42 Mark Coury

Mark Coury was born on August 8, 1986, to Jerry and Maria Coury.  His father played basketball at Wayne State University.

Coury was an all-area and all-state selection as a senior at Detroit Country Day School after averaging 8.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. He led his team to a 23-3 record and a spot in the state semifinals. An all-state performer in track and field (shot put and discus), he also lettered in football and baseball during his prep career.

Not satisfied with his scholarship offers, Coury took a year off from the basketball system.  He worked to improve his body and his game. He and his father searched the Internet for a higher-level college program that needed help at power forward.  That’s how unheralded prospect Mark Coury came to be a walk-on for Kentucky.

Coury played two seasons for the Wildcat basketball program after walking onto the team as a freshman. He earned a starting role as a sophomore in 2007-08, seeing action in all 31 games with 29 starts for an 18-13 NCAA tournament team. Coury averaged 2.0 points and 1.7 rebounds while adding 19 assists, 11 steals, and 10 blocked shots in 10.7 minutes per game. Overall, he shot 43 percent from the field. Coury posted a double-double in his first career start against Central Arkansas, recording career highs of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists. He also notched nine points and five rebounds in a win against nationally ranked and then-unbeaten Vanderbilt. As a freshman, Coury saw limited time, earning 20 minutes in 10 games and registering four points, three rebounds, two assists, a blocked shot, and a steal. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection recorded a perfect 4.0 grade point average in business management.

On July 17, 2008, Gillispie announced that Coury had been granted a release and could pursue opportunities to be a scholarship player elsewhere.  He transferred to Cornell and finished his career there.

College Statistics: