# 1996–97 Southwest Texas State Bobcats men's basketball team

The 1996–97 Southwest Texas State Bobcats men's basketball team represented Southwest Texas State University in the 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bobcats, led by head coach Mike Miller, played their home games at Strahan Arena in San Marcos, Texas as members of the Southland Conference.
The Bobcats finished atop the regular season conference standings, won the Southland tournament, and received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As No. 16 seed in the Midwest region, Southwest Texas State was beaten by No. 1 seed and eventual Final Four participant Minnesota, 78–46.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season ||||||
| Nov 25, 1996* | | Texas Southern | W 78–73 | 1–0 | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Nov 29, 1996* | | vs. Troy | L 52–85 | 1–1 | Worthen Arena Muncie, Indiana |
| Nov 30, 1996* | | vs. Coastal Carolina | W 74–58 | 2–1 | Worthen Arena Muncie, Indiana |
| Dec 2, 1996* | | at Connecticut | L 49–66 | 2–2 | Harry A. Gampel Pavilion (14,104) Storrs, Connecticut |
| Dec 7, 1996* | | at Centenary | L 75–78 | 2–3 | Gold Dome Shreveport, Louisiana |
| Dec 10, 1996* | | San Diego State | W 81–77 $^{OT}$ | 3–3 | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Dec 14, 1996* | | Hardin-Simmons | W 71–45 | 4–3 | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Dec 21, 1996* | | at Lamar | L 67–73 | 4–4 | Montagne Center Beaumont, Texas |
| Dec 27, 1996* | | vs. Tulsa All-College Tournament | L 60–76 | 4–5 | Myriad Convention Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Dec 28, 1996* | | vs. Western Illinois All-College Tournament | L 61–68 | 4–6 | Myriad Convention Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Jan 2, 1997 | | McNeese State | W 80–64 | 5–6 (1–0) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Jan 4, 1997 | | Nicholls State | W 82–73 | 6–6 (2–0) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Jan 9, 1997 | | at Louisiana-Monroe | L 54–58 | 6–7 (2–1) | Fant–Ewing Coliseum Monroe, Louisiana |
| Jan 11, 1997 | | at Northwestern State | W 65–58 | 7–7 (3–1) | Prather Coliseum Natchitoches, Louisiana |
| Jan 15, 1997 | | at Texas-Arlington | L 63–66 $^{OT}$ | 7–8 (3–2) | Texas Hall Arlington, Texas |
| Jan 18, 1997 | | Sam Houston State | W 75–60 | 8–8 (4–2) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Jan 20, 1997 | | Stephen F. Austin | W 86–71 | 9–8 (5–2) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Jan 25, 1997 | | at UTSA | W 100–85 | 10–8 (6–2) | Convocation Center San Antonio, Texas |
| Jan 30, 1997 | | Northwestern State | W 87–77 | 11–8 (7–2) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Feb 1, 1997 | | Louisiana-Monroe | W 72–62 | 12–8 (8–2) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Feb 6, 1997 | | at Nicholls State | L 73–76 | 12–9 (8–3) | Stopher Gymnasium Thibodaux, Louisiana |
| Feb 8, 1997 | | at McNeese State | L 70–87 | 12–10 (8–4) | Burton Coliseum Lake Charles, Louisiana |
| Feb 15, 1997 | | UTSA | W 86–78 $^{OT}$ | 13–10 (9–4) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Feb 20, 1997 | | Texas-Arlington | W 64–63 | 14–10 (10–4) | Strahan Coliseum San Marcos, Texas |
| Feb 27, 1997 | | at Stephen F. Austin | L 55–65 | 14–11 (10–5) | William R. Johnson Coliseum Nacogdoches, Texas |
| Mar 1, 1997 | | at Sam Houston State | L 69–71 | 14–12 (10–6) | Bernard Johnson Coliseum Huntsville, Texas |
| Southland tournament ||||||
| Mar 7, 1997* | (2) | vs. (3) McNeese State Semifinals | W 76–59 | 15–12 | Hirsch Memorial Coliseum Shreveport, Louisiana |
| Mar 8, 1997* | (2) | vs. (1) Louisiana-Monroe Championship game | W 74–64 | 16–12 | Hirsch Memorial Coliseum Shreveport, Louisiana |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| Mar 14, 1997* | (16 MW) | vs. (1 MW) No. 3 Minnesota First round | L 46–78 | 16–13 | Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. ||||||
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