2015–16 VCU Rams men's basketball team American college basketball season
The 2015–16 VCU Rams men's basketball team represented Virginia Commonwealth University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . It was the 48th season of the University fielding a men's basketball program. The program was led by Will Wade , who was leading the program for his first season after previously coaching Chattanooga . Wade replaced former head coach, Shaka Smart , who resigned from VCU for the vacancy at Texas .
Led by a core of rising juniors and seniors, including Mo Alie-Cox and Melvin Johnson, the Rams finished the season 25–11, 14–4 in A-10 play to finish tied for the A-10 conference championship. They defeated Massachusetts and Davidson to advance to the championship game of the A-10 tournament where they lost to Saint Joseph's . The Rams receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament , making it their sixth-consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. The Rams were a #10 seed in the West Region. They defeated #7 seed Oregon State in the First Round before losing to Oklahoma in the Second Round.
Previous season
The Rams finished the 2014–15 season with a record of 26–10, 12–6 in A-10 play to finish tied for third-place. In the A-10 tournament , the Rams won their first conference tournament championship since 2012 (while members of the Colonial Athletic Association ), and their first A-10 title, defeating Dayton in the championship game. The Rams received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the Second Round to Ohio State .
Offseason
Departures
Incoming Transfers
Name
Number
Pos.
Height
Weight
Year
Hometown
Previous School
Ahmed Mohamed
23
F
6'9"
245
Junior
Alexandria, Egypt
Junior college transferred from Lee College
Korey Billbury
24
G
6'3"
200
RS Senior
Tulsa, OK
Transferred from Oral Roberts . Will be eligible to play immediately since Billbury graduated from Oral Roberts .
2015 recruiting class
College recruiting information
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Jonathan Nwankwo PF
Mount Vernon, NY
Victory Rock Prep
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
240 lb (110 kg)
Jun 5, 2015
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 80
Samir Doughty SG
Philadelphia, PA
Math, Civics and Sciences Charter School
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Jun 4, 2015
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 76
Gerron Scissum SF
Huntsville, AL
Lee High School
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Apr 21, 2015
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 0
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
2015–16 VCU Rams men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Hometown
G
1
JeQuan Lewis
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Jr
Dickson, TN
G
2
Samir Doughty
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Fr
Philadelphia, PA
G
3
Jordan Riullano (W)
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Fr
Bronx, NY
F
4
Justin Tillman
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
So
Redford, MI
G
5
Doug Brooks
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Jr
Lake Wales, FL
G
10
Jonathan Williams
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
So
Newark, NJ
F
11
Michael Gilmore
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
So
Tallahassee, FL
F
12
Mo Alie-Cox
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
RS Jr
Middleburg, VA
G
14
Torey Burston (W)
5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
RS Jr
Richmond, VA
G
20
Jordan Burgess
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
RS Jr
Midlothian, VA
F
22
Gerron Scissum
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Fr
Huntsville, AL
F
23
Ahamad Hamdy Mohamed
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
Jr
Alexandria, Egypt
G
24
Korey Billbury
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
RS Sr
Tulsa, OK
G
32
Melvin Johnson
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Sr
Bronx, NY
F
33
Johnathan Nwankwo
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
Fr
Bronx, NY
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster
Schedule
[ 1]
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Exhibition
November 6, 2015 *7:00 pm
California (PA)
W 96–60
21 – Johnson
11 – Billbury
7 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
Non-conference regular season
November 13, 2015 *7:00 pm, WTVR 6.3
Prairie View A&M 2K Sports Classic
W 75–50
1–0
13 – Tied
11 – Tillman
7 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
November 16, 2015 *7:00 pm, CSNMA
Radford 2K Sports Classic
W 92–74
2–0
24 – Johnson
8 – Alie-Cox
8 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
November 20, 2015 *7:30 pm, ESPN2
vs. No. 5 Duke 2K Sports Classic semifinals
L 71–79
2–1
20 – Johnson
8 – Tillman
6 – Lewis
Madison Square Garden (18,238)New York City, NY
November 22, 2015 *3:30 pm, ESPN2
vs. Wisconsin 2K Sports Classic
L 73–74
2–2
21 – Johnson
8 – Mohamed
3 – Burgess
Madison Square Garden (17,287)New York City, NY
November 25, 2015 *7:00 pm
American
W 72–44
3–2
13 – Johnson
14 – Tillman
3 – Tied
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
November 28, 2015 *4:00 pm, CSNMA
Old Dominion Rivalry
W 76–67
4–2
16 – Lewis
6 – Hamdy-Mohamed
3 – Tied
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
December 2, 2015 *8:00 pm, FSN
at Middle Tennessee
W 62–56
5–2
19 – Johnson
7 – Tied
5 – Johnson
Murphy Center (8,882)Murfreesboro, TN
December 6, 2015 *2:00 pm, ESPNU
vs. Florida State Philips Arena Showcase
L 71–76
5–3
36 – Johnson
7 – Gilmore
4 – Lewis
Philips Arena (1,789)Atlanta, GA
December 15, 2015 *9:00 pm, ESPN2
at Georgia Tech
L 64–77
5–4
18 – Tillman
7 – Alie-Cox
4 – Lewis
McCamish Pavilion (5,219)Atlanta, GA
December 19, 2015 *4:00 pm, CBSSN
No. 23 Cincinnati
L 63–69
5–5
22 – Billbury
9 – Billbury
4 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
December 22, 2015 *7:00 pm, CSNMA
Buffalo
W 90–69
6–5
22 – Johnson
6 – Billbury
4 – Williams
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
December 27, 2015 *5:00 pm, WTVR
Liberty
W 85–57
7–5
15 – Johnson
11 – Tillman
3 – 3 tied
Siegel Center Richmond, VA
December 30, 2015 *7:00 pm, WTVR
North Florida
W 80–68
8–5
23 – Johnson
9 – Burgess
10 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
Atlantic 10 regular season
January 3, 2016 5:00 pm, CBSSN
George Mason Rivalry
W 71–47
9–5 (1–0)
22 – Johnson
8 – Tied
6 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
January 5, 2016 7:00 pm, ASN
at Saint Joseph's
W 85–82
10–5 (2–0)
25 – Johnson
8 – Billbury
6 – Lewis
Hagan Arena (3,752)Philadelphia, PA
January 10, 2016 4:00 pm, NBCSN
at Saint Louis
W 72–56
11–5 (3–0)
16 – Alie-Cox
5 – Johnson
4 – Tied
Chaifetz Arena (8,719)St. Louis, MO
January 13, 2016 7:00 pm, ASN
Fordham
W 88–54
12–5 (4–0)
27 – Tillman
10 – Tillman
7 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
January 16, 2016 2:00 pm, CBSSN
at Richmond Capital City Classic
W 94–89 OT
13–5 (5–0)
29 – Lewis
11 – Tillman
6 – Johnson
Robins Center (7,201)Richmond, VA
January 20, 2016 7:00 pm, MASN
Duquesne
W 93–71
14–5 (6–0)
16 – Tied
8 – Lewis
4 – Brooks
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
January 23, 2016 2:30 pm, NBCSN
St. Bonaventure
W 84–76
15–5 (7–0)
26 – Lewis
8 – Tied
7 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
January 29, 2016 6:00 pm, ESPN2
at Davidson
W 79–69
16–5 (8–0)
22 – Lewis
11 – Alie-Cox
5 – Lewis
John M. Belk Arena (5,295)Davidson, NC
February 3, 2016 7:00 pm
at La Salle
W 88–70
17–5 (9–0)
30 – Johnson
7 – Billbury
3 – Allie-Cox
Tom Gola Arena (1,711)Philadelphia, PA
February 6, 2016 12:00 pm, CBSSN
George Washington
L 69–71
17–6 (9–1)
16 – Lewis
9 – Billbury
5 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
February 11, 2016 7:00 pm, ESPNU
at Massachusetts
L 63–69
17–7 (9–2)
15 – Tied
4 – Tied
5 – Lewis
Mullins Center (2,698)Amherst, MA
February 13, 2016 6:00 pm, CBSSN
Saint Louis
W 85–52
18–7 (10–2)
20 – Billbury
11 – Tillman
7 – Williams
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
February 16, 2016 7:30 pm, CBSSN
Rhode Island
W 83–67
19–7 (11–2)
21 – Alie-Cox
6 – Billbury
6 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
February 19, 2016 7:00 pm, ESPN2
Richmond Capital City Classic
W 87–74
20–7 (12–2)
22 – Johnson
12 – Alie-Cox
10 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
February 24, 2016 7:00 pm
at George Mason Rivalry
L 69–76
20–8 (12–3)
24 – Johnson
13 – Tillman
4 – Johnson
EagleBank Arena (5,138)Fairfax, VA
February 27, 2016 12:30 pm, NBCSN
at George Washington
W 69–65
21–8 (13–3)
17 – Williams
7 – Alie-Cox
5 – Williams
Charles E. Smith Center (4,385)Washington, D.C.
March 2, 2016 7:00 pm, CBSSN
Davidson
W 70–60
22–8 (14–3)
18 – Alie-Cox
9 – Alie-Cox
8 – Lewis
Siegel Center (7,637)Richmond, VA
March 5, 2016 8:00 pm, CBSSN
at Dayton
L 67–68 OT
22–9 (14–4)
16 – Billbury
21 – Tillman
3 – Williams
UD Arena (13,455)Dayton, OH
Atlantic 10 Tournament
March 11, 2016 6:30 pm, NBCSN
(2)
vs. (10) Massachusetts Quarterfinals
W 85–70
23–9
19 – Johnson
9 – Tillman
3 – Tied
Barclays Center (8,223)Brooklyn, NY
March 12, 2016 4:00 pm, CBSSN
(2)
vs. (6) Davidson Semifinals
W 76–54
24–9
17 – Billbury
7 – Billbury
3 – Tied
Barclays Center (10,439)Brooklyn, NY
March 13, 2016 12:00 pm, CBS
(2)
vs. (4) St. Joseph's Championship
L 74–87
24–10
19 – Tied
8 – Tillman
7 – Lewis
Barclays Center (8,413)Brooklyn, NY
NCAA tournament
March 18, 2016 *1:30 pm, TNT
(10 W)
vs. (7 W) Oregon State First Round
W 75–67
25–10
21 – Lewis
8 – Alie-Cox
8 – Lewis
Chesapeake Energy Arena (15,662)Oklahoma City, OK
March 20, 2016 *5:30 pm, CBS
(10 W)
vs. (2 W) No. 7 Oklahoma Second Round
L 81–85
25–11
23 – Johnson
9 – Burgess
9 – Lewis
Chesapeake Energy Arena (15,279)Oklahoma City, OK
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
W=West Region.
All times are in
Eastern Time .
References
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons NCAA Final Four appearances in italics