Location: Amherst, Mass.

Enrollment: 25,876

Founded: 1863

President: Jack M. Wilson

Athletic Director: John McCutcheon

Athletic Web Sites: umassathletics.com, umasshoops.com, masslive.com

Nickname: Minutemen

Colors: Maroon and White

Arena: Mullins Center

Capacity: 9,493

Average Attendance:  5,968

Head Coach: Derek Kellogg

Overall Record: First Season

2007-2008 Record: 25-11 (10-6) NIT Finals

Record at UMass: First Season

Assistants: Adam Ginsburg, Antwon Jackson, Vance Walberg

ROSTER

2 David Gibbs FR PG 6-4 185 East Hartford, CT/Master’s (CT) School
4 Anthony Gurley SO WG 6-3 185 Boston/Wake Forest
*5 Ricky Harris JR WG 6-2 175 Baltimore/Winchendon School (MA)
11 Gary Correia SO PG 6-1 180 Providence/Mt. Hermon School (MA)
13 Travon Wilcher R-FR PF 6-7 210 Springfield, MA/Lee (ME) Academy
*14 Chris Lowe SR G 6-0 160 Mount Vernon, NY
24 Tony Gaffney R-SR F 6-8 208 Berkley, MA/Mt. Hermon (MA)/BU
25 Tyrell Lynch R-FR PF 6-9 230 Niagara Falls, NY/Laurinburg (NC) Institute
31 Luke Bonner R-SR C 7-1 245 Concord, NH/West Virginia
33 Matt Glass SO G 6-7 190 Underhill Center, VT/Mt. Hermon (MA)
50 Matt Hill SO F 6-7 210 Middletown, CT/Tilton School (NH)

*Returning starters (2)

OVERVIEW

Massachusetts didn’t get invited to the NCAA tournament last year, but it almost got the next best thing: An NIT title. The Minutemen went all the way to the final game in New York before falling to Ohio State.

The season wasn’t supposed to end on such a positive note. Two of the best frontcourt players in the league, including Player of the Year Stephane Lasme, had exhausted their eligibility in Amherst the previous spring. UMass was picked to finish in the bottom half of the A-10 by the league’s coaches and beat writers.

The Minutemen face similar circumstances once again. The team lost its three top frontcourt players, including A-10 Player of the Year Gary Forbes. What’s more, former coach Travis Ford fled to Oklahoma State and the new headmaster, Derek Kellogg, has never coached a Division 1 team.

Of course, Kellogg has been plenty busy the past few years. The former UMass guard under John Calipari in the mid-1990s has been assisting his old coach at Memphis. He’s as responsible as anyone for recruiting the players that put the Tigers in the NCAA title game last spring

Kellogg learned a thing or two, including an innovative offense that spreads the floor for penetration and 3-point shooting. Fortunately for the players, it’s not radically different from Ford’s full-throttle attack.

Yet the team won’t focus mostly on offense, as the prior staff did. Kellogg says he’ll put much greater emphasis on defense. “Defense wins championships,” he said.

Kellogg’s transition to head coach will be made easier by the veteran tandem of Chris Lowe and Ricky Harris, the best starting backcourt in the A-10. Joining them to form a very potent perimeter trio is talented Wake Forest transfer Anthony Gurley.

Kellogg’s most pressing task is to find a few players to solidify UMass in the paint. Luckily for him, Ford didn’t leave the well dry. Fifth-year seniors Tony Gaffney and Luke Bonner are A-10-caliber bigmen and several talented youngsters suit up, including former Auburn signee Tyrell Lynch.

The Minutemen guards are good enough to keep UMass in the top half of the league. Making a run at the league title will depend on how quickly a newly constructed frontcourt begins to assert itself, especially on the boards.

DEPARTED PLAYERS

Gary Forbes – Transfer from Virginia capped off a terrific two-year stay by winning the league’s Player of the Year award. Forbes was the team’s best rebounder and a surprisingly good passer, but it was his scoring that mattered most (19.4 ppg, 2nd in the A-10). The 6-7 Forbes presented matchup problems for every opponent. Quick and strong, he could post up smaller defenders, take bigger ones off the dribble or drain the trey. He wasn’t a great shooter, but he could bury teams when he got hot. At times Forbes made poor decisions or took ill-advised shots, and he was not the clear cut choice for MVP. Yet there’s no doubt his performance propelled the Minutemen to another 20-win season.

Etienne Brower – The transfer from Boston University was supposed to be a key contributor two years ago, but an unusually severe ankle sprain hobbled him the entire season. Fully healthy as a senior, Brower (12.7 ppg) showed why Ford had such high expectations. Except for a temporary midseason slump, Brower was one of the most devastating 3-point shooters (43% 3PG) in the league. He hit at least three treys in 15 games, often at key moments. Brower was also a good rebounder (6.9 rpg) and defender (48 blocks, 28 steals) who usually made smart decisions.

Dante Milligan – The former Pittsburgh recruit finally made the transition from wing player in high school to post player in college, though it did take him five years. By season’s end, Milligan had become a major factor with his inside scoring (9 ppg, 64% FG) and shotblocking (69). His production in the paint could be sorely missed.

Max Groebe – German-born shooter transferred to Cornell. Groebe (2.1 ppg, 36% 3PG) was part of the regular rotation early on, but he barely got off the bench in league play. He was not as athletic as other UMass wing players and was a subpar defender. The arrival of Gurley hastened his departure.

Papa Lo – Sophomore shotblocker from Senegal transferred to a lower division 1 program. Lo swatted 25 shots in just 89 minutes, an incredible rate of one block per 3.6 minutes (the league’s leading shotblocker, Shawn James, swatted one shot every 6 minutes.) Yet Lo was a nonexistent offensive threat (0.3 ppg, 3-7 FG) who knew little about the finer points of the game. Evidently Kellogg did not see Lo as a good fit for his system.

Trey Lang – The 6-8 freshman was arguably the highest rated recruit in last year’s class, but the son of former NBA center Andrew Lang struggled to pick up Ford’s system and adapt to college ball (5 games, 9 minutes).

Sedale Jones (3-6 FGs). Recruited 6-4 walk-on was given valuable minutes in a handful of games because of his hard work in practice, but he fell victim to a scholarship numbers game after the regime change.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Chris Lowe (11.8 ppg, 6.3 apg, 43.3% FG, 57 steals). The first recruit by Ford when he took over UMass, Lowe has become the engine of the Minutemen’s high-octane attack. He pushes the ball up the court as fast as any guard in the nation and excels at knifing through defenses. From time to time Lowe gets stuck among the trees and turns the ball over (99), but he shows great decision-making (214 assists) at such a breakneck pace. Lowe knows where his teammates like to score and he gets them plenty of open shots.

What’s made Lowe more effective is an improved jumper (34.4% 3PG). He won’t scare opponents but he can make them pay for leaving him alone. During the off-season he spent countless hours to further improve his shot and says he’ll surprise opponents again. At his best, though, Lowe is a clutch shotmaker who deploys a variety of runners and floaters to score in the lane. He also creates offense with his defense. He has quick hands and pressures the ball as well as any guard in the league. As a senior, Lowe was voted to the A-10’s preseason First Team. He’ll also be a candidate for conference player-of-the-year honors.

“He’s capable of being one of the best point guards in not only the Atlantic 10, but the entire country,” Kellogg said.

Ricky Harris (18.2 ppg, 43 FG%, 63 assists). Undersized but explosive wing guard blossomed as a sophomore and was named the A-10’s Most Improved Player. Harris finished 6th in scoring and he’s the second-highest returning scorer in the league behind Temple’s Dionte Christmas. In the Minutemen’s NIT run, Harris bounced back from a late January-early February slump to average a team-leading 20.4 points a game.

A big beneficiary of an uptempo system, Harris scores in a variety of ways. He spots up for corner three’s (37.4% 3PG) on the fastbreak before defenses find him. If he’s guarded tightly near the arc, Harris uses an ultra-quick first step to shoot into the paint for short jumpers or hopstep layups. Although just 6-1, Harris is a tremendous finisher in the lane. He also gets lots of easy points off steals (56). Altogether, Harris reached the 20-point mark in 18 games and notched a career-high 30 in a loss at St. Joseph’s.

His biggest weakness is defense. Harris sometimes loses concentration, especially when his offense sputters. Bigger guards can also give him trouble when they back him down. With a little more focus, though, Harris could be a very good defender. He has quick hands and feet, a strong build, and great anticipation.

Tony Gaffney (3.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 59 blocks, 39 steals). Lean 6-8 forward is one of the best defenders in the league and can guard almost any position. In a regular-season win over Charlotte, for instance, Gaffney harassed Leemire Goldwire into a poor shooting game. His length also bothers bigmen down low, though he’s not built to withstand a constant pounding against bulkier forwards.

Offense is another matter. Gaffney’s jumper looks decent enough but he didn’t hit many outside shots (2-14 3PG). Most of his baskets were of the garbage variety. Gaffney insists he’s a better scorer than he’s shown and Kellogg says he’ll have the greenlight to shoot more. He seems to possess enough skill to become a semi-threat down low. He’s quick around the basket and finishes pretty well (52% FG on 2-point shots). The bet here is he’ll step up his game with more playing time, just like Brower and Milligan before him. It’ll help that the guards will create good shots for Gaffney in the dribble-drive offense.

Luke Bonner (3.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg). Quirky fifth-year senior has not lived up to expectations, but he’s still a 7-footer with skills in a league that lacks dominating bigmen. Problem is, Bonner too often plays like he’s 6-feet tall. He’s developed a Mikan-style running hook but rarely seeks to score with his back to the basket. He’s not strong with the ball, gets stripped too easily and is pushed around inside by smaller opponents. It’s no wonder he’s prefers to step out and shoot 3-pointers (21-59, 35.6% 3PG).

For all his shortcomings, Bonner’s age and experience should come in handy on a younger team. He sometimes provides an offensive spark, tries hard on defense (25 blocks) and likes to draws charges. Kellogg has challenged the 245-pound Bonner to be more physical and dominate the glass along with Gaffney. The Minutemen’s postseason prospects would be greatly enhanced if he finally played to his potential, but it remains to be seen if he makes the necessary adjustments. If he fails to improve, the onus is on touted redshirt frosh Tyrell Lynch to fill the gap in the Minutemen’s middle.

Gary Correia (1.2 ppg, 42 assists, 17 turnovers). Promising 6-1 sophomore is talented enough to start for all but four or five A-10 teams. Correia takes very good care of the ball and is a solid passer. He’s quick like Lowe and a good defender, though not as slick with the ball and less effective at dribble penetration. His biggest asset is outside shooting. Although he only hit 26% of his 3-point attempts, Correia has excellent form and deep range. A great shooter in high school, his accuracy should rise as he matures and grows more comfortable at the point. He was more of a combo guard before he entered college and he’s still learning the finer details of the position.

Matt Glass (1.8 ppg, 37.5% 3PG). The 6-7 swingman from Vermont was one of just two freshmen to see regular minutes (Correia was the other). His primary asset is long-range gunnery. All but one of his 19 baskets were 3-pointers. In his best performance, Glass scored 14 points (4-6 treys) vs. St. Bonaventure.

Glass plays a bit like former St. Joseph’s star Pat Carroll. He has a smooth-looking shot and quick release and likes to utilize screens. Glass isn’t entirely dimensional. He’s an alert passer and hard worker with sound fundamentals. If he gets stronger and does a better job on the boards, Glass could be a good player. He is a better athlete than he looks and is smarter than most players his age. He’ll never end up on the All-Defensive team or posterize an opponent, but shooters like him are all too rare in the A-10.

Matt Hill (5 games, 8 minutes). Sophomore forward barely played as freshman as he continued to recover from an Achilles injury that cost him his final year of high school. In limited minutes, the 6-8 Hill showed good athleticism and a nice touch, but he’s still a big unknown. He was seen as a versatile player in high school who could score down low and on the perimeter.

NEWCOMERS

Tyrell Lynch – Former Auburn recruit, who grew up in Niagara, N.Y., did not qualify to play and enrolled at UMass last fall. With the graduation of Dante Milligan, Lynch fills a big role on a smallish Minutemen squad. At 6-9 and 235 pounds, he would be one of the biggest post players in the league. Long and athletic, Lynch is a good shotblocker and rebounder with an above-average offensive game. He can play with his back to the basket, pop 15-foot faceup jumpers and has even been known to drop a trey. “Quite honestly, we need him,” Kellogg told the Springfield Republican. “We need him to rebound, be a defensive presence and score some baskets, too.”

Yet for all his talent bigmen who sit out a year usually take awhile to reclaim their games. It won’t be any different for Lynch. He was not in the best shape when practice started and he needs to lose some weight.

Travon Wilcher – Massachusetts native sat out his first season to concentrate on academics and flesh out a thin frame. Ford said the 6-7 Wilcher was one of the most athletic players he’s ever signed. He’s a bigtime leaper who likes to dunk and block shots and is a gazelle in the open floor. Because Wilcher is unpolished offensively, he’s best suited to play power forward, but he lacks the muscle to battle bigger players full time. He’s listed generously at 210 pounds but could spend a summer in a meatpacking plant.

Anthony Gurley – Boston guard transferred from Wake Forest after the death of coach Skip Prosser to be closer to home. Gurley ((No. 38 PrepStars, 2006) can put up points in a hurry. He supplements 3-point range with a nice midrange jumper and also attacks the basket. As a freshman in the ACC, he averaged 6.4 points on 39% shooting, including a career high 24 vs. Georgia Tech. The 6-3 Gurley might be as talented as any perimeter player in the A-10. Few guards can match his combination of size, strength and athleticism. What he needs to show is more consistency on his jumper (32% 3PG) and good decision making (38 turnovers to 15 assists). Both were spotty as a freshman. Since he’s expected to start in a three-guard offense, Gurley will also have to help out on the boards and learn to defend bigger players.

David Gibbs – Combo guard with point capabilities (No. 138, Rivals) is fast in the open floor, shoots well from outside and uses his size and leaping ability to finish around the basket. Ford wriggled a verbal from Gibbs as a junior, and although his stock rose after a strong performance two summers ago, he stuck to his commitment, even after the coaching change. Gibbs played at the same high school as former Minuteman star Marcus Camby. He was also an AAU teammate of St. Joe’s recruit Chris Prescott.

“He’s a type of kid you can build this program around,” Kellogg told the Hampshire Gazette.

SCOUTING REPORT

The backcourt is the obvious strength of the team. Lowe makes the offense go and he’ll find a way to get some easy buckets for the bigmen. Harris and Gurley will supply the outside firepower. And all three will put pressure on opponents with dribble penetration. For a change of pace, Kellogg can go bigger with Glass at small forward without losing any outside shooting.

It will take time, however, for everyone to adapt to new roles in a new offense, especially the bigmen. Their development is crucial.

Of particular concern is rebounding (-1.5 margin), which was a weakness last year for UMass, especially before A-10 play. Kellogg has put heavy emphasis on boardwork in practice. “We’ve done more rebounding drills than a 7th-grade middle school team,” he said.

Gaffney could be one of the best rebounders in the league. Lynch also has the tools to be a glass cleaner. In a three-guard offense, the wing players also have to hit the boards hard.

How to get points in the paint is not as obvious. Bonner likes to hang around the 3-point line and Gaffney is not a fulltime answer. That leaves newcomer Lynch as perhaps the best option. The bigmen don’t have to score much, but they do have to finish when they get the chance.

They should get plenty of chances, too, under the new-fangled “dribble-drive-motion” offense. Put simply, the wing players constantly look to drive, dishing to bigmen for short-range shots or kicking the ball out to teammates for open treys. “Everything about this offense is about getting to the rack and hitting open threes,” Lowe said.

Yet by most accounts, this seemingly simple offense is not easy to master. For a first-time coach, even one very familiar for the system, the odds of his players struggling initially has to be considered high. If the Minutemen struggle early – UMass has a difficult noncon slate – it could prove costly later on.

All the talk of offense, meanwhile, cannot distract players from their defensive resonsibilities. On those nights when the outside shots are not falling and the inside game is missing, the Minutemen will have to defend better to have a chance to win.

“We’ve got to be able to lock people up,” Lowe said.

PREDICTION

The team might be on track for another 20-win season and potentially a third straight postseason tournament. Any A-10 program with such talented guards – in a league renowned for guard play – has to be considered one of the favorites. The UMass backcourt is arguably the league’s deepest and most talented in five years.

“We’re going to surprise a lot of people, just like last year ,” Lowe said.

Yet no one at UMass wants to settle for the NIT. The Minutemen veterans are now used to winning and the school is eager to get back to the NCAA for the first time since 1998. To get there, the players have to get with Kellogg’s offense quickly, the big guys simply have to get with it, and the defense cannot rest.

WH’s

NONCON PREDICTION: 9-5 (8-5 for RPI purposes)

W – vs. Arkansas-Monticello (2K Sports Classic)
W – at Southern Illinois (2K Sports Classic)
L – At Memphis
L – TBA, likely Duke, if UMass beats SIU (2K Sports Classic)
W – JACKSONVILLE STATE
L – At Green Bay-Wisconsin
W – At Toledo
W – BOSTON COLLEGE
W – HOLY CROSS
L – At Kansas
W – HOFSTRA
W – IUPUI
L – At Houston
W – VANDERBILT

UMass has a tough noncon sked, especially for a new coach with a new system. I could see as many as 9 Division 1 wins or as few as 5.

Arkansas-Monticello is a D2 school. Assuming a victory, UMass gets a very young SIU team. The game is in Carbondale, but SIU is even less settled in the frontcourt than UMass and it backcourt is not as good. This is a game a more veteran Minutemen team really should win.

Memphis has a very good frontcourt and is loaded with talent. An upset is not inconceivable but probably unlikely. If UMass beats SIU, the Minutemen would likely play Duke in the third round of the 2K Classic. I call it a loss. Duke’s defense carries the day.

Green Bay Wisconsin has all five starters back and it’s a physical team. I could see the Minutemen falling on the road, just like at IUPUI last year. Yet I don’t see UMass losing to W-GB and Toledo back to back. Both are winnable games against teams with less overall talent.

BC figures to be tough, but UMass is playing at home and the Eagles are young. Holy Cross loses 6-11 monster Tim Clifford and is not as talented as in recent years. UMass could lose either one, though.

A young Kansas team is supertalented and always tough at home. Hofstra is well coached and IUPUI is a solid team, but both lost the equivalent of college superstars (Antonio Agudio at Hofstra and George Hill at IUPUI).

Winning in Houston isn’t easy, although the Minutemen are capable with a superior backcourt. Vandy could be a big win at home. The students are on break and a big crowd is needed. The Commodores have become a very respectable program under Stallings. I expect a split.