For the first time since the 2007-08, the Massachusetts Minutemen (20-10, 11-7) have earned themselves a double-bye in the Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball Tournament. UMass earn themselves the #4 seed with the help of VCU and St. Bonaventure losing games in the final week of the regular season, as well as the Minutemen winning big games throughout conference play. This UMass team has set themselves up for a good run into the championship game, and possibly even into a postseason tournament (NCAA, NIT, or CBI).
This season was a season of firsts in Amherst as they last had a 20-win season in the 2013-14 season, which was the last time that the Minutemen made the NCAA Tournament. UMass had not had a win on the road at Saint Louis since 2015, George Washington since 2014, Richmond since 2012, and Davidson for the first time since 1998. The Minutemen had four road conference wins for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
UMass is led by two players in the frontcourt who just made the All-Conference First Team, Matt Cross and Josh Cohen. The Minutemen are the only team this season that had multiple players on the first team in the all-conference awards. Cross, a six-foot-seven forward from Beverly, Massachusetts, averages 15.5 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game. Cohen, a six-foot-ten forward from Lincroft, New Jersey, averages 16.0 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. Cross and Cohen are the first Minutemen duo to make the all-conference first team since Stephane Lasme and Rashaun Freeman in the 2006-07 season.
The Minutemen’s backcourt also brought in accolades as Rahsool Diggins earned a share of Most Improved Player, and Jaylen Curry picked up a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Diggins, a six-foot-two guard from Philadephia, Pennsylvania, went from averaging 4.7 points per game, 1.4 rebounds per game, and 2.4 assists last season up to 12.6 points per game, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this season. Curry, a six-foot-tall guard from Charlotte, North Carolina, averages 7.8 points per game and 2.1 assists per game, and gained momentum at the start of conference play.
UMass would not be the #4 seed without recognizing Keon Thompson, Jayden Ndjigue, Daniel Hankins-Sanford, and Robert Davis Jr. in key rotation or starting roles. Thompson has grown significantly since coming into UMass last season as a freshman and shifted from being a shooting guard into being a point guard. Thompson is a six-foot-tall guard from Merrillville, Indiana, and averages 9.4 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game. Ndjigue, a six-foot-four guard from Ayer, Massachusetts, averages 5.5 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, and 1.2 steals per game. Hankins-Sanford, a six-foot-eight forward from Charlotte, North Carolina, averages 6.7 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. Davis Jr., a six-foot-six guard from Detroit, Michigan, averages 4.2 points per game.
This season most of the games that UMass has lost have come under twelve points or less, and the Minutemen are 9-1 coming off of a loss. The Minutemen have had only two games this season in which they have lost by double digits (12/6 at Towson [10-point loss] and 1/13 at Rhode Island [12-point loss]), and the other eight games have been by single digits. In those losses that were eight points or less, but also came down to making free throws down the stretch and making field goals in the final minutes of the game. UMass leads the conference in the average scored points per game at 78.1 points on average. The Minutemen are also first in the conference in rebounds per game (38.7 rebounds) as well as total offensive rebounds (405 offensive boards), and offensive rebounds per game (13.5 offensive rebounds per game).
UMass will play in their first game on Thursday at 2pm on USA Network and will face the winner of #5 VCU vs. #12 Fordham. Fordham and VCU will play against each other on Wednesday at 2pm on USA Network. In matchups against both teams, the Minutemen came out on top with big crowds on their side. For UMass to see postseason play (CBI, NIT, or NCAA Tournament), the Minutemen need to make it to at least the semifinals to be considered for the NIT or CBI and would have to win the entire conference tournament and receive the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Featured Image and Photo Credit: Chris Tucci, 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 Sports Broadcasting and Journalism. You can follow Kaily on X, formerly known as Twitter, @kgumass23.
