Northeast Conference report

SportsLine.com Report
April 5, 2000

The defending NEC Tournament champions went down in a heap after 6-10 sophomore power forward Melvin Whitaker went down with a broken ankle shortly before the season opener.

Senior Gregory Harris ended with over 1,700 career points but coach Jim Phelan never found a second option and the Mount finished ninth in the league in scoring offense.

The seventh-seeded Mount surprised FDU in the quarterfinals of the NEC Tournament, but then was bounced by Robert Morris.

A glance at 2001

Assuming Whitaker returns, expect a Mount revival, though now it'll need to pick up the scoring slack left by Harris.

The coach

Phelan, with 809 career wins, all in 46 years at the Mount, is first on the college basketball active wins list. He had a late-season bout with pneumonia but is expected to return for a 47th season in Emmitsburg, Md.

Who'll be back

A return to form by Whitaker is the key. Sophomores Jerry Lloyd, Aaron Herbert, Esmond Marvray, and Terence Wilson all saw considerable action.

Who's gone

Harris, shooting forward Robert Balgac, and center Konata Springer.