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Austin, Texas – The UIW men's basketball team opens their 2016-17 season at No. 21 Texas Friday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the Frank Erwin Center. The game will be televised live on the Longhorn Network and broadcast live on TSRN.
OPENING TIP
Friday marks the first time UIW has faced a ranked opponent since testing No. 7 Oklahoma on November 24, 2015. The Cardinals posted their third-straight winning season in 2015-16, and the ninth in the last ten seasons. Texas reached the NCAA Tournament for the 17th time in the last 18 seasons. UIW is in its final year in transition and will become conference- and NCAA Tournament-eligible beginning in 2017-18.
SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS
2015-16: 20-13
Last Game: W 95-55 vs. Angelo State (exhibition; 11/2/16)
Head Coach: Shaka Smart (2nd season)
Key Returners:
#12 Kerwin Roach, Jr. – 33 gp, 7.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg
#10 Eric Davis, Jr. – 33 gp, 7.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg
#0 Tevin Mack – 33 gp, 5.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Key Losses:
#1 Isaiah Taylor – 33 gp, 15.0 ppg, 164 asts
#55 Cameron Ridley – 13 gp, 11.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 37 blks
#3 Javan Felix – 33 gp, 10.7 ppg, 46 three-pointers made
Summary: Texas reached the NCAA Tournament for the 17th time in the last 18 seasons. The Longhorns lost in the first round to Northern Iowa, 75-72, to close their season at 20-13 overall. Entering tonight's game with UIW, Texas has won 14 straight home openers and is 34-5 in home openers since the Erwin Center opened prior to the 1977-78 season.
Similar to UIW, the Longhorns also lose a chunk of their scoring from a season ago. Gone is junior guard Isaiah Taylor, who left to go pro. Taylor led Texas with 15.0 points per game and was tied for the team lead with 29 steals.
THE CARDINAL FILE
2015-16: 17-12
Last Game: W 97-86 vs. Houston Baptist (3/5/16)
Head Coach: Ken Burmeister (11th season)
Key Returners:
#41
Shawn Johnson – 29 gp, 9.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 34 blks, 42 three-pointers made
#15
Sam Burmeister – 22 gp, 5.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 31 asts
#3
Simi Socks – 29 gp, 5.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 16 blks
Key Losses:
#4
Kyle Hittle – 29 gp, 16.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 34 stls, 2
nd Team All-SLC
#0
Jontrell Walker – 28 gp, 12.6 ppg, 53 asts
#1
Derail Green – 29 gp, 11.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 58 asts
#2
Mitchell Badillo – 29 gp, 9.8 ppg, 138 asts (program's all-time assist leader)
Summary: UIW had its third-straight winning season in 2015-16, and the ninth in the last 10 campaigns, as the Cardinals went 17-12 overall and 12-6 in the Southland Conference. The Cardinals arguably face their biggest challenge this season, losing 67 percent of their scoring from a season ago. Gone are Second Team All-SLC
Kyle Hittle and the program's all-time assist leader (498) in
Mitchell Badillo to graduation. UIW features six newcomers and two redshirt freshmen, for a total of eight new faces in 2016-17.
The Cardinals will look towards junior guard
Shawn Johnson, who averaged 9.5 points per game and led the squad in rebounding (6.6 per game) and blocked shots (34). Also looking to make an impact are redshirt junior guard
Sam Burmeister and sophomore guard
Simi Socks, who both averaged more than 5.0 points per game. Socks' 16 blocks were second on the team.
TIDBITS
Three Cardinals are returning to the Erwin Center for the first time since the 2013-14 state championships were held at UT: sophomore forward
Myles Thornton (Sam Houston), junior guard
Jalin Hart (North Shore), and junior forward
Devin Wyatt (DeSoto), with Hart's North Shore squad winning the championship.
UP NEXT
UIW returns home for six of the next seven games, beginning with St. Edward's on Tuesday, November 15 at 7 p.m. from the McDermott Convocation Center.
STAY TUNED
Following the tilt against the Hilltoppers, UIW hosts Howard Payne on November 21 and Rice on November 26 before playing at Texas Tech on November 30.
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow UIW Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.
