| Notes and information about University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball | |
| match | Massachusetts vs VCU |
| date | time | February 20th | 7pm ET |
| position | Amherst, Massachusetts (Mullins Center) |
| @MassMBB | |
| @umasbasketball | |
| massachusetts men's basketball | |
Amherst, Massachusetts – The Minutemen return home for Tuesday night's game against VCU on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at Mullins Center. This broadcast can be viewed on his CBS Sports Network.Links and live updates at umassathletics.com or @MassMBB on X (Twitter)
This week it's all about the Minutemen.
match up
- Tuesday's game marks the 12th time in history between Massachusetts and VCU, with the Rams holding an 8-3 advantage in the series.
- The Minutemen lost 55-83 last season in a game played on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 in Richmond, Virginia.
- Massachusetts is looking for its first win against VCU since winning 60-52 on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 in Amherst, Massachusetts.
last out
- Massachusetts' hopes for a comeback were undone as the Minutemen lost an 82-81 decision to La Salle on Saturday afternoon at Tom Gola Arena.
- Josh Cohen He added a game-high 21 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double. mat cross He had another all-around performance with 15 points, eight rebounds, and three steals.
- mat cross He had another all-around performance with 15 points, eight rebounds, and three steals.
- Massachusetts held a 30-28 advantage in scoring in the paint, winning the battle in the bottom half for the 20th time this season.
Scoring and security
- The Minutemen are one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to ball safety, ranking second. His turnover margin (2.5) ranks him 51st in the country, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is 46 (1.45).
- Massachusetts has shown the ability to score consistently and efficiently, ranking 52nd in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 79.9 points per game.
- The Minutemen have scored 90 or more points in four games this season, including a 100-78 win over Portland on Dec. 22.
- Massachusetts' 102-81 victory over Quinnipiac marked the first time the Minutemen scored 100 points since March 4, 2021, against St. Joseph's.
- The Minutemen held the ball reliably and turned the ball over just five times against Albany (23/11/7) and URI (24/1/13). This is the second time the University of Massachusetts has had five or fewer turnovers in a game, since March 10, 2010 against Temple (4 TOs).
dynamic duo
- Senior mat cross and Josh Cohen They are one of the top scoring duos in the Atlantic 10, averaging 31.5 points per game, which ranks third in the conference.
- Two forwards are also ranked No. 1. In A10, he has a rebounding duo that totals 15.3 rebounds per game. They are right above George Mason's Keyshawn Hall and Amari Kelly (14.9 rpg).
- mat cross (31 points) and Josh Cohen (26 points) combined for 57 of the Minutemen's 89 points against CCSU (11/22/23). This performance was the first time since January 10, 2018, when two players each scored 25 or more points. The last teammates to accomplish this feat were Lewayne Pipkins (44 points) and Karl Pierre (25 points), who did it in overtime against La Salle.
- With their effective performance against CCSU (November 22, 2023), Cross (84.6%) and Cohen (90.9%) became the first players to shoot over .750 on field goals since Tre Mitchell. 2 players (10 or more at bats). December 16, 2020, 76.5% (13 wins, 17 losses) at La Salle.
2nd year under Coach Martin
- Massachusetts basketball is in the middle of its second season under its head coach. frank martin From 2023 to 2024.
- Massachusetts just completed the 2022-23 season, with Coach Martin leading the Minutemen to their best performance under a first-year head coach since 1996, winning the Myrtle Beach Invitational title.
- Martin's team also recorded the largest road win over an A-10 opponent by a UMass team since a 69-45 win at Rhode Island in February 1996.
- Martin has a 319-226 (.584) record as a college coach, including 171 wins in 10 seasons at South Carolina and 117 wins in five seasons at Kansas State.
- head coach frank martin On January 25, 2023, he won 85-76 against Richmond, achieving his 300th win as a college coach.
- Prior to his time at Amherst, Martin led the Gamecocks to a new program record for wins in a single season, leading the team to the best NCAA Tournament run in program history and a Final Four appearance in 2016-17. A head coach for 15 years, he led Kansas State to a 29-8 record and an Elite Eight appearance during the 2009-10 season.
Mullins new man
- UMass features a new-look roster that includes five returners and 10 newcomers (two transfers).
- The Minutemen welcome a talented eight-member freshman class comprised of players from seven states and South Sudan. jalen curry, robert davis jr., Marki Worthy, Jayden Nzigu, Tariq Foster, Matok Majok, Laurie Castinilla and tyler mason.
- tyler mason He joins the freshman class as a December enrollee and provides frontcourt depth with 23 games left on the schedule.
- This class has three three-star recruits. jalen curryOne of the highest-rated recruits in the Atlantic 10, Class of 2023.
- UMass also brings in two transfers. Daniel Hankins-Sanford and Josh Cohen They played a direct role in the Minutemen's frontcourt.
- Cohen was one of the nation's most productive post players a season ago, scoring a career-high 40 points twice against Lehigh and Hawaii, earning him NEC Player of the Year honors.
- Hankins-Sanford came to Massachusetts a year ago after playing in 22 games at South Carolina. The Charlotte, North Carolina native features natural rebounding instincts and excellent athleticism at the power forward position.
familiar face
- Massachusetts returns three key pieces mat cross, Keon Thompson and Larsor Diggins From last season.
- Senior mat cross After a strong first year at Amherst, he was named to the 2023-24 preseason All-Atlantic 10 Third Team selection.
- Cross ranked as one of only seven players in the conference to average more than 12.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg. A season ago.
- Cross joins Saint Joe's Cameron Brown and Dayton's Daron Holmes as the only players to accomplish this feat and return to the Atlantic 10 for the 2023-24 season.
- sophomore point guard Keon Thompson He started nine of the Minutemen's final 10 games of the 2022-23 season and has been playing a high role this season.
- Thompson started those nine games and averaged 8.88 points and 4.0 assists per game. The guard was one of only three individual players in the A-10 last season to have 12 or more assists against Davidson on Feb. 4, 2023.
- junior Larsor Diggins After appearing in 26 games and starting 10 for the Minutemen a season ago, he will take on a larger role in 2023-24.
- Diggins averaged 4.7 points and 2.4 assists per game against St. Joseph's on January 21, 2023, scoring a career-high 15 points on 3-of-6 3-point shooting.
on the bench
- head coach frank martin boasts a talented staff of experienced assistants, including three former head coaches, two former McDonald's All-Americans and a former NBA lottery pick.
- associate head coach allen edwards He was the head coach of the Wyoming Cowboys from 2016 to 2020.Edwards' teams won 60 games in four seasons, including back-to-back 20-win seasons.
- Assistant coach Brett Nelson comes to Amherst after spending the past four seasons as head coach at Holy Cross. A former McDonald's All-American, Nelson attended the University of Florida, where he graduated in 2004 and was a three-year starter with the Gators, where he led the team to four NCAA Tournament championships and the 2000 National Championship. Contributed to the victory.
- Assistant coach Brian Steele will be attending UMass for the second time after serving as head coach. frank martinSouth Carolina staff. Steele was a three-year letterwinner at the University of South Carolina as a student-athlete and served as a student assistant during the 2015-16 season in addition to the 2016-17 Final Four campaign.
- Director of Player Development Anthony Evans spent five seasons as head coach at FIU after six years as head coach at Norfolk State. At FIU, Evans' teams ranked in the top 10 percent nationally in the NCAA Academic Progress Report from 2015 to 2017, and he coached multiple Conference USA All-League and All-Defensive players.
- Player Personnel Manager Doug Edwards From 1990 to 1993, he led the Seminoles to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. The Miami, Florida, native scored his 1,604 points in his career and is the only player at FSU to score over .500 points in his third consecutive season. Edwards earned All-SEC Second Team honors as a senior before being selected 15th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks.
- head coach frank martin After receiving guidance, he is currently an associate head coach. allen edwards Player Personnel Manager Doug Edwards At Miami High School.
next
- The Minutemen will be at home Saturday afternoon in preparation for a clash against St. Bonaventure at the Mullins Center on February 24th at 2:30 p.m. This broadcast can be viewed on his USA Network.Links and live updates at umassathletics.com or @MassMBB On X (Twitter).
