Candice Dupree stuck it out at Temple and has led the Owls’ NCAA rise.
By JOEY JOHNSTON
The Tampa Tribune
(c) Tampa Bay Times. Originally published March 15, 2005.
Candice Dupree’s mother remembered those frantic years, juggling her military career with responsibilities as a single parent. All the nights stuck in Interstate 4 rush-hour traffic while headed to AAU games in Lakeland. The dreams about her daughter’s athletic potential at Wharton High School. The security she felt when Temple University offered a basketball scholarship.
A few weeks into her first summer term, Dupree called her mother, in tears. Intimidated by the unknown, she was shaken.
“I can’t stay here. I’m coming home.”
That’s when Patty Mungenast became a true basketball mom. She got tough. She took the charge.
“If you do, I’m putting your suitcase on the sidewalk,” Mungenast said. “You can’t come home. You owe this to your teammates. You owe it to yourself. You’ve got to give this a chance.”
Not too long ago, Temple junior Candice Dupree, the Atlantic 10 Conference player of the year, a potential All-American and professional, sent an e-mail to her mother.
Mom, I know I don’t say it often enough, but thanks for all you do for me. Thanks for making me stay.
What would have happened to Dupree? What would have happened to Temple women’s basketball?
Getting On The Map
Here’s what did happen. Dupree, a 6-foot-2 center, is the catalyst behind Temple’s 24-game winning streak, longest in the nation. The No. 6-seeded Owls (27-3) open against No. 11 Louisiana Tech (20-9) at Storrs, Conn., in the NCAA Tournament. If the Owls win two games, they’ll reach the Sweet 16 — on their home floor in Philadelphia.
“That would put Temple on the map, for sure,” said Dupree, 20.
Her game is on the map already.
With an array of jump-hooks, dribble-drives and post moves, Dupree has matured into one of the nation’s most formidable offensive weapons. She’s averaging 16.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. When Temple defeated George Washington 70-62 to win the A-10 Tournament championship, Dupree had 21 points, nine rebounds and four steals, earning her second consecutive Most Outstanding Player award at the event.
“She’s going to get hers [points], either through an offensive rebound or in transition,” Temple forward Ari Moore said. “I’d hate to play against her.”
“You’ve got her sealed, you’ve got her fronted or three-quartered, and all of a sudden, she’s catching the ball and scoring,” GW coach Joe McKeown said. “I’m going to ask her how she does it because I’d really like to know.”
Making It Look Easy
It’s no mystery.
Mungenast, who retired as an Air Force master sergeant in 2003, said her daughter shows little emotion on the court, but that’s a facade for a perfectionist’s attention to detail. Renee Brown, WNBA vice president of player personnel, compared Dupree to the NBA’s Tim Duncan because both “make it look easy.” Her standard, coupled with natural athleticism, drives her need for constant improvement.
“Candice has a lot of weapons on the block, and her footwork is tremendous,” said Temple coach Dawn Staley, a three-time U.S. Olympic player. “It will only get better once Candice gets to the next level. That’s when she’s going to play her best basketball. Right now, she’s just kind of on training wheels.”
Obviously, Temple saw things that others missed.
Ervin Monier, the former Temple assistant who discovered Dupree at the 2001 AAU Junior National Tournament, is credited with developing her low-post game. Monier, now associate coach at Rhode Island, remembers talking with University Florida coaches before a game in Gainesville.
“How did we miss this girl?” they said. “She’s from this state and we knew nothing about her.”
Nobody did, really. Dupree didn’t enter the AAU scene until high school. Basketball was more of a pastime than a passion. She still rarely watches games on television. Even now, the thought of having her education financed by a sport, let alone being paid to play, is hard to fathom.
“People usually tell me I don’t know how good I can be,” said Dupree, who has a fraternal twin sister, Crystal, a junior at UCF who dabbles in modeling, and a 14-year-old sister, Shayna. “Maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t dwell on awards or what’s being said or written. I just play. To tell you the truth, I never thought I would even be playing college basketball. And I definitely never expected this [playing on an NCAA team].”
A Midas Touch
Mungenast said Dupree is just being humble.
At age 7, Dupree hit her first over-the-fence home run in softball. Boys wanted her to play quarterback in football games. Volleyball came naturally. Then there’s basketball.
“Seeing this happen is so rewarding,” Mungenast said. “My heart practically explodes when I read the things written about her or hear what people are saying.”
In 1989, Mungenast and Toussaint Dupree, a career Air Force man, were divorced. Candice and Crystal were 5. They were born in Oklahoma, then lived in Germany and Wyoming before Mungenast was assigned to MacDill Air Force Base in 1996. That’s when the basketball adventure really picked up steam. Now Mungenast, who remarried two years ago, watches with pride.
“It’s almost like everything Candice touches turns to gold,” said Mungenast, using an appropriate choice of words because Dupree’s foremost goal is to become an Olympian. Once, Dupree longed to come home. Now, through basketball, she might see the world. So far, the view has been memorable. Sometimes, that happens when you stay the course.
