 88โ€“672โ€“3College Park Center (1,301)Arlington, TX
11/23/2016 7:00 pmMount St. Mary's Golden Gopher ShowcaseW 80โ€“713โ€“3College Park Center (1,360)Arlington, TX
11/26/2016 7:00 pmat FordhamW 67โ€“634โ€“3Rose Hill Gymnasium (1,096)Bronx, NY
11/29/2016 7:00 pm, LHNat TexasW 72โ€“615โ€“3Frank Erwin Center (9,812)Austin, TX
12/03/2016 2:00 pmat North TexasW 77โ€“616โ€“3The Super Pit (2,386)Denton, TX
12/05/2016 7:00 pmUT DallasW 99โ€“497โ€“3College Park CenterArlington, TX
12/08/2016 9:00 pm, TheW.tvat No. 12 Saint Mary'sW 65โ€“518โ€“3McKeon Pavilion (2,893)Moraga, CA
12/16/2016 7:00 pm, ESPN3at BradleyW 56โ€“519โ€“3Carver Arena (4,711)Peoria, IL
12/22/2016 7:00 pmat Loyola MarymountW 80โ€“7710โ€“3Gersten Pavilion (1,327)Los Angeles, CA
12/31/2016 4:30 pmCoastal CarolinaW 90โ€“6911โ€“3 (1โ€“0)College Park Center (1,892)Arlington, TX
01/02/2017 7:00 pm, SPECAppalachian StateW 84โ€“6912โ€“3 (2โ€“0)College Park Center (1,320)Arlington, TX
01/07/2017 4:30 pm, SPECat Texas StateL 73โ€“8112โ€“4 (2โ€“1)Strahan Coliseum (1,667)San Marcos, TX
01/14/2017 4:15 pm, ESPN3at TroyL 71โ€“9312โ€“5 (2โ€“2)Trojan Arena (1,298)Troy, AL
01/16/2017 7:00 pmat South AlabamaW 89โ€“8313โ€“5 (3โ€“2)Mitchell Center (1,949)Mobile, AL
01/21/2017 4:30 pm, ESPN3Louisianaโ€“MonroeW 71โ€“5514โ€“5 (4โ€“2)College Park Center (2,659)Arlington, TX
01/23/2017 7:00 pm, ASNLouisianaโ€“LafayetteW 108โ€“7115โ€“5 (5โ€“2)College Park Center (1,933)Arlington, TX
01/28/2017 2:30 pm, ESPN3at Appalachian StateW 83โ€“6716โ€“5 (6โ€“2)Holmes Center (2,639)Boone, NC
01/30/2017 6:00 pmat Coastal CarolinaL 70โ€“7216โ€“6 (6โ€“3)HTC Center (1,701)Conway, SC
02/04/2017 4:30 pm, SPECTexas StateW 76โ€“6117โ€“6 (7โ€“3)College Park Center (3,483)Arlington, TX
02/11/2017 4:30 pmArkansas StateW 81โ€“7518โ€“6 (8โ€“3)College Park Center (2,737)Arlington, TX
02/13/2017 7:00 pm, ASN/ESPN3Little RockW 71โ€“5519โ€“6 (9โ€“3)College Park Center (1,591)Arlington, TX
02/18/2017 1:15 pm, ESPN3at Georgia StateW 68โ€“6720โ€“6 (10โ€“3)GSU Sports Arena (1,800)Atlanta, GA
02/20/2017 6:00 pm, ASNat Georgia SouthernW 81โ€“7121โ€“6 (11โ€“3)Hanner Fieldhouse (2,573)Statesboro, GA
02/25/2017 4:30 pmSouth AlabamaW 86โ€“7522โ€“6 (12โ€“3)College Park Center (2,878)Arlington, TX
02/27/2017 7:00 pm, SPECTroyW 82โ€“6723โ€“6 (13โ€“3)College Park Center (3,111)Arlington, TX
03/02/2017 7:00 pmat Louisianaโ€“MonroeW 72โ€“5724โ€“6 (14โ€“3)Fantโ€“Ewing Coliseum (1,669)Monroe, LA
03/04/2017 7:15 pm, ESPN3at Louisianaโ€“LafayetteL 81โ€“8324โ€“7 (14โ€“4)Cajundome (4,272)Lafayette, LA
03/10/2017 11:30 am, ESPN3vs. (8) Coastal Carolina QuarterfinalsW 74โ€“5125โ€“7Lakefront ArenaNew Orleans, LA
03/11/2017 11:30 am, ESPN3vs. (4) Texas State SemifinalsL 62โ€“8325โ€“8Lakefront ArenaNew Orleans, LA
03/15/2017 8:30 pm, ESPN2at (3) BYU First Round โ€“ California BracketW 105โ€“8926โ€“8Marriott Center (7,247)Provo, UT
03/20/2017 7:00 pm, ESPNU(7) Akron Second Round โ€“ California BracketW 85โ€“6927โ€“8College Park Center (5,390)Arlington, TX
03/22/2017 8:00 pm, ESPNU(8) Cal State Bakersfield Quarterfinals โ€“ California BracketL 76โ€“8027โ€“9College Park Center (6,336)Arlington, TX

All times are in Central Time. Rankings from AP Poll. Tournament seedings in parentheses.

Season Journey

Path to the Championship

The 2016โ€“17 season for the UT Arlington Mavericks was characterized by a consistent upward trajectory. After navigating a challenging non-conference schedule that included victories over ranked opponents and Power Five conference teams, the Mavericks entered Sun Belt play with significant momentum. Their strategic execution and cohesive team play allowed them to dominate the conference, culminating in their well-deserved regular season championship. This achievement underscored their tactical superiority and the effectiveness of their coaching staff's game plans.

NIT Run: A National Stage

Despite a setback in the Sun Belt tournament semifinals, the Mavericks' impressive regular season record earned them an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament. This provided a valuable opportunity to compete against high-caliber teams from across the nation. Their victories against BYU and Akron in the early rounds of the NIT demonstrated their resilience and ability to perform under pressure, ultimately reaching the quarterfinals. This deep run in a national tournament significantly elevated the program's profile and provided invaluable experience for the players.

Distinguished Accolades

Championship Recognition

The 2016โ€“17 UT Arlington Mavericks men's basketball team earned significant recognition for their outstanding performance. Their crowning achievement was the Sun Belt Conference regular season championship, a testament to their consistent excellence throughout the conference schedule. Furthermore, their advancement to the Quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament solidified their standing as one of the top teams in collegiate basketball for that season, marking a memorable and successful campaign in the program's history.

Team Legacy

The success of the 2016โ€“17 season left an indelible mark on the UT Arlington Mavericks men's basketball program. The team's achievements, including their conference championship and deep NIT run, served as a benchmark for future squads and significantly enhanced the university's athletic reputation. This season is remembered for its competitive spirit, strategic brilliance, and the collective effort that propelled the Mavericks to one of their most successful seasons in NCAA Division I history.

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