FGCU new junior guard Dinero Mercurius will add lots more than pure shooting to Eagles

Like a couple other newbies with the Florida Gulf Coast University men's basketball team, junior guard Dinero Mercurius bounced all around before finding a home with the Eagles. 

A 23-year-old as of Friday, Mercurius began his collegiate career at South Florida, but after averaging 3.3 points and 1.9 rebounds as a true freshman, he left the Bulls after coach Stan Heath was fired. 

The 6-foot-4 Mercurius sat out a season per NCAA transfer rules after bolting to Texas Rio Grande Valley. He never played there, instead transferring to junior college program Daytona State, where he averaged 17.8 points and made 38.2 percent of his 3-point attempts last season.

He's immediately eligible for FGCU.  

Mercurius chose the Eagles over Fordham and Murray State. He particularly loved the closeness of the players and the big potential of an intriguing NCAA tournament run like the 2013 Sweet 16 one.

Or lots more.

"We can win it all," Mercurius said. "We definitely can win it all. Whether it's the (Atlantic Sun) championship or the NCAA tournament. I know that's kind of a big stretch to say, but you've got to have high hopes."

The Eagles — who lost two starting forwards to graduation and two rising junior backups to transfers — have just that for Mercurius, an Orlando native and the pure shooter they were aiming for in this class. 

"We really like him," said FGCU fifth-year coach Joe Dooley, who has led the Eagles to back-to-back NCAA tournaments. "He's a worker. He's mature. He will stretch the floor. I've really been impressed with the way he shoots the ball off screens. There's no nonsense with him.

"He can really shoot the ball with range."

College basketball: FGCU men sign Daytona State shooting guard Dinero Mercurius

The Eagles really needed to add another straight shooter. Now-senior point guard Brandon Goodwin, the reigning ASUN Newcomer of the Year who led the Eagles with 18.5 points, and now-senior guard Christian Terrell were the only true pure shooters last season.

But 6-6 sophomore Christian Carlyle fits that bill and will play lots more this season. So, too, to an extent does 6-7 sophomore forward RaySean Scott, who also will get much more playing time. Then there's 6-10 junior forward Michael Gilmore of Miami and VCU who will be eligible December 16 and is a legitimate stretch forward, meaning he can
consistently swish 3s. 

"He's a shooter," said Goodwin of Mercurius. "Whether he comes off the bench or whether he starts, we'll have more shooters and be a lot more versatile."

But there's much more to Mercurius than pure shooting. He's a fantastic passer, for instance.

"And his maturity," Dooley said. "He's a really high-IQ player. He has a good feel and I think he'll be a really good perimeter defender. If he does what he's capable of doing, I think he'll be a very good defender and will take some pressure off of Zach."

Mercurius already has come a long way during the summer workouts — two hours of practice per week and unsupervised pick-up games. 

College basketball: FGCU men surging ahead with new players in this second summer session

"The footwork is something I'm getting adjusted to," said Mercurius of one of the things Dooley harps on. "Something I've never done before. It's helped me get my balance on jump shots and things like that.

"It's definitely a blessing to be out here. They're good competitors all around. Every day is going to be a challenge. Every day we push each other."

Mercurius' expectations for himself are simple. 

"To be able to make open shots," he said. "Being able to defend. Being able to make the game easier for my teammates."

If so, that will give the defending ASUN regular-season and tournament champion Eagles a big lift. 

"He can help us a lot," Dooley said. "I'm excited about him."