Francis Marion basketball coaches Gary Edwards and Heather Macy want Patriot basketball to be a winner both on the court and in the Florence community.
If Thursday night’s turnout for the second-annual “Riot at the Rim” is any indication, they just might be on the right track.
Nearly 600 people filed into the Smith University Center for their first glimpse of the 2007-2008 men’s and women’s squads.
Over the course of the hour-and-a-half program, fans were treated to free food while watching a dunk contest, 3-point shooting contest and team scrimmages.
“This is a good step,” Macy said. “If one person tells the next person about the teams we have here, this place will be packed very quickly.
“We want to bring big-game excitement back to Florence.”
Dominic Bishop, a former shooting guard for the Patriots who graduated in the spring, seemed to enjoy himself from the stands.
“I’m an alumni. Of course I have to be here to support my team,” Bishop said. “I ride or die for FMU.
“I definitely like the new crop of players (on the men’s team) that are here this year. If this team comes together and gels, it will be a great season.”
Andrew Pitcher, a junior on the FMU golf team, had a similar assessment.
“This should be a lot of fun,” Pitcher said. “The team looks the best they’ve looked in quite a while.”
With 10 new players, the men’s squad will need to gel quickly.
The Patriots open their season Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. against St. Andrews in the Zaxby’s PBC/Conference Carolinas Clazzic at the Smith University Center.
“It’s a whole new program this year,” said Edwards, now in his second season at Francis Marion. “It’s going to take some time to get everything together. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Macy is in her first season at FMU. She left a championship program at Pfeiffer to take over a Patriot team that was 6-22 a year ago.
“It’s all about challenges,” Macy said. “This program has a winning history. I’ve known about Francis Marion women’s basketball since I was a little girl in North Carolina.
“I want to bring that kind of recognition back to Florence.”
The Francis Marion women open their season on Nov. 17 at Mount Olive College. The home opener is Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. against Milligan College.
“We’ve done a lot in a very short period of time,” Macy said. “... We still have more work to do before the season opener.”
Edwards and Macy have their work cut out to improve upon last year’s records. But much like Pat Summit and Bruce Pearl at Tennessee, they say they’ll lean on each other for support in pursuit of wins and enthusiasm for Francis Marion hoops.
“If I have to put on a cheerleading uniform to help pump up the men’s team, I will do it,” Macy said.
Said Edwards, “If it’s necessary for me to paint my chest red, I will. I just hope I don’t scare anybody in the process.”
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FMU hoops looks to build on support
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Published: November 09, 2007
Published: November 09, 2007
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