PANTHERS OPEN UP 2015-16 CAMPAIGN FRIDAY NIGHTPrairie View A&M kicks off the 2015-16 season this weekend in Richmond, Va. as they'll battle Virginia Commonwealth in the first leg of the 2K Sports Classic. Â The classic is broken down into four regionals (Durham, Madison, Washington, Richmond), a subregional (Smithfield, RI) and a championship bracket (New York, NY). The Panthers will open up with VCU on Friday, head to Smithfield, RI on Friday, Nov. 20 to play Bryant and either Siena or Radford on Nov. 21. Â Four days later, they'll head north to Madison, Wis. and close out the classic with a matchup at Wisconsin.
The Panthers finished fourth in last year's SWAC regular season race and fell in the semifinal round to eventual champion Texas Southern as it marked their highest finish in the league since 2009-10. Â
NEW FACES IN ABUNDANCEThe Prairie View A&M men's basketball program was picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll of the SWAC's head coaches and sports information directors. Â The Panthers return one starter, seven lettermen and feature 12 newcomers entering the 2015-16 season.
THE SERIESFriday's game marks the second meeting in series history between both schools as they last met at the Black Coaches Association Invitational on Nov. 16, 2001 in Raleigh, NC.
ABOUT THE PANTHERSHead coach
Byron Rimm II has a major task ahead of him with the departure of four talented starters from last year's squad. With a roster full of newcomers, Rimm will turn to two-year letterwinner
Karim York to lead the way early on as the 6-9 Austin native averaged a career-high 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds while also shooting 46 percent from the field. In addition to York, senior guards
Jacoby Green and
Jayrn Johnson will take on larger roles this season as both were the first two options off the bench last season along with senior forward
Charleston Dobbs and sophomore forward Zach Hamilton.
