Ohio Valley Conference report

SportsLine Report
May 15, 2000

In the Paint

After starting the season with eight scholarship players, the Tigers rallied briefly in late January and early February, thanks to the arrival of three players after the Christmas break. The three players, Kyle Rolston, Carl Sykes and Terrick Brown, failed to rescue the Tigers down the stretch, though, as they stumbled to a 7-22 record and finished eighth in the OVC race with a 6-12 record.

Tennessee State started the season with eight straight losses, was 1-12 in mid-January, and 2-15 late in the month. The Tigers' season was highlighted by a three-game winning streak when they beat co-OVC champions Murray State and Southeast Missouri, and also surprised Austin Peay. Still, it will be remembered as another bad season, the fourth consecutive losing season.

A Glance at 2001

Look for some big changes at Tennessee State, starting with new coach Nolan Richardson III, a former assistant to his father at Arkansas.

As has been the case in recent years, the Tigers' roster could also change drastically. Defections have become the norm at Tennessee State, and it's tough for a program to prosper when that happens.

If Richardson can get some of the current players to stick around, the Tigers could be a factor in the OVC race next year. There were no seniors on the Tigers' roster, but Richardson must convince the current players the future will be better than the past. There was some talent on the team, with junior guard Jamie Roberts making the All-OVC third team, but were a perimeter-oriented team. They'll need to bolster the frontcourt to be effective next season.

The Coach

As expected, Tennessee State coach Frankie Allen resigned Tuesday, Mar. 8, after his fourth straight losing season. Allen, 50, was 115-140 in nine seasons with the Tigers. His team won the OVC title in 1992-93. He did not specify why he resigned, but said in a statement: "My heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who supported me and my teams during my nine-year tenure as head coach at Tennessee State."

Richardson will be leading a program for the first time, but if bloodlines mean anything, the Tigers could have a great one.

Who'll Be Back

There were no seniors on the roster, but who will return to the Tigers is anybody's guess. Jamie Roberts, one of the league's better guards, will probably return for his senior season. He averaged 16.7 points, sixth-best in the OVC. Ralph Martin is a wide-bodied post player who was the only factor in the frontcourt, and he'll be a senior next season. Kurtis Murray and Kevin Samuel complement Roberts on the perimeter, but will they all be back? Wait and see.

Who's Gone

Again, good question. The Tigers' roster changes like the weather. There were no seniors on the roster, so all the Tigers could return. Don't count on it, though.