Cuonzo Martin
Encyclopedia
Cuonzo LaMar Martin is a retired American
professional basketball
player and is the current head coach of the University of Tennessee
men's basketball team.
for his freshman and sophomore years, Martin played on two state champions and a third-place team for East St. Louis Lincoln. Through his 3 years in the IHSA tournament
, Martin scored 198 points and grabbed 111 rebounds in just 12 games.
In 2007, Martin and Ellis were voted one of the "100 Legends of the IHSA
Boys Basketball Tournament," recognizing their superior performance in their appearances in the tournament. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6264533
Cuonzo Martin attended Purdue University
, where he played for Gene Keady
and alongside Wooden Award winner, Glenn Robinson
. The 6'6", 215 lb guard/forward helped lead the Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
team to back-to-back Big Ten Conference
Titles in 1994 and 1995 and an Elite Eight
appearance. Martin held future NBA players Shawn Respert
of Michigan State
and Wisconsin
's Michael Finley
to season lows in scoring as a Senior. On March 24, 1994, Martin set a school record with the most three pointers made in a game, making 8 of 13 treys against Kansas in a Sweet Sixteen
, which has since been tied up by Robbie Hummel
(January 12, 2010) and Ryne Smith (November 14, 2011). Known as the team's defensive stopper, he was also deadly beyond the arc. He left Purdue with the fourth most three-point shots made with 179, behind Jaraan Cornell
's 242 record, while holding the record for the highest career three-point shooting with .451 accuracy. Martin was awarded First Team All-Big Ten honors his Senior season, averaging 18.4 points a game. He currently holds another school record for most consecutive games played with 127 straight throughout his career at Purdue.
as the 57th pick in the 2nd round of the 1995 NBA Draft
. He played in only seven career NBA games for the 1995–96 expansion team
Vancouver Grizzlies
and the Milwaukee Bucks
where he re-joined his college teammate and the number one pick in the 1994 NBA Draft Glenn Robinson
during the 1996–97 season. During his tenure in the NBA, he shot 60% beyond the arc, in which he scored his only 9 points. He also played a stint professionally in the CBA
for the Grand Rapids Hoops and he played the final two years of his playing career in Italy for an Italian Series Legadue team named Felice Scandone in Avellino Italy. Martin was leading the Italian team in scoring averaging nearly 19 points a game when in November he informed the Club of chest pains and a general feeling of malaise. Martin also began to notice a drop in his weight which at first he thought was due to the flu or common cold. In November 1997, Martin requested to his sports agent
at the time for the Italian club to release him and send him home where he then discovered he had non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
a dangerous but treatable and curable blood cancer. Martin never played another professional basketball game and began aggressive treatments and chemotherapy and the cancer
went into remission. Martin returned to Purdue to finish his degree and after which the head coach at that time Gene Keady
hired Martin as an assistant coach in 2000. The Cuonzo Martin Challenge Award to help raise funds for cancer research was established in his honor and he has since been cancer free.
left the Purdue bench in 1999, Martin served as an assistant coach for the Purdue University basketball staff at his alma mater
under his former head coach Gene Keady
and former teammate, Matt Painter
. He helped the Boilers to an Elite Eight
appearance and three NCAA
Second Round appearances, along with an overall 153–129 record during his eight seasons on the Purdue bench. He was named Associate Head Coach for the 2007–08 season.
of the Missouri Valley Conference
on March 25, 2008. He replaced Barry Hinson
. After falling to Auburn
in the season opener, Martin had his first head coaching win over Central Michigan
on the road. Martin's Bears won their first game at their new JQH Arena
home, beating Arkansas
from the SEC
. They wrapped up the pre-conference season with a 7–4 record. Martin's Bears headed into conference play with only 3 players appearing in every game, due to a number of injuries. They lost their first conference game in overtime against an undefeated Illinois State. His Bears finished the season with an 11–20 record.
-ranked Bears started the 2009–10 season with a 10–0 start. Missouri State averaged a 10+ margin in points per game coming into Missouri Valley Conference play. Cuonzo's squad finished seventh in conference play with a 20–12 record and accepted a bid to the CIT Tournament
, which they ended up winning to finish the season with a record of 24–12.
conference tournament as the #1 seed. After reaching the finals, they lost to the Indiana State Sycamores. Although having an RPI of 44, the team was not selected as an at-large team to the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. They accepted a bid to the National Invitation Tournament
, beating Murray State University at home and then losing to Miami (FL) away in the 2nd round. The team ended the season with a 26-9 record. After the season ended, there was speculation that Coach Martin was under consideration for the open position at the University of Missouri
. However, Martin stated that he had not been contacted by the university about the job.
, following Bruce Weber, Steve Lavin
, Kevin Stallings
and Matt Painter
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and is the current head coach of the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
men's basketball team.
1986-1990
Playing in the shadow of LaPhonso EllisLaPhonso Ellis
LaPhonso Darnell Ellis is a retired American basketball player.-Early career:He was an outstanding high school basketball player at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, where he led the Tigers to two straight Illinois Class AA boys' championships in 1987 and 1988...
for his freshman and sophomore years, Martin played on two state champions and a third-place team for East St. Louis Lincoln. Through his 3 years in the IHSA tournament
Illinois high school boys basketball championship
The Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championship is a single elimination tournament held each spring. It is organized by the Illinois High School Association ....
, Martin scored 198 points and grabbed 111 rebounds in just 12 games.
In 2007, Martin and Ellis were voted one of the "100 Legends of the IHSA
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
Boys Basketball Tournament," recognizing their superior performance in their appearances in the tournament. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6264533
1991-1995
Cuonzo Martin attended Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, where he played for Gene Keady
Gene Keady
Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Keady is a basketball coach. Currently an assistant coach at St. John's, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005.-Kansas State :...
and alongside Wooden Award winner, Glenn Robinson
Glenn Robinson
Glenn A. "Big Dog" Robinson is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He last played during the 2004–05 season.-Early life:...
. The 6'6", 215 lb guard/forward helped lead the Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball
The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Purdue basketball holds the record for most Big Ten Championships with 22, along with being the only program in the conference to boast winning records...
team to back-to-back Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
Titles in 1994 and 1995 and an Elite Eight
1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
appearance. Martin held future NBA players Shawn Respert
Shawn Respert
Shawn Christopher Respert is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'1", 195 lb. shooting guard, he attended Bishop Borgess High School, and he came to prominence while playing college basketball at Michigan State University where his jersey is now retired...
of Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers
The Wisconsin Badgers are the collegiate athletic teams from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This NCAA Division I athletic program has teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, soccer, cross country, tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and field, rowing, golf, and softball...
's Michael Finley
Michael Finley
Michael Howard Finley is a retired American professional basketball player. He last played for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.-High school career:...
to season lows in scoring as a Senior. On March 24, 1994, Martin set a school record with the most three pointers made in a game, making 8 of 13 treys against Kansas in a Sweet Sixteen
1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, which has since been tied up by Robbie Hummel
Robbie Hummel
Robert John Hummel is an American college basketball player for Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana...
(January 12, 2010) and Ryne Smith (November 14, 2011). Known as the team's defensive stopper, he was also deadly beyond the arc. He left Purdue with the fourth most three-point shots made with 179, behind Jaraan Cornell
Jaraan Cornell
Jaraan V. Cornell is an American former collegiate basketball player at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana.-1992–1996:...
's 242 record, while holding the record for the highest career three-point shooting with .451 accuracy. Martin was awarded First Team All-Big Ten honors his Senior season, averaging 18.4 points a game. He currently holds another school record for most consecutive games played with 127 straight throughout his career at Purdue.
1995–1997
Martin was selected by the Atlanta HawksAtlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
as the 57th pick in the 2nd round of the 1995 NBA Draft
1995 NBA Draft
The 1995 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1995 at SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It marked the first NBA draft for the two Canadian expansion teams, Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies...
. He played in only seven career NBA games for the 1995–96 expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
Vancouver Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
and the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
where he re-joined his college teammate and the number one pick in the 1994 NBA Draft Glenn Robinson
Glenn Robinson
Glenn A. "Big Dog" Robinson is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He last played during the 2004–05 season.-Early life:...
during the 1996–97 season. During his tenure in the NBA, he shot 60% beyond the arc, in which he scored his only 9 points. He also played a stint professionally in the CBA
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
for the Grand Rapids Hoops and he played the final two years of his playing career in Italy for an Italian Series Legadue team named Felice Scandone in Avellino Italy. Martin was leading the Italian team in scoring averaging nearly 19 points a game when in November he informed the Club of chest pains and a general feeling of malaise. Martin also began to notice a drop in his weight which at first he thought was due to the flu or common cold. In November 1997, Martin requested to his sports agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
at the time for the Italian club to release him and send him home where he then discovered he had non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
The non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a diverse group of blood cancers that include any kind of lymphoma except Hodgkin's lymphomas. Types of NHL vary significantly in their severity, from indolent to very aggressive....
a dangerous but treatable and curable blood cancer. Martin never played another professional basketball game and began aggressive treatments and chemotherapy and the cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
went into remission. Martin returned to Purdue to finish his degree and after which the head coach at that time Gene Keady
Gene Keady
Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Keady is a basketball coach. Currently an assistant coach at St. John's, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005.-Kansas State :...
hired Martin as an assistant coach in 2000. The Cuonzo Martin Challenge Award to help raise funds for cancer research was established in his honor and he has since been cancer free.
2000–2008
After Frank KendrickFrank Kendrick
Frank Edward Kendrick is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the NBA.-College career:...
left the Purdue bench in 1999, Martin served as an assistant coach for the Purdue University basketball staff at his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
under his former head coach Gene Keady
Gene Keady
Lloyd Eugene "Gene" Keady is a basketball coach. Currently an assistant coach at St. John's, he is most notable for being the head basketball coach at Purdue University for 25 years, from 1980 to 2005.-Kansas State :...
and former teammate, Matt Painter
Matt Painter
Matt Painter is the current head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team.-Playing career:Matt Painter attended Delta High School in Muncie and played basketball for current basketball coach and former athletic director, Stan Daugherty...
. He helped the Boilers to an Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
appearance and three NCAA
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
Second Round appearances, along with an overall 153–129 record during his eight seasons on the Purdue bench. He was named Associate Head Coach for the 2007–08 season.
2008–2009
After eight seasons at Purdue, Martin accepted the head coaching position at Missouri State UniversityMissouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
of the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
on March 25, 2008. He replaced Barry Hinson
Barry Hinson
Barry Hinson originally from Marlow, Oklahoma, is the Director of External Relations for the University of Kansas basketball team and a former head coach. He also appears weekly on the 1320 KLWN radio show Rock Chalk Sports Talk in which he participates in a segment "Basketball & BBQ"...
. After falling to Auburn
Auburn Tigers men's basketball
The Auburn Tigers men's basketball program is the college basketball program that represents Auburn University, competing in the Southeastern Conference. The program began in 1905. Though they generally play under the shadow of the football program, the Tigers have had successes on the hardwood...
in the season opener, Martin had his first head coaching win over Central Michigan
Central Michigan
Central Michigan, often called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Southern Michigan can be considered as a subregion of Central Michigan. As its name implies, it is the central area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and...
on the road. Martin's Bears won their first game at their new JQH Arena
JQH Arena
JQH Arena is a basketball and special events arena in Springfield, Missouri. Constructed at a cost of $67 million, the arena opened in 2008. Located on the campus of Missouri State University it is the home of the Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears basketball teams and is referred to by MSU...
home, beating Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
from the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
. They wrapped up the pre-conference season with a 7–4 record. Martin's Bears headed into conference play with only 3 players appearing in every game, due to a number of injuries. They lost their first conference game in overtime against an undefeated Illinois State. His Bears finished the season with an 11–20 record.
2009–2010
Following his first season as head coach, Martin's top 25 RPIRatings Percentage Index
The Rating Percentage Index, commonly known as the RPI, is a quantity used to rank sports teams based upon a team's wins and losses and its strength of schedule. It is one of the systems by which NCAA basketball and baseball teams are ranked...
-ranked Bears started the 2009–10 season with a 10–0 start. Missouri State averaged a 10+ margin in points per game coming into Missouri Valley Conference play. Cuonzo's squad finished seventh in conference play with a 20–12 record and accepted a bid to the CIT Tournament
2010 CollegeInsider.com Tournament
The 2010 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament was a postseason single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams....
, which they ended up winning to finish the season with a record of 24–12.
2010–2011
In Coach Martin's third year at Missouri State, the team won their first regular season Missouri Valley Men's Basketball title and entered the Arch Madness2011 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, popularly referred to as "Arch Madness", as part of the 2010-11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season was played in St. Louis, Missouri March 3–6, 2011 at the Scottrade Center. The championship game was broadcast live on CBS on...
conference tournament as the #1 seed. After reaching the finals, they lost to the Indiana State Sycamores. Although having an RPI of 44, the team was not selected as an at-large team to the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament. They accepted a bid to the National Invitation Tournament
2011 National Invitation Tournament
-Colorado bracket:-Boston College bracket:-Virginia Tech bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:* 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
, beating Murray State University at home and then losing to Miami (FL) away in the 2nd round. The team ended the season with a 26-9 record. After the season ended, there was speculation that Coach Martin was under consideration for the open position at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. However, Martin stated that he had not been contacted by the university about the job.
2011–present
On March 27, 2011, after 3 seasons at Missouri State, Martin was hired as the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers.Coaching notes
Cuonzo Martin became the fifth Division I head coach to come out of the Gene Keady coaching treeGene Keady coaching tree
The Gene Keady Coaching Tree is a chain of NCAA men's basketball coaches who can trace their coaching roots to Gene Keady.-Gene Keady :...
, following Bruce Weber, Steve Lavin
Steve Lavin
Steve Lavin is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at St. John's University in Queens, New York. Lavin previously served as the head coach for UCLA....
, Kevin Stallings
Kevin Stallings
Kevin Stallings is currently in his 11th season as the head men’s basketball coach at Vanderbilt University. Previously, he served as head coach at Illinois State University and was an assistant coach at Purdue University and the University of Kansas.-High school & college:Stallings was born in...
and Matt Painter
Matt Painter
Matt Painter is the current head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team.-Playing career:Matt Painter attended Delta High School in Muncie and played basketball for current basketball coach and former athletic director, Stan Daugherty...
.
Head coaching record
External links
- Cuonzo Martin statistics, basketballreference.com