Former WSSU coach lands job at Tennessee State

TSU Assistant Coach Rick Duckett
(Courtesy Tennessee State University Athletics)

Rick Duckett had a record of 73-19 during his three seasons as coach at Winston-Salem State.

Nashville, TN - Rick Duckett, a Winston-Salem native and a former head coach at Winston-Salem State, has been named an assistant basketball coach at Tennessee State. Duckett, who was fired after one season at Grambling State in 2009, spent the past two seasons working for UNC Greensboro as the color analyst for men's basketball games on radio station WZTK-FM (101.1).

He went 6-23 in his one season at Grambling. One of his players died after a conditioning drill in August 2009, and Duckett was fired with three years left on his contract. Henry White, a 21-year-old junior-college transfer, became ill during a preseason workout at which Duckett was not present, and White died 12 days later.

After two seasons out of coaching, Duckett said he's thrilled to be back. Duckett said by telephone Saturday that he hopes his batteries are recharged after being out of coaching for awhile. "If they aren't recharged now, then they never will be," Duckett said. "I'm looking forward to getting back into it, so I'm very appreciative of this opportunity."

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TSU Men's Basketball adds Rick Duckett to staff

Tennessee State University men's basketball head coach John Cooper has announced the hiring of Rick Duckett as an assistant coach. Duckett joins the staff with more than 30 years of coaching experience and after spending the last two seasons as a basketball color analyst for UNC Greensboro on 101.1 WZTK-FM. He has nine years of coaching experience as a head coach with three different programs gathering a career record of 156-98.

"We are extremely excited to have him (Duckett) join our staff with his vast array of experience and success during his coaching career," said Cooper. "He was shaped and molded in one of the great basketball families (North Carolina). We can't wait to benefit from his experience on the bench. He is a first-class person and fierce competitor with an incredible ability to identify with student-athletes."

Cooper and Duckett reunite after working together under two programs. During Cooper's collegiate career as a player at Wichita State, Duckett was an assistant (1987-92) help leading the Shockers to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1988 and 1997 and a N.I.T berth in 1989.

"I'm energized about the opportunity. It gives me clarity and purpose to have a chance to work with young people," Duckett explained. "During my two years away from coaching, I missed the day-to-day interaction with coaches and players. What is also important is the relationship I have with Cooper and I believe in his vision and admire his coaching philosophy."

From 1993-98, Duckett was head coach at Fayetteville State (CIAA) with Cooper serving as an assistant from 1993-95. In his first stint as a head coach, he led the Broncos to a 76-57 record while serving FSU as an assistant athletic director and instructor.

In 1998, Duckett took over the helm at Winston-Salem State (CIAA) until 2001. He posted a remarkable record in his three seasons leading the squad to a combined 73-19 mark while capturing the CIAA championship in 1999 and 2000. Both seasons, he earned the CIAA Tournament Coaches Award and was the 1999 NCAA Division II South Atlantic Coach of the Year.

After WSSU, he served his second term with South Carolina (SEC) Basketball from 2001-08 under head coach Dave Odom. He rejoined the staff after serving in the same capacity for head coach Bill Foster (Rutgers, Utah, Duke, South Carolina, Northwestern) for the 1985-86 season.

From 2008-09, Duckett grabbed the head coaching reins once again when he spent one season at the helm at Grambling State (SWAC) posting a 6-23 record.

In addition, Duckett has spent years as an assistant, coaching for one season at Central Florida (1983-84) and Jacksonville (1983-84). A year prior to the appointments, he spent the first of two stints at R.J. Reynolds High School (Winston Salem, N.C.) returning as a teacher and coach from 1992-93.

Duckett began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, North Carolina (Chapel Hill), from 1979-1980. He received his full-time start as the head coach of the freshman squad at Harvard University from 1980-1982.

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information

TSU loaded for upcoming season, receive early preseason rave

Nashville, TN - Tennessee State University men's basketball head coach John Cooper announced the signing of prep standout Jay Harris to a National Letter of Intent. Harris will join the Tigers this fall for the 2011-2012 academic year.

"We are excited to have Jay join the program," Cooper added. "We are eager to see how he can contribute to our team and are pleased to see that he chose to come play for us here at TSU."

Harris enters TSU after spending last season at Charis Prep (Wilson, N.C.) averaging 14 points, 11 assists and three steals per game. Running the offense from the point guard position at Charis Prep, he helped set a team milestone with a 24-0 home record.

A 5'10 guard and native of Philadelphia, Pa., Harris attended Robeson High School and was an All Public League and All City selection when he averaged 20 ppg as a senior. Harris also played on the Runhouse Team in the 2010 season of the Philadelphia Positive Image League.

Jay was being recruited by Tennessee State, Western Kentucky, Colorado State, Quinnipiac, Youngstown State, Northeastern and Central Michigan.

With the season a distance away, TSU has received great reviews for the upcoming year.

According to OVCball.com's Catlin Bogard "This year, they're (TSU Tigers) more talented and more experienced. At the end of the previews, I'll rank the teams from 1-11, and I can tell you this team will be near the top, if not at the top, of my ranking. Beware the Tigers in March."

OVCball.com Tennessee State Men's Basketball Preview

Harris will provide depth at the guard position with the loss of sixth man, Jacquan Nobles, and first-year player Verkeneo Mann. Both elected to transfer at the conclusion of the season.

Nobles, a sophomore from Ayden, N.C., finished last season averaging 7.5 ppg making the first four starts on the year. In his first year, he started 15-of-32 games played and finished second on the team in scoring with 11.2 ppg.

That season, he led TSU in three-point shooting knocking in 43 percent from behind the arc. He finished his first year as a member of the 2010 All Ohio Valley Conference Newcomer Team.

Mann, a native of Decatur, Ala., started 1-of-20 games played last year averaging 2.0 ppg and shot 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Last year, the Tigers did not have a senior on their roster. For the upcoming season, all five starters return in guards Will Peters (10.5 ppg | 4.2 apg) and Patrick Miller (11.4 ppg) with forwards Kenny Moore (14.5 ppg), Robert Covington (13.4 ppg | 7.5 rpg), and Michael Green (1.7 bpg).

Miller was named OVC Freshman of the Year and joined Moore on the OVC Newcomer Team. Covington was named to the OVC Second Team. He received his second Conference honor after being named to the Newcomer Team in 2010 with Nobles.

Peters finished last year third in the OVC in assists with Green closing out the year second in the league in block shots.

Lastly, three D-I transfers Jordan Cyphers (Utah), Muniru Bawa (Indiana) and Kellen Thornton (Illinois State) and redshirt freshman Malcolm Rhett will add talent, experience and depth after sitting out last season.

TSU released the men's basketball tentative 2011-12 schedule. The Tigers will play Trevecca-Nazarene (11/1) in exhibition play before opening the season on the road at Saint Louis (11/11).

Courtesy: Tennessee State Sports Information

Tennessee State 86, #21 Memphis 91

Antonio Barton scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, including two key free throws with 17 seconds left, as No. 21 Memphis escaped 50 percent 3-point shooting by Tennessee State in a 91-86 victory Sunday at FedExForum.

Tarik Black was 9 of 11 from the field and had 22 points for Memphis (11-2), while Will Barton finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Tennessee State (6-8), which was trying to record its first victory over a ranked team in school history, put a scare into Memphis. Tennessee State, which led most of the way, was 12 of 24 from outside the arc.

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Coach John Cooper Post Game Comments

TSU Tigers fight hard in loss to No. 21 Memphis

Memphis, Tenn. - In a tale of two Tigers that featured 10 lead changes, Tennessee State University dropped a tough, 91-86, loss at No. 21 (AP) Memphis on Sunday afternoon at the FedEx Forum. In front of a crowd of more than 15,831, TSU (6-8) tied a season-high shooting from the floor, 50 percent, with five players scoring in double figures.

Kenny Moore tied a career-high, 22 points, hitting 7-of-11 from the floor, while helping the Tigers shoot 50 percent (12-of-24) from behind the arc, nailing 5-of-6 of his own. Wil Peters notched 17 points and a team-high seven assists. Robert Covington followed, hitting 7-of-12 overall, to finish with 16 points. Patrick Miller added 12 points and Jacquan Nobles hit 4-of-8 to chip in 11 points off the bench.

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NEXT GAME: January 6, 7:30 p.m. at MURRAY STATE

New coach is well-versed in TSU history

John Cooper was well-connected in the Kansas City area. He was a car dealer who had ties to the Kansas City Royals. He knew Frank White. He knew U L Washington. The Royals were his team. But his grandson, also named John Cooper, had a bond with him beyond baseball. They loved hoops, specifically NAIA hoops, and the conference has held its basketball championship in K.C. for all but eight years since 1937.

So they would go to Kemper Arena. Head to the national tournament every March and watch the best basketball few discussed on a national level. Back in the day, Tennessee State was certainly in the NAIA discussion. In 1957, TSU became the first all-black team to win an integrated college basketball national championship. The Tigers followed that up by winning in '58 and '59. Five players from those teams went on to play in the NBA.

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New TSU coach wants to turn up tempo

Style of offense will take full advantage of players' talents

Lots of players are quick to say they prefer fast-break basketball over a half-court attack. Tennessee State's men's team got to experience both styles last season. With Cy Alexander as coach, the Tigers relied on the slower, half-court style. After Alexander was fired Feb. 6 and assistant Mark Pittman took over on an interim basis, the Tigers kicked it into a much higher gear. After the change, a team that started 6-16 went on a tear, winning six of its last eight games.

Not surprisingly, several players said they hoped to stick with the faster pace, and with former Auburn assistant John Cooper taking over, they'll get their wish. "One of the things I noticed is that if you look at this team at the beginning of the year and then toward the end, they averaged almost 10 points more per game,'' the 40-year-old coach said during his first news conference Monday. "I've been able to watch a little bit of videotape and get a general feel for the players in the program and I think there are some that it will certainly help their style if we're able to get out in the open court and execute."

Cooper met the Nashville media for the first time since he was named Alexander's replacement Friday. Pittman was also among those considered for the job.

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Auburn assistant picked to coach TSU men's team

After having a positive impact on one group of Tigers this season, John Cooper hopes to carry that over. The longtime Auburn men's basketball assistant was announced Friday as the new head coach at Tennessee State. Cooper, 40, replaces Cy Alexander — who was fired in February after five-plus seasons at the TSU helm — and Mark Pittman, who guided the Ohio Valley Conference program on an interim basis following Alexander's departure.

"First of all, it is a lifelong dream and a lifelong journey," Cooper said in a statement. As associate head coach under Jeff Lebo, the Kansas City, Mo., native helped Auburn to an NIT quarterfinals berth and a 24-12 record, tying for the second-most single-season victories in the program's history.

"I am really enthusiastic and excited about the opportunity," he said. "My goal is to obviously be successful, but also to put a product on the court that Tennessee State University is proud of, and one that is successful both on and off the court. In the future, we want to be able to say that we competed for championships in the OVC and hopefully say that we have won championships." Prior to his arrival at Auburn in 2004, Cooper served as an assistant at Oregon, South Carolina and Fayetteville (N.C.) State. Cooper inherits a program that has not posted a winning season since the 1996-97 team was 15-13.

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