2015–16 Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team

2015–16 Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball
Vegas 16, Quarterfinals
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record21–13 (9–9 MAC)
Head coach
Assistant coachJon Borovich
Lou Dawkins
Jason Larson
Home arenaConvocation Center
Seasons
2015–16 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
East
Akron 13 5   .722 26 9   .743
Ohio 11 7   .611 23 12   .657
Kent State 10 8   .556 19 13   .594
Buffalo 10 8   .556 20 15   .571
Miami (OH) 6 12   .333 13 20   .394
Bowling Green 5 13   .278 16 18   .471
West
Ball State 10 8   .556 21 14   .600
Central Michigan 10 8   .556 17 16   .515
Northern Illinois 9 9   .500 21 13   .618
Eastern Michigan 9 9   .500 18 15   .545
Toledo 8 10   .444 17 15   .531
Western Michigan 7 11   .389 13 19   .406
2016 MAC tournament winner

The 2015–16 Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team represented Northern Illinois University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Huskies, led by fifth year head coach Mark Montgomery, played their home games at the Convocation Center as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 21–13, 9–9 in MAC play to finish in a tie for third place in the West Division. They defeated Western Michigan in the first round of the MAC tournament to advance to the quarterfinals where they lost to Ohio. They were invited to the inaugural Vegas 16, which only had eight teams, where they lost in the quarterfinals to UC Santa Barbara.

Previous season

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The Huskies finished the season 14–16, 8–10 in MAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the West Division. They lost in the first round of the MAC tournament to Akron.[1]

Departures

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes
Pete Rakocevic 0 C 6'11" 245 RS Senior Chicago, IL Graduated
Aaron Armstead 2 G 6'4" 195 Senior Chicago, IL Graduated
Kevin Gray 13 F 6'8" 225 Senior Chicago, IL Graduated & transferred to Minnesota State
Keith Gray 21 F 6'8" 225 RS Junior Chicago, IL Graduated & transferred to Flagler College
Anthony Johnson 33 G 6'3" 190 RS Senior Chicago, IL Graduated
Jordan Threloff 42 F 6'9" 255 RS Senior DeKalb, IL Graduated

Incoming Transfers

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Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School
Andrew Zelis 32 C 7'0" 245 Junior Wheaton, IL Junior college transferred from Kaskaskia College

Recruiting class of 2015

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US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Marshawn Wilson
#27 PG
Oakdale, MN Hill-Murray School 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Mar 31, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 80
Jaylen Key
#39 PF
Milwaukee, WI Homestead High School 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Sep 7, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 79
Levi Bradley
SF
Milwaukee, WI Pius XI High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Sep 7, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   Rivals:3/5 stars   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 79
Laytwan Porter
PG
Rockford, IL Auburn High School 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Sep 8, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Austin Pauga
SG
Naperville, IL IMG Academy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Oct 14, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • 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:

  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 20, 2015.

Recruiting class of 2016

[edit]
US college sports recruiting information for 2016 recruits
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Eugene German
PG
Gary, IN 21st Century Charter School 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 150 lb (68 kg) Jun 21, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Noah McCarty
PF
Sterling, IL Newman Central Catholic High School 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Aug 9, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Nick Wagner
PG
Galesville, WI Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Sep 6, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • 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:

Roster

[edit]
2015–16 Northern Illinois Huskies men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Marshawn Wilson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Fr Hill-Murray Oakdale, MN
G 2 Laytwan Porter 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Fr Auburn Rockford, IL
G 3 Dontel Highsmith 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Jr Dowagiac Dowagiac, MI
G 5 Travon Baker 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Sr Detroit Consortium Detroit, MI
G/F 10 Darrell Bowie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Sr La Jolla Prep Milwaukee, WI
G/F 11 Chuks Iroegbu 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) RS Sr Franklin HS
Washington State
Elk Grove, CA
G 12 Jordan Thomas (W) 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 185 lb (84 kg) So Menomonee Falls (WI) Northfield, IL
F 15 Jaylen Key 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Fr Homestead Mequon, WI
G 23 Aaric Armstead 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Jr La Jolla Prep Chicago, IL
G 24 Michael Orris 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Jr Crete-Monee
Kansas State
Crete, IL
G 25 Jay DeHaan (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) So Waubonsie Valley Naperville, IL
G 31 Austin Pauga 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Fr IMG Academy Naperville, IL
C 32 Andrew Zelis 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Jr Wheaton North
Kaskaskia College
Wheaton, IL
G 33 Jon Siu (W) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Fr Middlesex School Hong Kong
C 34 Marin Maric 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Jr La Lumiere School Split, Croatia
G/F 42 Levi Bradley 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Fr Pius XI Milwaukee, WI
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

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

Roster

Schedule

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Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
11/13/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Cal State Northridge
NIU Showcase
W 83–71  1–0
Convocation Center (995)
DeKalb, IL
11/14/2015*
3:30 pm
South Dakota
NIU Showcase
W 72–65  2–0
Convocation Center (913)
DeKalb, IL
11/15/2015*
3:30 pm, ESPN3
Wright State
NIU Showcase
W 65–59  3–0
Convocation Center (888)
DeKalb, IL
11/21/2015*
1:00 pm
Eureka W 100–52  4–0
Convocation Center (457)
DeKalb, IL
11/25/2015*
7:00 pm
Indiana Northwest W 87–55  5–0
Convocation Center (578)
DeKalb, IL
11/28/2015*
9:00 pm
at Idaho W 66–59  6–0
Memorial Gym (571)
Moscow, ID
12/02/2015*
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Chicago State W 80–58  7–0
Convocation Center (1,047)
DeKalb, IL
12/04/2015*
7:00 pm
at Missouri L 71–78  7–1
Mizzou Arena (6,214)
Columbia, MO
12/16/2015*
6:00 pm, BTN
at Ohio State L 54–67  7–2
Value City Arena (12,880)
Columbus, OH
12/19/2015*
2:00 pm
FIU W 78–75 2OT 8–2
Convocation Center (959)
DeKalb, IL
12/22/2015*
7:00 pm
Roosevelt W 85–52  9–2
Convocation Center (823)
DeKalb, IL
12/29/2015*
7:00 pm
at UIC W 70–65  10–2
UIC Pavilion (2,349)
Chicago, IL
01/02/2016*
1:00 pm
Judson W 91–48  11–2
Convocation Center (1,073)
DeKalb, IL
MAC Regular season
01/06/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Ohio W 80–69  12–2
(1–0)
Convocation Center (1,038)
DeKalb, IL
01/09/2016
7:30 pm, ESPN3
Eastern Michigan W 80–63  13–2
(2–0)
Convocation Center (1,349)
DeKalb, IL
01/12/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at Toledo W 71–66  14–2
(3–0)
Savage Arena (4,271)
Toledo, OH
01/16/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at Western Michigan L 69–83  14–3
(3–1)
University Arena (2,649)
Kalamazoo, MI
01/19/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Central Michigan W 75–70  15–3
(4–1)
Convocation Center (1,497)
DeKalb, IL
01/22/2016
5:30 pm, CBSSN
Toledo W 58–49  16–3
(5–1)
Convocation Center (3,166)
DeKalb, IL
01/26/2016
6:00 pm
at Akron L 66–76  16–4
(5–2)
James A. Rhodes Arena (3,205)
Akron, OH
01/30/2016
2:30 pm, ESPN3
at Miami (OH) L 59–72  16–5
(5–3)
Millett Hall (1,297)
Oxford, OH
02/02/2016
8:00 pm, ASN
Buffalo L 78–90  16–6
(5–4)
Convocation Center (1,494)
DeKalb, IL
02/06/2016
1:00 pm
at Ohio L 69–80  16–7
(5–5)
Convocation Center (8,773)
Athens, OH
02/09/2016
6:00 pm
at Kent State L 74–75  16–8
(5–6)
MAC Center (2,764)
Kent, OH
02/13/2016
4:45 pm, ESPN3
Akron W 80–79  17–8
(6–6)
Convocation Center (3,457)
DeKalb, IL
02/16/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Bowling Green W 71–60  18–8
(7–6)
Convocation Center (1,148)
DeKalb, IL
02/19/2016
5:30 pm, CBSSN
at Ball State L 59–63  18–9
(7–7)
John E. Worthen Arena (5,160)
Muncie, IN
02/23/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at Central Michigan L 64–76  18–10
(7–8)
McGuirk Arena (2,371)
Mount Pleasant, MI
02/27/2016
3:30 pm, ESPN3
Western Michigan W 76–67  19–10
(8–8)
Convocation Center (3,019)
DeKalb, IL
03/01/2016
6:00 pm, ESPN3
at Eastern Michigan L 71–75  19–11
(8–9)
Convocation Center (993)
Ypsilanti, MI
03/04/2016
6:00 pm, CBSSN
Ball State W 80–69  20–11
(9–9)
Convocation Center (2,102)
DeKalb, IL
MAC tournament
03/07/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN3
Western Michigan
First round
W 56–50  21–11
Convocation Center (1,594)
DeKalb, IL
03/10/2016
5:30 pm, ESPN3
vs. Ohio
Quarterfinals
L 62–79  21–12
Quicken Loans Arena (2,311)
Cleveland, OH
Vegas 16
03/28/2016*
4:30 pm, CBSSN
vs. UC Santa Barbara
Quarterfinals
L 63–70  21–13
Mandalay Bay Events Center 
Paradise, NV
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Central Time.

References

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