2016–17 Conference USA men's basketball season


The 2016–17 Conference USA men's basketball season began with practices in October 2016, followed by the start of the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play began in late December and concluded in early March.
Middle Tennessee claimed the outright regular season championship with a win over UAB on February 26, 2017. Louisiana Tech finished in second place in the regular season, three games behind the Blue Raiders.
Middle Tennessee's JaCorey Williams was named C-USA Player of the Year and Kermit Davis was named the Coach of the Year.
The C-USA Tournament was held from March 8 through 11, 2017 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. Middle Tennessee defeated Marshall to win the tournament championship for the second consecutive year. As a result, the Blue Raiders received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. No other C-USA school received an NCAA Tournament bid. Rice received a bid to the College Basketball Invitational Tournament.

Head coaches

Coaching changes

On March 10, 2016, after 10 years with UTSA, head coach Brooks Thompson was fired. He finished at UTSA with a record of 130–176. On April 1, the school hired Steve Henson as head coach.
On March 17, 2016, WKU head coach Ray Harper resigned after three players were suspended by a university disciplinary committee. He finished at WKU with a record of 90–62. On March 28, the school hired Rick Stansbury as head coach.
UAB head coach Jerod Haase left UAB to accept the head coaching position at Stanford. On April 4, 2016, the school hired Robert Ehsan, who had been an assistant under Haase at UAB, as head coach.

Coaches

Notes:

Preseason Coaches Poll

Source
RankTeam
1.UAB '
2.Middle Tennessee '
3.WKU
4.Marshall
5.Old Dominion
6.UTEP
7.Louisiana Tech
8.Charlotte
9.Rice
10.North Texas
11.FIU
12.Florida Atlantic
13.Southern Miss
14.UTSA

first place votes

Preseason All-C-USA Team

Source
RecipientSchool
Jeremy CombsNorth Texas
Chris CokleyUAB
Jon ElmoreMarshall
Justin JohnsonWKU
William LeeUAB
Erik McCreeLouisiana Tech
Giddy PottsMiddle Tennessee
Ryan TaylorMarshall
Reggie Upshaw Jr.Middle Tennessee

Conference schedules

Conference matrix

This table summarizes the head-to-head results between teams in conference play.

Players of the Week

Throughout the conference regular season, the C-USA offices named one or two players of the week and one or two freshmen of the week each Monday.
WeekPlayer of the weekFreshman of the week
November 14, 2016Egor Koulechov, RiceDaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
November 21, 2016Dominic Artis, UTEPByron Frohnen, UTSA
November 28, 2016JaCorey Williams, Middle TennesseeJailyn Ingram, Florida Atlantic
December 5, 2016Marcus Evans, RiceNajee Garvin, Charlotte
December 12, 2016Jon Elmore, MarshallDeon Barrett, UTEP
December 19, 2016JaCorey Williams, Middle TennesseeA. J. Lawson, North Texas
December 26, 2016Stevie Browning, MarshallByron Frohnen, UTSA
December 26, 2016Stevie Browning, MarshallJalen Harris, Louisiana Tech
January 2, 2017Reggie Upshaw Jr., Middle TennesseeQuentin Jackson Jr., Charlotte
January 9, 2017Ryan Taylor, MarshallGiovanni De Nicolao, UTSA
January 16, 2017William Lee, UABDaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
January 23, 2017Jon Davis, CharlotteDaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
January 30, 2017Matt Willms, UTEPByron Frohnen, UTSA
February 6, 2017Justin Johnson, WKUA. J. Lawson, North Texas
February 13, 2017Marcus Evans, RiceRyan Woolridge, North Texas
February 20, 2017Paul Thomas, UTEPRyan Woolridge, North Texas
February 27, 2017Quinton Campbell, Southern MissA.J. Lawson, North Texas
March 6, 2017Egor Koulechov, RiceJalen Harris, Louisiana Tech

All-C-USA honors and awards

Following the regular season, the conference selected outstanding performers based on a poll of league coaches.
HonorRecipient
Player of the YearJaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee
Coach of the YearKermit Davis, Middle Tennessee
Defensive Player of the YearWilliam Lee, UAB
Freshman of the YearDaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
Newcomer of the YearJaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee
Sixth Man of the YearZoran Talley, Old Dominion
All-C-USA First TeamErik McCree, Louisiana Tech
All-C-USA First TeamJon Elmore, Marshall
All-C-USA First TeamJaCorey Williams, Middle Tennessee
All-C-USA First TeamMarcus Evans, Rice
All-C-USA First TeamEgor Koulechov, Rice
All-C-USA Second TeamJon Davis, Charlotte
All-C-USA Second TeamReggie Upshaw Jr., Middle Tennessee
All-C-USA Second TeamWilliam Lee, UAB
All-C-USA Second TeamDominic Artis, UTEP
All-C-USA Second TeamJustin Johnson, WKU
All-C-USA Third TeamJacobi Boykins, Louisiana Tech
All-C-USA Third TeamRyan Taylor, Marshall
All-C-USA Third TeamGiddy Potts, Middle Tennessee
All-C-USA Third TeamAhmad Caver, Old Dominion
All-C-USA Third TeamOmega Harris, UTEP
All-C-USA Defensive TeamJacobi Boykins, Louisiana Tech
All-C-USA Defensive TeamRyan Taylor, Marshall
All-C-USA Defensive TeamReggie Upshaw Jr., Middle Tennessee
All-C-USA Defensive TeamDenzell Taylor, Old Dominion
All-C-USA Defensive TeamWilliam Lee, UAB
All-C-USA Freshman TeamDaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech
All-C-USA Freshman TeamJalen Harris, Louisiana Tech
All-C-USA Freshman TeamTyrik Dixon, Middle Tennessee
All-C-USA Freshman TeamA. J. Lawson, North Texas
All-C-USA Freshman TeamByron Frohnen, UTSA
All-C-USA Freshman Team-
All-C-USA Freshman Team-
All-C-USA Freshman Team-
All-C-USA Freshman Team-
All-C-USA Freshman Team-

Postseason

C-USA Tournament

Only the top 12 conference teams were eligible for the tournament.

NCAA tournament

SeedRegionSchoolFirst FourFirst RoundSecond RoundSweet 16Elite EightFinal FourChampionship
12SouthMiddle TennesseeN/Adefeated Minnesota 81–72eliminated by Butler 65–74