March 9, 2009 | Atlantic 10 Website

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Saint Joseph’s senior forward Ahmad Nivins has been named the 2008-09 Atlantic 10 men’s basketball Player of the Year in voting conducted among the Conference’s 14 head coaches.

The A-10 coaches also selected Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure as the Rookie of the Year, Duquesne’s Aaron Jackson as the Chris Daniels Award recipient as the league’s most improved player, Delroy James of Rhode Island as Sixth Man of the Year, Massachusetts’ Tony Gaffney as Defensive Player of the Year and Rhode Island’s Jim Baron as Coach of the Year. In addition, Kevin Lisch of Saint Louis was tabbed Student-Athlete of the Year in voting among the league’s sports information directors.

Ahmad Nivins – Saint Joseph’s Hawks (F)

Nivins enters this week’s Atlantic 10 Championship (Mar. 11-14) in Atlantic City tied with Temple’s Dionte Christmas for the scoring lead with an average of 19.2 ppg. A third-team selection a year ago, the 6-9 forward from Jersey City, N.J., leads the Conference in rebounding (11.7 rpg.), minutes (39.43 mpg.) and double-doubles (20), while his league-best .625 shooting percentage (193-of-309) puts him on pace to join former George Washington standout Alexander Koul (1995-97) as the only players in A-10 history to lead the league in field goal percentage three consecutive years. A member of the All-Defensive Team, Nivins is the fourth player in SJU annals to earn the league’s Player of the Year honor and first since sharpshooter Pat Carroll in 2004-05.

A five-time Player of the Week selection this season, Nivins is joined on the All- Conference first-team by Christmas, Jimmy Baron of Rhode Island, Aaron Jackson of Duquesne and Xavier’s B.J. Raymond. Christmas is vying to become the league’s first-ever three-time scoring champion, while James is the first Duquesne player to garner first-team distinction since Mike James in 1997-98. The All-Conference second-team consists of Gaffney, Richmond’s Kevin Anderson, Derrick Brown of Xavier, Rodney Green of La Salle and Dayton’s Chris Wright. The third-team includes Lisch, Lavoy Allen of Temple, Massachusetts’ Ricky Harris, Lamont Mack of Charlotte and Rhode Island’s Kahiem Seawright.

Xavier’s C.J. Anderson, David Gonzalvez of Richmond, Dayton’s Marcus Johnson, Chris Lowe of UMass, and Damian Saunders of Duquesne earned honorable mention acclaim.

A program-record six-time A-10 Rookie of the Week selection, Nicholson enters this week’s A-10 Championship as the top freshman nationally in both blocked shots (79) and field goal percentage (.607 – 150-of-246). The Mississauga, Ontario, native is tied for second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg.) and third in rebounding (6.0 rpg.) and scored in double figures in 20 of the Bonnies’ 29 contests. The 6-9 forward is the first SBU freshman to garner Rookie of the Year honors since Alvin Lott in 1983-84.

Nicholson is joined on the All-Rookie team by Melquan Bolding of Duquesne, Fordham’s Jio Fontan, Dayton’s Chris Johnson and Kwamain Mitchell of Saint Louis.

With 113 blocks and 59 steals entering Massachusetts’ opening round contest versus Duquesne on Mar. 11, Gaffney is the first player nationally since Shelden Williams (Duke, 2005-06) to register 100 blocks and 50 steals in a season. The senior forward leads the A-10 in blocks (3.90 bpg.), ranks second in rebounding (10.2 rpg.) and steals (2.03 spg.) and pulled down at least 10 rebounds in 18 of the Minutemen’s 29 games.

The All-Defensive team is comprised of Gaffney, Allen, Nivins, Dayton’s London Warren and Garrett Williamson of Saint Joseph’s.

Jackson was tabbed the Atlantic 10’s Chris Daniels Award, presented to the Conference’s most improved player. A year ago, the Hartford, Conn., resident averaged nine points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. This season, the senior guard has blossomed into one of the most complete players in the Conference, ranking in the top five of the league in scoring (third – 18.3 ppg.), assists (third – 5.79 apg.), field goal percentage (fourth – .543) and steals (fifth – 1.72 spg.). The versatile James has provided a spark off the bench for the Rams as a junior, averaging 10.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in just 24.2 minutes per game. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native ranks third on the team in assists (65) and has a pair of 20-point performances to his credit.

A two-time Academic All-Conference selection, Lisch is averaging a team-leading 14.2 points and also leads the Billikens in three-pointers (69) and steals (37) en route to earning All-Conference honors for the second consecutive year. In the classroom, the Belleville, Ill., resident boasts a 3.48 grade point average while majoring in Business Administration. He was named to the 2008-09 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine All-America third-team.

Joining Lisch on the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference Team is Baron, Massachusetts’ Luke Bonner, Jason Duty of Duquesne and La Salle’s Yves Mekongo Mbala.

Selected by the league’s head coaches and media to finish ninth in the A-10 preseason poll, Baron led Rhode Island to an 11-5 league mark and 22-9 overall record. URI enters the Championship as the second seed and boasts the league’s highest scoring offense, averaging 80.1 ppg. The only coach in league history to earn A-10 Coach of the Year honors at two different schools, Baron was tabbed as the Conference’s Coach of the Year in 1995 while at St. Bonaventure and at Rhode Island in both 2003 and 2007. In eight seasons at URI, Baron is 130-116 (.528) and 336-318 overall (.514).

2008-09 ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS First-Team School Cl. Pos. Ht. Hometown PPG RPG Asts Stls Blks

First-Team

Jimmy Baron Rhode Island Sr. G. 6-3 East Grennwich, R.I. 16.8 2.7 60 22 2
Dionte Christmas Temple Sr. G 6-5 Philadelphia, Pa. 19.2 6.1 88 41 5
Aaron Jackson Duquesne Sr. G 6-4 Hartford, Conn. 18.3 5.7 168 50 3
Ahmad Nivins Saint Joseph’s Sr. F 6-9 Jersey City, N.J.     19.2 11.7 32 19 55
B.J. Raymond Xavier Sr. G/F 6-6 Toledo, Ohio 13.8 4.2 46 17 12 

Second-Team

Kevin Anderson Richmond So. G 5-11 Duluth, Ga. 16.2 2.9 82 44 2
Derrick Brown Xavier Jr. F 6-8 Dayton, Ohio 13.8 6.1 61 21 28
Tony Gaffney Massachusetts Sr. F 6-8 Berkley, Mass. 11.5 10.2 49 59 113
Rodney Green La Salle Jr. G 6-5 Philadelphia, Pa. 17.6 4.9 105 56 5
Chris Wright Dayton So. F 6-8 Trotwood, Ohio 13.1 6.5 29 28 37  

Third-Team

Lavoy Allen Temple So. F 6-9 Morrisville, Pa. 11.1 8.6 62 13 48
Ricky Harris Massachusetts Jr. G 6-2 Baltimore, Md. 18.2 2.9 44 37 5
Kevin Lisch Saint Louis Sr. G 6-2 Belleville, Ill. 14.2 3.4 75 37 1
Lamont Mack Charlotte Sr. F 6-7 Chicago, Ill. 15.1 5.6 27 24 10
Kahiem Seawright Rhode Island Sr. F 6-8 Uniondale, N.Y. 13.8 7.4 68 25 31

Honorable Mention

C.J. Anderson Xavier Sr. G/F 6-6 Cincinnati, Ohio 10.2 5.6 68 19 17
David Gonzalvez Richmond Jr. G 6-4 Marietta, Ga. 15.6 4.6 59 39 14
Marcus Johnson Dayton Jr. G 6-3 Cleveland, Ohio 12.1 3.2 50 26 15
Chris Lowe Massachusetts Sr. G 6-0 Mount Vernon, N.Y. 12.1 3.0 190 22 2
Damian Saunders Duquesne So. F 6-7 Waterbury, Conn. 13.3 7.9 66 66 66 

Rookie Team

Melquan Bolding Duquesne Fr. G/F 6-4 Mount Vernon, N.Y. 9.0 4.1 34 28 6
Jio Fontan Fordham Fr. G 5-11 Patterson, N.J. 15.3 2.7 132 33 3
Chris Johnson Dayton Fr. G/F 6-5 Columbus, Ohio 6.5 5.4 18 17 5
Kwamain Mitchell Saint Louis Fr. G 5-10 Milwaukee, Wis. 10.0 3.2 106 35 1
Andrew Nicholson St. Bonaventure Fr. F 6-9 Mississauga, Ontario 12.5 6.0 7 79 16 

Defensive Team

Lavoy Allen Temple So. F 6-9 Morrisville, Pa. 11.1 8.6 62 13 48
Tony Gaffney Massachusetts Sr. F 6-8 Berkley, Mass. 11.5 10.2 49 59 113
Ahmad Nivins Saint Joseph’s Sr. F 6-9 Jersey City, N.J.     19.2 11.7 32 19 55
London Warren Dayton Jr. G 6-0 Jacksonville, Fla. 4.2 2.7 126 48 4
Garrett Williamson Saint Joseph’s Jr. G 6-5 Lower Merion, Pa. 5.9 3.7 135 43 36

Academic Team

Jimmy Baron Rhode Island Sr. G 6-3 East Greenwich, R.I. Communication Studies
Luke Bonner Massachusetts Gr. C 7-1 Concord, N.H. Sports Management
Jason Duty Duquesne Jr. G 6-1 Cranberry Township, Pa. Accounting
Kevin Lisch Saint Louis Sr. G 6-2 Belleville, Ill. Business Administration
Yves Mekongo Mbala La Salle Jr. F 6-7 Elizabeth, N.J. Integrated Science & Business Technology

Player of the Year: Ahmad Nivins, Saint Joseph’s

Rookie of the Year: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

Defensive Player of the Year: Tony Gaffney, Massachusetts

Chris Daniels Most Improved Player of the Year: Aaron Jackson, Duquesne

Sixth Man of the Year: Delroy James, Rhode Island

Student-Athlete of the Year: Kevin Lisch, Saint Louis

Coach of the Year: Jim Baron, Rhode Island

AP Photo

March 7, 2009 by Chris Frechette | A10CollegeHoops

KINGSTON, RI — The stage was set for another big win for URI.  Marquis Jones had just hit two free throws to put the Rams up 71-70 with just six seconds to play.  After a UMass timeout, the Minutement inbounded the ball to their star point guard, Chris Lowe.  Lowe then dribbled the ball coast to coast for a gamewinning layup over Ram forward Kahiem Seawright to win the game, 72-71. 

Lowe got a little help on the play by teammate Matt Glass who made a crippling blind pick on URI defender, Lamonte Ulmer, sending Ulmer to the floor in a heap.  URI and it’s 7,707 fans in attendence were waiting to hear a whistle blown on the play that didn’t come.  Maybe if the play was earlier in the game, a whistle would’ve come, but not in the final seconds.  The Rams and Ram faithful just stood stunned after what had just transpired. 

It was games like these URI was just getting used to winning.  Like the Dayton game a few weeks back where the crowd rushed the floor on “Pinkout night” after Jones hit the game winning basket.  The feeling was similar at the sold out Ryan Center on senior night.  After  Jones drove the lane and was fouled by UMass center, Luke Bonner, Jones hit both free throws to put the Rams up by one.  Security advised those in the courtside seats to prepare to take cover in case the crowd rushed the floor again.  Unfortunately for URI, that scenario didn’t come.

Chris Lowe led the Minutement with 18 points and 7 assists.  Also in double figures for UMass (12-17, 7-9 A-10) were Ricky Harris with 13 points, Gary Corriea with 12, and Matt Glass with 13 points all in the first half.  It appreared as though Glass couldn’t miss as he hit open shot after open shot going 5-6 from the field and 3-4 from behind the 3 point arc.

URI Coach Jim Baron acknowledged the open shots allowed by his Rams.  “They shot the ball well,” he said.  “We let them have open shots and they hit them”. 

In the first half URI wasn’t hitting anything from 3 point range, going 0 for 12 from threes in the entire first half, including o for 5 from URI guard Jimmy Baron.  Baron did heat up in the second half scoring 16 of his game high 22 points on 4 of 7 shooting from three point range.  URI was also led by Lamonte Ulmer’s 12 points, mostly on alley oops, dunks and layups.  Ulmer shot 5 for 6 from the field and 2 for 3 from the charity stripe.  Delroy James chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds.

URI’s first three pointer came with 14:47 left in the second half from Jimmy Baron, who was the only Ram to hit a three pointer in the whole game as the Rams went 4 for 19 (21%) for the game.  Baron’s second three at 5:57 left in the second half broke the URI single season three point record of 99 as well as the Atlantic 10 all-time record of 342.  Baron ended up with 102 threes for the season and 344 for his career.

One can only wonder what this loss means for URI (22-9, 11-5 A-10) in their quest for an NCAA tourney bid.  The A-10 would clearly like to be represented by 3 teams in the NCAA tourney, but the problem seems that their top teams aren’t closing the season out with wins.  Temple, Dayton and now URI have all lost within the last seven days.

URI players and coaches wouldn’t speculate what this loss does for their tourney hopes, but UMass coach Derek Kellogg thinks highly of the Rams.  “They’re a NCAA tournament quality team,”  he said.  But Kellogg also wouldn’t speculate if this loss burst the Rams bubble.

“You got to give credit to Lowe, he made some big plays,”  Baron said.  “He made a great play with the layup on the last play”.

When asked about senior night, Baron said, “It’s emotionally draining, we were flat, and I knew it would be a hard fought game.  You can’t take anything for granted”.

The Rams need to heed that advice and not let the NCAA committee decide their fate.  Their way into the Big Dance may now only come by winning the A-10 tournament.

February 11, 2009 | AP Press

NEW YORK, NY – Tony Gaffney and Ricky Harris each scored 19 points and Massachusetts routed Fordham 91-68 on Wednesday.

Chris Lowe added 10 points for and a game-high seven assists for the Minutemen (9-13, 4-5 Atlantic 10).

Mike Moore led the Rams (3-18, 1-8) with 21 points. Fordham has lost three straight games, each by at least 23 points. Jio Fontan added 19 points for the Rams, and Jacob Green and Herb Tanner each scored 10.

Gaffney scored Massachusetts’s first five points, leading the Minutemen to a 9-0 lead.

Luke Bonner had a pair of 3-pointers in a 12-0 run that made it 34-13 with 8:46 of the first half. Then UMass ended the half on a 7-0 run to lead 57-28 at the break.

The Minutemen shot 51 percent from the field.

Massachusetts held the lead for most of the game, but St. Joseph’s found a way to battle back to a 68-64 win.

February 4, 2009 | AP Press

AMHERST, MA — Ricky Harris scored a game-high 24 points as Massachusetts came on strong in the second half Wednesday for an 80-71 win over Richmond.

Harris was 7-for-13 from the field, including 5-for-8 on 3-pointers, as UMass (8-12, 3-4 Atlantic 10) snapped a three-game losing streak.

Richmond (11-11, 3-4 Atlantic 10) was led by David Gonzalvez and Kevin Anderson, both with 18 points.

The Minutemen led the entire second half. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Anthony Gurley and Harris got UMass ahead 71-59 with a little more than four minutes to play.

Chris Lowe added 13 points for UMass, bringing his career total to 1,012, and 10 assists. Tony Gaffney had 12 points.

UMass used a 10-0 run to take a 25-19 lead in the first half. The lead changed hands seven times, but a 3-pointer by Luke Bonner and a free throw by Lowe brought UMass to a 32-32 tie at intermisson.

January 21, 2009 | AP Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Lamont Mack scored 23 points and Charlotte won its first Atlantic 10 Conference game of the season in a 69-64 overtime win against Massachusetts on Wednesday night.

Ian Andersen scored 13 for Charlotte (6-11, 1-3), including a 3-pointer that tied the game with 33.3 seconds left in regulation. He also hit four foul shots in overtime.

Ricky Harris scored 19 and Luke Bonner had 15 for Massachusetts, which saw its eight-point lead disappear in the final 5:30 of regulation. Anthony Gurley scored 10 for Massachusetts (7-10, 2-2).

Massachusetts regained control with a 18-0 run midway through the second half, taking the lead on David Gibbs’ drive at 43-42. Charlotte’s skid at the end of the second half began with a foul on Mack after a missed dunk by Tony Gaffney and a technical foul on coach Bobby Lutz.

December 20, 2008 | AP Press

AMHERST, MA – Luke Bonner returned to the Massachusetts lineup after missing seven games with a knee injury, scoring a career high 15 points and grabbing 9 rebounds to help the Minutemen beat Hofstra, 97-81, on Saturday.

Massachusetts (4-6) tied a school record with 15 3-pointers, including five by Anthony Gurley, who led the team with 19 points.

Cornelius Vines led Hofstra (8-2) with 21 points, while Greg Washington added 13 points and seven rebounds. The loss snapped the Pride’s eight-game winning streak.

Massachusetts won despite being outrebounded 61-32 as the Pride had more offensive rebounds (36) than the Minutemen had total boards.

Massachusetts led 48-32 at halftime, but Vines hit a 3-pointer to get Hofstra within 13 at 48-32. But the Minutemen went on a 13-2 run and pulled away from there.

November 18, 2008 | AP Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – During his years as a Memphis assistant, Derek Kellogg had seen the Tigers’ formula in many of their wins.

Let the opponent hang around for a bit, then start throwing more players at them, run them until they wear down and pull away in the second half.

Monday night, Kellogg — in his first year as Massachusetts coach — was on the receiving end of the tactic.

Antonio Anderson had 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds as No. 13 Memphis shook off a poor shooting performance to beat Massachusetts 80-58.”I’ve seen it before on that bench numerous times,” Kellogg said.

“Their process is, ‘We have more bodies than you. We have bigger, longer players than you, and we’re going to wear you down.’ At the end, they take advantage of it, and that formula worked again.”

Freshman Tyreke Evans had 19 points and Robert Dozier added 18 for the Tigers, who were limited to 39 percent shooting for the game, including 2-of-19 from outside three-point range. It marked the second straight game where Evans, one of last season’s prized recruits, led the Tigers (2-0) in scoring. Evans keyed a first-half rally that put the Tigers up for good.

“There were a lot of things that I didn’t like,” Memphis coach John Calipari said. “I’m going to go watch tape and probably pull my hair out.

“Ricky Harris led the Minutemen (1-2) with 17 points; Tony Gaffney scored 16 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds.

Calipari became the winningest coach in Memphis history with 221 victories, surpassing Larry Finch, who led the program from 1986 to 1997.The game was a real family affair.Kellogg, in his first year as coach at UMass, played for Calipari from 1991 to 1995 during Calipari’s tenure as coach of the Minutemen. Kellogg was an assistant under Calipari for eight years at Memphis before moving to his alma mater.

The Memphis crowd gave Kellogg a standing ovation when he was introduced at the start of the game.And, if that isn’t enough, Calipari’s daughter, Erin, is a fourth-year student at UMass. Calipari’s wife, Ellen, and his other daughter, Megan Rae, wore shirts representing both schools.Both coaches said afterward that they were just glad the game was over.

“Driving down, I thought: ‘If Derek wins, this would be a huge game for him on ESPN for recruiting,’ ” Calipari said. “Then I said: ‘Forget that.’ “Memphis built the lead to double digits in the first half and extended it to 27 in the second.

UMass was without 7-foot-1 senior center Luke Bonner, who injured his left knee in an 80-73 loss at Southern Illinois last week. In the second half Monday, the Minutemen lost 6-7 reserve forward Matt Hill to a left Achilles injury. But Gaffney’s effort allowed UMass to outrebound the Tigers 49-48.

“Tony Gaffney’s been absolutely phenomenal,” Kellogg said. “If we had two more of him, we’d have a pretty good record. We’re pretty thin, right now.”While Memphis struggled from the field, UMass was even worse, shooting 30 percent. Add in 24 turnovers, and the Minutemen were unable to stay in the game in the second half.The Tigers led 33-25 after a first half filled with poor shot selection, sloppy ballhandling and plenty of misfires from both teams.Harris was 3-of-5 from three-point range to lead UMass with 12 points in the first half.

Dozier had 12 points for Memphis and Evans had 11, seven coming during an 11-0 run that erased an early UMass lead and put Memphis up by double digits.

Dozier got inside for a handful of baskets to keep the Tigers in the game early, but turnovers, shots that barely caught the rim and difficult unsuccessful layup attempts led to anemic shooting percentages.

UMass shot 28 percent for the half; Memphis connected on 33 percent, but missed 11 of 12 3-pointers.

Memphis rebuilt the lead to double digits when Shawn Taggart, who had seven points and 11 rebounds, converted a three-point play with 15:37 left in the game, and Massachusetts never got the deficit to less than 10 the rest of the way.

“Guys just didn’t make shots,” Anderson said of the Memphis shooting. “That’s how it goes. … When guys aren’t making shots, we’ve got to figure out another way to earn the win. We did that by driving the ball and attacking the rim.”

November 11, 2008 | AP Press

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Behind double-doubles from seniors Chris Lowe and Tony Gaffney, the Minutemen kicked off a new era of UMass men’s basketball with a 90-71 win over Arkansas-Monticello in Derek Kellogg’s head coaching debut on Tuesday evening. Lowe (18 points, 11 assists) finished just four assists shy of tying the school-record of 15 while Gaffney’s double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds) was the first of his collegiate career. The final three minutes of the first half proved to be the difference as the Minutemen erased a two-point deficit with a 15-4 run to take a nine-point advantage heading into the locker room. With the win, the Minutemen advance to face the winner of California (Pa.) and host Southern Illinois in the regional final of the 2K Sports Classic on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, with a trip to Madison Square Garden on the line.

Junior Ricky Harris avenged a slow start to pour in 22 points, two rebounds, and three steals. He finished 7-of-19 from the floor and 5-of-9 from behind the three-point arc despite the NCAA moving back the three point line a foot this year.

Ricky, what are your thoughts on the 3pt line being pushed back a foot this year?

“I don’t think it changes things that much,” UMass guard Ricky Harris said. “If I’m open, I still have the confidence. It doesn’t change the shot selection.

“It wasn’t like our toes were always on the line when we shot them last year,” said Harris, who scored 22 points and went 5-of-9 from 3-point range.

For the game, the Minutemen shot 46% (31-67) and 44% (12-27) from three-point range. Rebounds were even at 41-41, a number coming on the offensive end (18 for UMass and 19 for Arkansas-Monticello).

After surviving a first-half scare, the Minutemen came out strong out of the locker room to seal the victory in the second. Arkansas-Monticello wouldn’t go away, pulling back within 11 at 67-56. Freshman David Gibbs responded with a three-pointer, the first collegiate points of his career, to make it 70-56.

Gaffney’s alley-oop from freshman Tyrell Lynch was icing on the cake, making it 83-64 with three minutes remaining in the second half. The Minutemen would go on to open up two 21-point leads, their largest leads of the game, at 88-67 and 90-69.

UMass controlled play early in the first half, taking an 11-point advantage at 14-3 after senior Luke Bonner’s three-pointer at the 16:06 mark. Arkansas-Monticello hung tough, eventually taking a 33-31 advantage, but the Minutemen answered with a 13-0 run (and 15-4 to end the half), for the 47-38 halftime lead.

The Minutemen now look ahead to a date with either Southern Illinois or California (Pa.) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. The winner of the Southern Illinois region faces the winner of the Duke region in the 2K Sports Classic Semifinals held next Thursday, Nov. 20, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

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.