TAAC report

SportsLine.com Report
April 15, 2000

JSU enjoyed the finest season in its Division I history, challenging for the TAAC regular-season championship to finish in a tie for third with defending league champ and eventual tournament winner Samford.

The revival of the program that has only been at the highest level of competition since the mid-90's was orchestrated by talented young coach Mark Turgeon, who resigned at the end of the season to take over at Wichita State, back in the state where heonce thrived as an assistant at the University of Kansas.

Turgeon got help from the arrivals of juco forward Mike McDaniel and Nebraska transfer Brant Harriman, who instantly upgraded the Gamecock frontcout.

Despite only measuring 6-feet-4, McDaniel finished among the league's top rebounders, forming a solid combo with Harriman, who led the TAAC in rebounding average.

Sophomore point guard Rashard Willie built more momentum after his solid freshman season, finishing among the league's assist leaders and ran the offense as well as could be expected. Marlon Gurley didn't arrive until mid-December due to academic problems, but ended up leading the team in scoring for the second consecutive season.

Other bright spots for Turgeon's team included the arrival of freshmen Johnny Kilpatrick and Jarrod Greer, and the emergence of senior Devin Beasley, who all made significant contributions.

Still, JSU seemed to fade at the end of the season, and ended up falling in the TAAC quarterfinals to UCF, who would eventually make the conference final. A few days following the loss, Turgeon resigned to take over at Wichita.

A glance at 2001

The outlook is murky here. It will be interesting to see what the effects of Turgeon's departure will be. Will anyone follow? Tentatively, the team returns enough talent to be placed on the short list for TAAC contention. Turgeon did a terrific job of getting his young players on the floor and acquiring experience, which will help immensely for a run in 2001.

The Coach

Turgeon was a tremendous asset for JSU's program, and make no mistake about it, the team won't be as strong without him. The Gamecocks have yet to name his successor, but he'll have big shoes to fill, even though he should inherit a talented squad.

Who'll Be Back

Willie returns as the team's backbone, a do-it-all point guard who rebounds better than his 5-11 stature would indicate, and is extremely quick. His backcourt mate will likely be Kilpatrick, another versatile performer who started at the three last year. Inheriting that position likely will be Greer, a skilled slasher and scorer who should provide a nice contrast for McDaniel and Harriman.

Who's Gone

Only Gurley and Beasley leave as seniors who saw extensive time last season. Gurley was a talented scorer and leader, and was never afraid to take the big shot. He'll have to be replaced. Beasley made great strides in his final year, providing Turgeon with a big guy with a perimeter stroke. Other players who won't return include Wes Fowler, Shawn Philpotts, and Jeff Bellamy, all forward/centers who saw spot duty.

Key Newcomers

Turgeon recruited a pair of preps before his departure, and it will be interesting to see if they honor their commitment with him gone. Chris Bruce, a 6-9, 205-pound forward from Morristown, Tenn., and Atlanta's Harvis Cofield, a 6-1 point guard, were brought in to add depth.