Rice University Athletics
Getting to Know Assistant Coach Vince Alexander
7/22/2019 10:26:00 AM | Men's Basketball
How did you get into coaching?
"Obviously, after playing high school and college basketball, I really developed a love for the game and a desire to help young people accomplish great things through basketball, but also through life. In high school, I decided that I wanted to coach. I wanted to help. I wanted to be a part of mentoring and leading. So, I got into it right away."
What do you consider your coaching style to be?
"I want to be aggressive defensively. I want to get after you. I want to pressure you on both ends of the floor, both offensively and defensively. I want to be a team that's very effective offensively, not just come down and throw up shots. I want to work for the best shot, but also being a team that's not afraid to play. I want my guys to be loose on the offensive end and I want them to be tough and aggressive on the defensive end."
Like Coach Pera, you started your coaching career in high school. How has that experience helped you throughout your career?
"The most help that it's given me is that you understand kids. I didn't go right into college. You understand high school kids. What they want, what they expect and how they handle things. It's helped my progression quite a bit. Even before that, I coached middle school. So I think that's the biggest way that it's helped me."
Who are the coaches that have helped you out in your career?
"Oh wow. There are so many different coaches. I'll speak to ones more recently. Frank Martin at South Carolina and (former Ole Miss head coach) Andy Kennedy. Certainly those two, over the last eight to 10 years, have helped me the most. I've looked to them a lot for some things."
Are there any coaches who you have tried to model your style after?
"If there is anybody that I've tried to play their style, and I should have mentioned him in helping me in my career, is Tubby Smith. I've always liked his style, his approach to his players and also his style on the floor. I've always admired him and tried to mimic that as much as possible."
Is there anything from your playing days that you've been able to bring with you into your coaching career?
"The thing that I bring most from my playing days is that I grew up right around (Houston). Playing at Fonde (Community Center). Playing over at Houston Baptist. I just remember working hard, being competitive and tough. Never giving up and always believing. Those are things, I think, that I picked up early. I've used them not only in my basketball life, but in life in general, with my family. To love, to give, to serve. Those are all things that I learned through basketball that I try to use in my life today."
You've been a head coach for over 20 years. What was it about Rice that appealed to you and convinced you that you wanted to take this next step?
"First and foremost, I grew up here in the city. Rice was always the underdog to me. It really blows my mind, to be honest, because I've always had this place for Rice in my heart, even though I've never really been connected to it. I've always wanted to see Rice do well and be successful because I've always seen them as the underdog. So, growing up around here and having the opportunity to come back. Also, being able to work with Scott (Pera), who I feel like is a tremendous person outside of basketball. I think he has a great love for this institution (and) a great love for his players. He desires to see them succeed. It's not just for his benefit. He desires to see them succeed because of their benefit. I am very similar and wanted to be a part of that. To be able to come home and have that opportunity. Rice is a prestigious university, a great university. I think it's a university that is rising, not just in basketball but in all sports. You've seen it in women's basketball and volleyball. You can see the rise and I'm excited and blessed to be a part of it."
What was your relationship to Coach Pera prior to joining the staff?
"We both were top high school coaches in Pennsylvania at one time. We used to compete against each other in the Small World Summer League in Harrisburg, Pa. He had a great team. I had a great team. So I knew him very well. We would talk here and there. But, with time, I went my way and he went his. But through Chris Kreider, who I recruited to Mansfield University and worked for me at USC-Aiken, we sort of rekindled our relationship. With that, we've sort of come together now. It's come full circle."
"Obviously, after playing high school and college basketball, I really developed a love for the game and a desire to help young people accomplish great things through basketball, but also through life. In high school, I decided that I wanted to coach. I wanted to help. I wanted to be a part of mentoring and leading. So, I got into it right away."
What do you consider your coaching style to be?
"I want to be aggressive defensively. I want to get after you. I want to pressure you on both ends of the floor, both offensively and defensively. I want to be a team that's very effective offensively, not just come down and throw up shots. I want to work for the best shot, but also being a team that's not afraid to play. I want my guys to be loose on the offensive end and I want them to be tough and aggressive on the defensive end."
Like Coach Pera, you started your coaching career in high school. How has that experience helped you throughout your career?
"The most help that it's given me is that you understand kids. I didn't go right into college. You understand high school kids. What they want, what they expect and how they handle things. It's helped my progression quite a bit. Even before that, I coached middle school. So I think that's the biggest way that it's helped me."
Who are the coaches that have helped you out in your career?
"Oh wow. There are so many different coaches. I'll speak to ones more recently. Frank Martin at South Carolina and (former Ole Miss head coach) Andy Kennedy. Certainly those two, over the last eight to 10 years, have helped me the most. I've looked to them a lot for some things."
Are there any coaches who you have tried to model your style after?
"If there is anybody that I've tried to play their style, and I should have mentioned him in helping me in my career, is Tubby Smith. I've always liked his style, his approach to his players and also his style on the floor. I've always admired him and tried to mimic that as much as possible."
Is there anything from your playing days that you've been able to bring with you into your coaching career?
"The thing that I bring most from my playing days is that I grew up right around (Houston). Playing at Fonde (Community Center). Playing over at Houston Baptist. I just remember working hard, being competitive and tough. Never giving up and always believing. Those are things, I think, that I picked up early. I've used them not only in my basketball life, but in life in general, with my family. To love, to give, to serve. Those are all things that I learned through basketball that I try to use in my life today."
You've been a head coach for over 20 years. What was it about Rice that appealed to you and convinced you that you wanted to take this next step?
"First and foremost, I grew up here in the city. Rice was always the underdog to me. It really blows my mind, to be honest, because I've always had this place for Rice in my heart, even though I've never really been connected to it. I've always wanted to see Rice do well and be successful because I've always seen them as the underdog. So, growing up around here and having the opportunity to come back. Also, being able to work with Scott (Pera), who I feel like is a tremendous person outside of basketball. I think he has a great love for this institution (and) a great love for his players. He desires to see them succeed. It's not just for his benefit. He desires to see them succeed because of their benefit. I am very similar and wanted to be a part of that. To be able to come home and have that opportunity. Rice is a prestigious university, a great university. I think it's a university that is rising, not just in basketball but in all sports. You've seen it in women's basketball and volleyball. You can see the rise and I'm excited and blessed to be a part of it."
What was your relationship to Coach Pera prior to joining the staff?
"We both were top high school coaches in Pennsylvania at one time. We used to compete against each other in the Small World Summer League in Harrisburg, Pa. He had a great team. I had a great team. So I knew him very well. We would talk here and there. But, with time, I went my way and he went his. But through Chris Kreider, who I recruited to Mansfield University and worked for me at USC-Aiken, we sort of rekindled our relationship. With that, we've sort of come together now. It's come full circle."
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