Southland report | NCAA Tournament report

SportsLine.com report
March 17, 2000

A Glance at 2001

Coach Mike Deane was not happy with his team's inconsistent play during the season, and knows if they want to go back to the Big Dance, they better not count on the top four seeds in the conference tournament losing before the final -- as was the case this season.

The Coach

In his first year at Lamar, Deane managed to get a team that he says is not very good to believe in itself and make it to the NCAA Tournament. His quick success has only heightened the fears of other Southland Conference coaches that Lamar is only in the beginning stages of becoming a mid-major powerhouse once again.

Remember, this is a program that produced Billy Tubbs (Oklahoma and TCU) and Pat Foster (Houston and Nevada), who went on to bigger jobs. Deane has already coached at larger venues and knows what it takes to win.

Who'll Be Back

Kenyon Spears will be the senior leader in the fall and will be joined by returning starters Thaydeus Holden and Lewis Arline. Bobby Manheimer will join Spears as the only other senior on a squad with one junior (Brennen White) and seven true sophomores.

Who's Gone

Landon Rowe will be the big loss, and Marlone Jackson's presence in the paint will be missed as well. Malcolm McCreight is the only other senior on the team. The 1999 recruiting class was not brought in by Deane, and it will be interesting to see if any of the young players will not be back.