Cal Poly Basketball in Review – Mark Crowe

Mark Crowe – Redshirt Freshman – 6’5″, 205 lbs

Mark Crowe was a heavy rotation player as a redshirt freshman in 2017-18. By Owen Main

By the Numbers:

31 Games

17.7 Minutes per game

2.3 Points per game

2.5 Rebounds per game

0.9 Assists per game

31% Field Goals

25% Three Point Field Goals

53% Free Throws

After redshirting his first year on campus, Crowe was a regular in the Cal Poly rotation, starting 27 of the Mustangs’ 31 games. Crowe was one of just five Mustangs to appear in all 31 games and netted the fifth-most starts on the team as well. Crowe’s length and defensive versatility is something that, two seasons ago, I envisioned being utilized as a small-ball 4. That isn’t something that happened this season — Crowe was used mostly at the 3 — but moving forward I think it’s still an option if Cal Poly wants to go that way. 

Crowe showed confidence in shooting open shots and generally moved the ball well on offense. His unselfishness shows an understanding of his role on the court and probably his own limitations in terms of getting himself an open shot. 

Crowe may be the kind of player who is as good as the players around him, though there are leaps and bounds he can make simply by being a better shooter. His 31% field goal mark and 25% three-point average will need to improve if he wants to be a 25-minute contributor on a winning team. 

Looking forward

For all the versatility and apparent unselfishness in Crowe’s game, a big offensive improvement in one of these off-seasons will be a must. The ability to be trusted with the ball in the post against other small forwards — something Crowe did not have in 2017-18 — could create mismatches offensively and help Cal Poly facilitate a more balanced attack. If he can move the needle on three-pointers into the mid-30% range and shoot 40% from the field, then perhaps he can start to fill some of the offensive void left by the departure of graduating seniors Luke Meikle and Victor Joseph. 

Don’t discount this team’s need for leadership either. Lots of upperclassmen have left the program this offseason. According to reports, at least six players will be gone including three graduating seniors who were expected to leave (Victor Joseph, Luke Meikle, and Aleks Abrams) and three others who have been reported as transferring (Josh Martin, Trevor John, and Jared Rice). With two years on-campus under his belt, Crowe could step into more of a leadership role for next year’s Cal Poly team that will likely need it. Crowe has three years of eligibility left at Cal Poly. I’ve always really liked his demeanor on the court and his size and versatility. His defense being a strong suit as a freshman bodes really well. If he can put the time in to improve the jumper and keep developing his all-around offensive game over the next three years, he’s the kind of player who can jump up in an offseason and be a difference-maker.

*Ed note: Over the next few weeks, we’ll be recapping the season of every Cal Poly player who played in 2017-18.