Rahsool Diggins battled a stomach bug on Wednesday night while etching his name into the Massachusetts Men’s Basketball record book and the Rose Hill Gym for most points scored in a single game. Diggins led the way for the Minutemen to earn their second win of conference play over the Fordham Rams in the Bronx.
Diggins posted record-setting numbers in scoring for the most points scored in a single game in the UMass record book and the most points scored in Rose Hill Gym with 46 points. The last time that Minuteman put up 40 or more points was by Luwane Pipkins with 44 points against La Salle in overtime on January 10th, 2018. Rahsool becomes just the fourth player in program history to score 40 or more points (Trey Davis [40], Pipkins [44], and Billy Tindall [41]). Diggins made the 46 points happen through 48 minutes of the 55 minutes in the triple overtime thriller against Fordham and was the most points scored by a single player in the program’s history.
Looking at Diggins’s 46 points, he tied the Rose Hill Gym single-game scoring record that was set by Kenny Charles on January 20th, 1973 which was against Saint Peter’s. Rahsool also set the highest single-game scoring total that was initially set by UMass’s own Julius Erving when he had 37 points against Fordham on January 21st, 1970. Diggins has carved his name into Fordham’s record book for the foreseeable future.
Amongst all of the other records he either broke or tied tonight, Rahsool managed to tie the program record for three-pointers made in a single game for the second time this season with 8 made three-pointers (first-time vs. New Hampshire on November 4th). Diggins is one of nine players who hold the record, and of those nine players only four players have done it twice including Rahsool. The other players who hold the program record with him include Carl Pierre, Pipkins (twice), Davis, Ricky Harris, Monty Mack, Carmelo Travieso (twice), Lorenzo Sutton (twice), and Rafer Giles.
Rahsool’s record-breaking night was not the only record broken by both UMass and Fordham on Wednesday night. Both the Minutemen and the Rams put up program records for the most points scored in a single game with UMass grabbing the 120-118 win over Fordham. UMass ties the record for most points scored in their history as 120 points were scored against Vermont in February 1964 and in January 1965. Fordham’s 118 points set a new record for the most points scored in Rose Hill Gym by the Rams, and the Minutemen earned their name into the Fordham record book with the most points scored against Fordham at Rose Hill Gym. Both teams combined last night for 238 points which is the most in UMass history.
Both teams combined to have 122 free throw attempts, which was the most attempted by 2 teams since 1996-1997, and 79 personal fouls which is the most since 2017 with 9 players fouling out of the game.
Featured Image: Sam Allard, UMass Athletics
Kaily “KG” Godek is a current student at Western New England University (WNE). She has been a supporter of UMass Athletics for over 15 years. Kaily focuses on both UMass Basketball teams and occasionally on the other Women’s Basketball teams in the conference. While writing for A10 Talk, she works in the athletic department at WNE. When she graduates from WNE she wants to go into either Sports Broadcasting and Journalism or Coaching. You can follow Kaily on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kgumass23.
