Head Coach of the East Tennessee State University Men’s Basketball Team Brooks wild announced Monday the hiring of Marcus Belcher as the Buccaneers’ new assistant coach.
Belcher has nearly 20 years of coaching experience at the Division I level, most recently at Jacksonville State.
“Marcus Belcher is a great addition to our program. He is a true professional with 20 years of experience,” said Savage. “Marcus is well-respected in the coaching profession and will be a great addition for us. Marcus has proven himself in all aspects of the job and will make an immediate impact on our program. He builds genuine relationships, is a star recruiter, a great teacher and communicator on the court, and someone who will be committed to the success of our student-athletes. Tri-Cities will truly enjoy getting to know Coach Belcher and his family.”
Belcher served as an assistant under Ray Harper at Jacksonville State the past two seasons as the Gamecocks transitioned from the ASUN to Conference USA. In Jacksonville State’s first season in CUSA, the Gamecocks led the league in rebounding margin (+6.09) and rebounding defense (30.7), while ranking third in scoring defense (66.4). The Gamecocks also ranked second in defensive rebounding percentage (.755) and offensive rebounding percentage (.339). KyKy Tandy earned All-CUSA first-team honors and earned a spot on the NABC All-District First Team. Tandy led the conference in scoring (18.3 points per game) and set a new Division I school record for points in a season with 567.
Belcher has many ties to the Missouri Valley Conference, having served as an assistant coach at Illinois State from 2019-22, spending eight seasons at Indiana State (2011-19), one season at his alma mater Southern Illinois (2010-11) and two seasons at Evansville (2008-10).
Belcher has experience recruiting and coaching NBA talent. During his coaching career, he helped develop and mentor high-level student-athletes who went on to ACC and SEC programs and were ultimately selected in the NBA Draft. Some of those players include Antonio Reeves, DJ Horne, Tyreke Key and Jake LaRavia.
Belcher began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at SIU Edwardsville from 2004-06 and spent the 2006-07 season as an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois. In the two seasons at Edwardsville, Belcher coached under former Evansville head coach Marty Simmons and led the Cougars to two consecutive NCAA Division II tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2006.
“I am very excited about this opportunity,” Belcher said. “When I saw the opportunity to join the ETSU family, the first thing that caught my eye was Coach Savage. I think he is one of the best young, up-and-coming coaches in the country. His track record speaks for itself. I am looking forward to joining the Buccaneer family and being a part of their team.”
“Being at ETSU is also exciting. They have a historic program, winning many championships and making many NCAA tournament appearances. We look forward to continued success. My family and I are excited to be in Johnson City and are thrilled to be a part of the Buccaneer family.”
During his time at Indiana State, Belcher spent the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons as the Sycamores’ associate head coach. In eight years at Indiana State, Belcher coached 11 All-MVC selections, including two-time first-team honoree Jake Odum and 2015 Rookie of the Year Brenton Scott. The Sycamores made three consecutive postseason appearances during Belcher’s time in Terre Haute, as Indiana State played in the 2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) and made back-to-back NIT appearances in 2013 and 2014.
Belcher has coached under five head coaches who have totaled more than 1,500 wins and 26 postseason appearances, including 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. Those coaches include Ray Harper, Greg Lansing, Chris Lowery, Mike Miller, Dan Muller and Marty Simmons.
Basketball runs in Belcher’s family, as his brother, Cookie, played in college at Nebraska and spent a decade playing overseas. His brother, who coached for eight seasons at IMG Academy, accepted a coaching position on Ty Lue’s staff with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2021. Belcher is a childhood friend of Lue’s.
As a player, Belcher was on the Bruce Weber-coached Southern Illinois team that reached the Sweet 16 in 2002. Belcher was the starting point guard for the Salukis who went 28-8 and won the 2002 MVC Championship.
Belcher received a master’s degree in sports management from SIU Edwardsville in 2006.