University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Look For Third Straight Conference Win
January 18, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2000
AMHERST, Mass. - This will be the fifth meeting between UMass and Dayton, with the Minutemen leading the all-time series 3-1. UMass has won the last two meetings between the schools, and has also won every meeting played in Amherst. The Minutemen posted a 59-57 overtime victory at Dayton last season, and also won by scores of 85-69 at the Mullins Center on Feb. 1, 1998, and 78-58 at the Mullins Center on Jan. 6, 1996, in the first-ever meeting between the teams. The lone victory for the Flyers came on Feb. 23, 1997, with a 69-67 win in Dayton.
UMass (8-7, 2-1 A-10) vs. Dayton (12-3, 2-1 A-10)
January 20, 2000 - 2:00 p.m. - Atlantic 10 Television Network
William D. Mullins Memorial Center (9,493) - Amherst, Mass.
Television: Atlantic 10 Television Network (Matt Devlin, play-by-play, Doris Burke, color, affiliates include Fox Sports New England, Fox Sports Pittsburgh, Fox Sports Ohio and ESPN Full Court)
Radio: UMass Radio Network (WHMP 99.3 FM / 1400 AM, Northampton, flagship, Bob Behler, play-by-play, Skip Connors and Jack Leaman, color)
UMass Student Radio (WMUA 91.1 FM, Amherst)
Dayton Radio Network (WHIO 1290 AM, flagship, Dax Dunbar, play-by-play, Bucky Bockhorn, color)
Series Quick Facts
| Overall Series | UMass, 3-1 |
| Bruiser Flint vs. Dayton | 2-1 |
| Last Meeting | UMass (59-57, OT) on 1/28/99 at Dayton |
| Most UMass Points | 85, (85-69) on 2/1/98 at UMass |
| Fewest UMass Points | 59, (50-84) on 1/28/99 at Dayton |
| Largest UMass Margin | 20, (78-58) on 1/6/96 at UMass |
| Most Dayton Points | 69 twice, last on 2/1/98 at UMass |
| Fewest Dayton Points | 57, (57-59, OT) on 1/28/99 at Dayton |
| Largest Dayton Margin | 2, (67-69) on 2/23/97 at Dayton |
| In Overtime | UMass, 1-0 |
Probable Starters & Key Reserves
| No. | Name | Pos. | Yr. | Ht. | PPG | RPG |
| 22 | Chris Kirkland | F | Sr. | 6-6 | 15.1 | 6.1 |
| 23 | Mike Babul | F | Sr. | 6-6 | 2.9 | 2.8 |
| 33 | Kitwana Rhymer | C | Jr. | 6-10 | 5.9 | 7.4 |
| 5 | Monty Mack | G | Sr. | 6-3 | 19.9 | 3.2 |
| 30 | Shannon Crooks | G | So. | 6-2 | 10.5 | 3.7 |
| -- | ||||||
| 40 | Micah Brand | C | Fr. | 6-11 | 4.4 | 3.6 |
| 20 | Winston Smith | F | Jr. | 6-5 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| 1 | Jonathan DePina | G | Jr. | 5-9 | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| 0 | Anthony Oates | C | Sr. | 6-10 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
| 3 | Ronell Blizzard | F | So. | 6-8 | 2.3 | 1.6 |
Statistical Matchup
| UMass | Statistics | Dayton |
| 68.5 | Scoring Average | 72.9 |
| 65.2 | Scoring Defense | 64.9 |
| +3.3 | Scoring Margin | +8.1 |
| 41.2 | Field Goal % | 43.0 |
| 42.0 | FG % Defense | 43.0 |
| 35.0 | 3-Point Field Goal % | 37.0 |
| 31.7 | 3 FG % Defense | 33.3 |
| 63.5 | Free Throw % | 71.1 |
| 37.7 | Rebound Average | 37.3 |
| 38.5 | Rebounds Against Average | 32.9 |
| -8.0 | Rebound Margin | +4.4 |
| 15.3 | Turnovers | 13.2 |
| 17.3 | Turnovers Forced | 15.6 |
| +1.9 | Turnover Margin | +2.4 |
Hitting in the Clutch
UMass has made 63.5 percent of its free throws this season, a mark which ranks last in the Atlantic 10 Conference. But in the game at St. Joseph's on Sunday, the Minutemen came through with a number of clutch free throws to clinch the victory in the closing minute. With UMass up by three with only 38 seconds remaining, Chris Kirkland connected on both ends of a one-and-one to put the Minutemen up 70-65. With 23 seconds remaining, Jonathan DePina hit on the front end of a one-and-one, before missing the second shot to make the UMass lead 71-68. Kitwana Rhymer then connected on both ends on a one-and-one with only eight seconds left to put the game out of reach at 73-69.
Mack Stays Hot
Senior Monty Mack has led UMass in scoring in each of the last eight games. During that span he has scored at least 20 points six times, while hitting for 19 points on the other two occasions. He began the streak by scoring 30 points in the victory over Florida State, totaling 20 points against Southern Illinois and scoring 21 points in only 15 minutes of action against American-Puerto Rico. Mack then totaled 20 points in the Boston College game, scored 22 points at Providence and had 19 points against St. Bonaventure. Finally, in the last two games Mack put up 22 points against Fordham and then scored 19 points at St. Joseph's. He has scored in double figures 14 times in 15 games this season, and has now reached double digits 68 times in his 77-game UMass career. For the season, Mack is averaging 19.8 points per game to rank 25th in the country and second in the Atlantic 10. He has a chance to become the first UMass player to average 20 points per game for a season since Marcus Camby, who scored 20.5 points per game in 1995-96.
Kirkland Keeps On Producing
Senior co-captain Chris Kirkland, who has been one of the top offensive threats for the Minutemen all season long, has been particularly effective over the last few games. In Sunday's victory at St. Joseph's Kirkland totaled 18 points and eight rebounds, while also dishing out a career-best six assists. He played particularly well in the closing minutes of the game, scoring eight of UMass' last 13 points on three field goals and a pair of free throws. In the previous game at Fordham, Kirkland totaled 21 points, five rebounds, five steals and two assists. He also recorded double-doubles against both St. Bonaventure and Providence, totaling 16 points and 10 rebounds against the Bonnies and recording 12 points and 11 rebounds against the Friars. Over the last four games, Kirkland has averaged 16.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals. He has led the team in scoring three times this year and in rebounds five times, while scoring in double figures in 13 out of 15 games. For the season, Kirkland is averaging 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while hitting on 46.3 percent of his field goal attempts. He currently ranks third in the Atlantic 10 Conference in field goal percentage, 11th in scoring and 12th in rebounding. Dating back to last season, Kirkland has now scored in double figures 20 times in his last 22 games, including six double doubles.
Rhymer Plays Big at St. Joseph's
Junior Kitwana Rhymer had another outstanding game for the Minutemen in Sunday's victory over St. Joseph's. Rhymer recorded his second double double of the season against the Hawks, totaling 12 points and 12 rebounds on the afternoon. He also converted on all six of his free throw attempts, including both ends of a one-and-one with only eight seconds remaining to secure the victory. Earlier this season Rhymer scored a career-high 13 points against Boston College in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic, while he pulled down a career-best 17 rebounds at Connecticut. He also registered a double double against Marshall with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Rhymer currently ranks fourth in the Atlantic 10 Conference with an average of 7.7 rebounds per game, while scoring 6.3 points per contest. He has been the top rebounder for the Minutemen eight times in 15 games, while recording at least eight rebounds in a game nine times.
Stealing the Show
Through 15 games this season, UMass has totaled 137 steals as a team, a mark which ranks third in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Currently averaging 9.13 steals per contest, the Minutemen have a good shot at breaking the school record for steals per game, which is currently held by the 1989-90 squad with an average of 8.58 steals. UMass could also break the school record for total steals in a single year, depending on how far it advances in the postseason. At their current pace, the Minutemen would need to play five postseason games (in addition to their 29 regular season contests) to match the mark of 311 steals, which was set by the 1995-96 squad in 37 games. Monty Mack currently leads the team in steals with 32, followed by Chris Kirkland with 25 and Shannon Crooks with 24.
Crooks Returns to Starting Lineup
Sophomore guard Shannon Crooks, who has started at point guard in each of the last four games, continues to be one of the top scoring threats for the Minutemen. He has scored in double figures six times in the last seven games, while hitting for nine points the only time he did not break into double digits. At St. Joseph's, Crooks scored nine points, while hitting on two of three three-point attempts. He totaled 10 points, four rebounds, four steals, two blocks and two assists against Fordham, while scoring 14 points against St. Bonaventure. Crooks tied his career-highs of 17 points and six rebounds at Providence, and also played well during each of UMass' games at the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic. Crooks began the tournament with 13 points and six rebounds against Southern Illinois, then recorded a career-high 17 points and three assists against American-Puerto Rico. In the final game, he totaled 11 points and three rebounds against Boston College. Over the last seven games, Crooks has averaged 13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, while hitting on seven of 15 three-point attempts. For the season, Crooks has now reached double figures in scoring nine times. He previously scored 13 points at Detroit, had 11 points at Iona in the season opener, and scored 10 points against Boston University. For the year, Crooks is averaging 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He ranks third on the team in scoring and second in assists.
A Visit with Dayton
Dayton enters today's game with an overall record of 12-3 and a 2-1 mark in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Flyers had some impressive results during their non-conference schedule, including road wins over New Mexico and Marquette, and a neutral-site victory over Kentucky. Dayton defeated Virginia Tech and Xavier at home in its first two league games, before falling at Fordham last Saturday. Junior guard Tony Stanley leads the team in scoring with an average of 14.6 points per game, hitting on 33 of 88 three-point attempts. Senior center Mark Ashman leads the Flyers in rebounds with 6.7 per game, while also ranking second in scoring with 13.3 points per contest. Sophomore guard David Morris is also having a solid year, averaging 9.3 points and 3.9 assists. Head coach Oliver Purnell is in his sixth season as head coach of the Flyers, with an overall record of 79-80. The 1998 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, Purnell's career record stands at 180-155, including three seasons at Old Dominion and three seasons at Radford.
Individual Career Totals
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks |
| Mack | 1,282 | 271 | 170 | 100 | 11 |
| Kirkland | 535 | 294 | 70 | 62 | 29 |
| Babul | 367 | 289 | 145 | 68 | 47 |
| DePina | 216 | 101 | 169 | 50 | 3 |
| Rhymer | 166 | 194 | 3 | 10 | 54 |
| Crooks | 156 | 53 | 38 | 19 | 8 |
| Smith | 151 | 136 | 49 | 21 | 5 |
| Brand | 66 | 53 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Blizzard | 50 | 44 | 5 | 5 | 9 |
| Oates | 11 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Denson | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Johnson | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| Early | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sticking the Treys
Monty Mack is known as one of the top three-point shooters in the nation, but UMass' other guards have also shown an ability to hit from outside. In Sunday's victory at St. Joseph's, both Shannon Crooks and Jonathan DePina connected on two of three three-point attempts. As a team, UMass hit 6 of 11 treys against the Hawks, marking the second time this season the Minutemen have made more than 50 percent of their three-point attempts. For the year, UMass' three guards have now combined to hit on 62 of 169 three-point attempts, good for a percentage of 36.7. Mack has connected on 43 of 121 three-point shots, while Crooks has hit 12 of 33 and DePina has been good on seven of 15 attempts.
Captains of the Ship
Senior leadership has always played an important part of UMass basketball and this year should be a banner year in that department. Seniors Mike Babul and Chris Kirkland were named co-captains this year not only because of their improved play but because of their leadership skills and poise under fire.
Block Party
Once again this season, UMass is one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference at blocking shots. Through their first 15 games, the Minutemen have blocked a total of 68 shots, with their average of 4.53 blocks per game good for third place in the Atlantic 10. Leading the way has been junior center Kitwana Rhymer, who has totaled 33 blocks this season for an average of 2.2 per game. Rhymer currently ranks second in the conference in blocked shots, behind only Dennis Mims of Virginia Tech (2.27 blocks per game). Rhymer has a chance to become the fourth player in school history to lead the Atlantic 10 in blocked shots, a feat which has previously been accomplished by Edwin Green (2.3 blocks per game in 1983-84), Harper Williams (2.1 blocks per game in 1990-91) and Marcus Camby (3.62 blocks per game in 1993-94, 3.43 blocks per game in 1994-95, and 3.88 blocks per game in 1995-96).
The Stopper
Senior Mike Babul is known nationally as one of the best defensive players in the country. In the season opener he locked down MAAC preseason player of the year Tarik Kirksay. Babul, who had been nursing a lower back strain, did not draw the assignment at the beginning of the game and Kirksay would score 15 first half points. The high scoring Gael would fail to register a field goal in the second half after Babul took over on the coverage. Babul then clamped down on No. 7 UConn's Kevin Freeman. Freeman was 1-8 from the field and scored two points in 37 minutes of action. At Providence, Babul shut down Erron Maxey who was averaging 16.7 points per game. Maxey could manage only seven points, all of them coming while Babul was on the bench. Finally, in Sunday's victory at St. Joseph's, Babul helped shut down Tim Brown, the Atlantic 10's top three-point shooter. Brown did not score, and could manage only two three-point attempts.
| Player(school) | fg-fga | 3fg-3fga | Pts | Avg. |
| Tarik Kirksay (Iona)* | 0-2 | 0-0 | 5 | 13.8 |
| Kevin Freeman (UConn) | 1-8 | 0-0 | 2 | 13.3 |
| Erron Maxey (Providence) | 2-4 | 1-1 | 7 | 16.7 |
| Tim Brown (St. Joseph's) | 0-3 | 0-2 | 0 | 11.6 |
*second half only
The Last Meeting
The Minutemen posted a 59-57 overtime victory at Dayton on Jan. 28, 1999, in the last meeting between the two schools. UMass outscored the Flyers 6-4 in the extra period to earn its first-ever victory at UD Arena. Monty Mack came up big in overtime with four points, including the game-winning bucket with 10 seconds left on the clock. Dayton's Tony Stanley had an open look at the basket with 0.7 seconds remaining in overtime, but could not convert. Lari Ketner led the Minutemen with a double double, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds. UMass also took advantage of some solid free throw shooting by hitting 12 of 16 attempts, while Dayton could convert on only eight of 15 trips to the line. (A complete box score from the game can be found on page 87 of the UMass basketball media guide.)
Brand Contributes off the Bench
Freshman center Micah Brand has contributed some key minutes off the bench along the UMass front line so far this season. In the win over Fordham he tied his career high with seven rebounds, while also recording three points, two assists and a block. Brand also pulled down seven rebounds in the Providence game, to go along with four points in only 12 minutes of action. Against American-Puerto Rico, he scored 11 points on five of six shooting, while also bringing down five rebounds. In the Detroit game, Brand scored 11 points on five of eight shooting and pulled down four rebounds, while tying his career-high for minutes played with 22. A week earlier at Boston College, he scored nine points on four of six shooting, in addition to recording four rebounds. In the first game of his collegiate career at Iona, Brand tied for the team lead by pulling down a career-high seven rebounds. Through his first 15 games as a Minuteman, Brand has averaged 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest. The only freshman on the UMass roster, Brand has played 13.3 minutes per game, while hitting on nearly 50 percent of his field goal attempts (28 of 57).
1,000 Point Club
Jim McCoy's 2,374 points is Massachusetts' all-time scoring mark established from 1988-92. In 90 years of UMass basketball there have been 34 Minutemen to reach the 1,000 point plateau. Senior Monty Mack is the latest, reaching the mark against Iona in only his 63rd game. Here is his current total and where he currently ranks at UMass:
| 9. | Edwin Green (1980-84) | 1,393 |
| 10. | Marcus Camby (1993-96) | 1,387 |
| 11. | Julius Erving (1969-71) | 1,370 |
| 12. | Clarence Hill (1962-66) | 1,369 |
| 13. | Monty Mack (1997-present) | 1,282 |
| 14. | Billy Tindal (1965-68) | 1,277 |
| 15. | Doug Grutchfield (1958-61) | 1,257 |
| 16. | Al Skinner (1971-74) | 1,235 |
| 17. | Donta Bright (1993-96) | 1,229 |
Any Time, Any Place, Any Team
This season, UMass has 10 teams on its schedule which appeared in the 1999 NCAA Tournament and two teams that competed in last year's NIT. This schedule includes a game against defending national champion Connecticut, to go along with games against perennial national powers Texas and Villanova, 1999 NCAA Tourney participants Detroit, Rhode Island, Temple and George Washington, and NIT participants Xavier and Providence. The Minutemen will appear on television at least 20 times this year, including seven national telecasts.
Climbing the Charts
Senior Monty Mack is attacking the UMass career leader boards for three-point shooting. His 86 three-pointers made last season were the third best single season performance in UMass history. He has 43 three-pointers on the season and currently sits third all-time for three-pointers made at UMass. At his current pace, he will pass Carmelo Travieso as the all-time leader in three-pointers made.
3-point Field Goals Made
| Player | 3FG | 3FGA | Pct. | Years | |
| 1. | Carmelo Travieso '97 | 245 | 666 | .368 | 1993-97 |
| 2. | Rafer Giles '91 | 221 | 592 | .373 | 1987-91 |
| 3. | Monty Mack '00 | 183 | 504 | .363 | 1997- |
| 4. | Lorenzo Sutton '88 | 178 | 424 | .420 | 1984-88 |
| 5. | Derek Kellogg '95 | 138 | 362 | .381 | 1991-95 |
| 6. | Edgar Padilla '97 | 136 | 431 | .316 | 1993-97 |
| 7. | Mike Williams '95 | 123 | 406 | .303 | 1991-95 |
| 8. | Tony Barbee '93 | 116 | 341 | .340 | 1989-93 |
| 9. | Charlton Clarke '99 | 113 | 339 | .333 | 1995-99 |
| 10. | Anton Brown '92 | 92 | 218 | .422 | 1988-92 |
3-point Field Goal Attempts
| Player | 3FG | 3FGA | Pct. | Years | |
| 1. | Carmelo Travieso '97 | 245 | 666 | .368 | 1993-97 |
| 2. | Rafer Giles '91 | 221 | 592 | .373 | 1987-91 |
| 3. | Monty Mack '00 | 183 | 504 | .363 | 1997- |
| 4. | Edgar Padilla '97 | 136 | 431 | .316 | 1993-97 |
| 5. | Lorenzo Sutton '88 | 178 | 424 | .420 | 1984-88 |
| 6. | Mike Williams '95 | 123 | 406 | .303 | 1991-95 |
| 7. | Derek Kellogg '95 | 138 | 362 | .381 | 1991-95 |
| 8. | Tony Barbee '93 | 116 | 341 | .340 | 1989-93 |
| 9. | Charlton Clarke '99 | 113 | 339 | .333 | 1995-99 |
| 10. | Anton Brown '92 | 92 | 218 | .422 | 1988-92 |
3-point Field Goal Percentage (min. 45 made)
| Player | 3FG | 3FGA | Pct. | Years | |
| 1. | Carl Smith '87 | 54 | 122 | .443 | 1983-87 |
| 2. | Anton Brown '92 | 92 | 218 | .422 | 1988-92 |
| 3. | Lorenzo Sutton '88 | 178 | 424 | .420 | 1984-88 |
| 4. | Jerome Malloy '95 | 86 | 215 | .400 | 1991-93 |
| 5. | Derek Kellogg '95 | 138 | 362 | .381 | 1991-95 |
| 6. | Rafer Giles '91 | 221 | 592 | .373 | 1987-91 |
| 7. | Carmelo Travieso '97 | 245 | 666 | .368 | 1993-97 |
| 8. | Monty Mack '00 | 183 | 504 | .363 | 1997- |
| 9. | Tony Barbee '93 | 116 | 341 | .340 | 1989-93 |
| 10. | Charlton Clarke '99 | 113 | 339 | .333 | 1995-99 |
Love Those Cameras
ESPN and UMass have gotten to know each other pretty well over the years. This Saturday's Rhode Island game will be the 55th time ESPN has televised a UMass basketball game since the '90s began. UMass posts a 34-20 (.630) record on ESPN and 73-39 (.652) record overall in the 1990's on the national networks. The Villanova game was UMass' 21st appearance on ESPN2 where the Minutemen have posted a record of 13-8 (.619).
Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Cup
UMass sits atop the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Cup standings through the completion of the fall sports season. UMass earned 49.5 points during the fall season, six points better than second place Rhode Island. Massachusetts relied on a strong showing from its women's programs, grabbing 32 of its points on that side of the ledger. The Minutewomen earned first-place finishes in field hockey and women's cross country to catapult to the lead.
| Overall | Men | Women | ||
| 1. | UMass | 49.5 | 17.5 | 32.0 |
| 2. | Rhode Island | 43.5 | 19.0 | 24.5 |
| 3. | Virginia Tech | 38.0 | 18.0 | 20.0 |
| 4. | Dayton | 35.5 | 11.0 | 24.5 |
| 5. | Duquesne | 32.0 | 17.0 | 15.0 |
| 6. | La Salle | 30.5 | 16.5 | 14.0 |
| 7. | St. Joseph's | 28.0 | 13.0 | 15.0 |
| 8. | Xavier | 27.0 | 5.0 | 22.0 |
| 9. | Temple | 23.0 | 5.5 | 17.5 |
| 10. | St. Bonaventure | 20.5 | 10.5 | 10.0 |
| 11. | George Washington | 17.5 | 5.0 | 12.5 |
| 12. | Fordham | 13.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 |
Welcome to the Team
Senior Dwayne Early is the latest addition to the UMass basketball family. Early is a 6-4, 205-pound walk-on guard from Springfield Central High School. Early will be wearing No. 24 this season. Joining him is C.W. Post transfer, Dale Menendez. Menendez is 5-8, 180 pound point guard who will not be eligible to play this season due to NCAA transfer rules. At Westhampton Beach high school, Menendez led his team to the New York State Class B Championship after posting a perfect 28-0 record. He pulled double duty for Westhampton scoring 1,000 points while also rushing for 1,000 yards in his career as a tailback.
Sparking with Flint
Coach Bruiser Flint has already established himself as one of the best young head coaches in the country and his record at UMass supports it. With 40 wins in his first 63 games at the helm, he achieved that win total faster than any other UMass coach in Minuteman history. In only his fourth season he is already moving up the career wins chart by leaps and bounds. Flint moved into fifth place on the career wins list with win number 58 after beating Villanova at the Mullins Center on December 6th.
| Coach | Years | Wins | |
| 1. | Jack Leaman | 1966-79 | 217 |
| 2. | John Calipari | 1988-96 | 193 |
| 3. | Harold M. Gore | 1916-30, 1931-32 | 119 |
| 4. | Robert Curran | 1952-59 | 81 |
| 5. | BRUISER FLINT | 1996-present | 62 |
| 6. | Matthew Zunic | 1959-63 | 57 |
| 7. | Ron Gerlufsen | 1983-88 | 55 |
| 8. | John M. Orr | 1963-66 | 39 |
Where To Find UMass Basketball
on television
The Minutemen will make at least 20 television appearances during the 1999-2000 season. The Dayton game will be the 11th television game of the season, and will be carried by the Atlantic 10 Television Network. On the year, UMass will appear on ABC once, on ESPN three times, ESPN2 three times, on the Atlantic 10 Network six times, on New England Sports Network twice, on SportsChannel Florida once, on Fox Sports Detroit once and WGGB TV in Springfield three times. So far this season, the Minutemen have gone 5-5 in televised games.
on radio
All University of Massachusetts basketball games can be heard live on the UMass Basketball Radio Network, with WHMP 99.3 FM / 1400 AM (Northampton) serving as the flagship station. Bob Behler has taken over as the play-by-play announcer this season, while former UMass coach Jack Leaman is in his sixth year as color analyst and former Minuteman Skip Connors is in his third season. Here is a list of affiliates for the Dayton game:
- WXKS 1430 AM (Boston)
- WTAG 580 AM (Worcester)
- WCAP 980 AM (Lowell)
- WATD 95.9 FM (Marshfield)
- WBNW 1120 AM (Concord)
- WBRK 1340 AM (Pittsfield)
- WSAR 1480 AM (Fall River)
the UMass basketball show
Head coach Bruiser Flint's weekly television show, "The UMass Basketball Show with Bruiser Flint presented by the TJX Companies," airs on WGGB TV, channel 40 in Springfield, on Sunday evenings at 11:35 p.m. The show will also be shown by WGGB on Sunday afternoons at 12:30 p.m., on weekends when UMass does not play a Sunday game. Fox Sports New England will carry the show on a tape delay basis on Monday evenings.
THE BRUISER FLINT SHOW
Head coach Bruiser Flint's weekly radio show, "The Bruiser Flint Show," is on live from Rafter's Sports Bar & Restaurant in Amherst from 6:00-7:00 p.m.., on WHMP 99.3 FM / 1400 AM (Northampton). Selected shows will also be broadcast on WORC (Worcester) and WBRK (Pittsfield). The show, hosted by Bob Behler, runs throughout the entire season. The show generally takes place on Monday evenings, but the night may vary in accordance with the UMass schedule.
ON the internet
Information on Minuteman basketball and all 29 of UMass' varsity sports is available through the UMass Athletics home page at "http://www.umassathletics.com". Links to UMass basketball radio broadcasts can also be found on the home page.
Comeback Kids
UMass has rallied from double digit deficits on 15 occasions to claim victory during the last six years. This resiliency has shown twice this season, in the victories over Villanova and Boston College. The Wildcats held a 11 point lead with 16 minutes left in the game. UMass would hold 'Nova scoreless for over eight minutes and hold it to 20 points in the second half as UMass came back for the one point win. Two days earlier the Minutemen did it again at Boston College when the Eagles ran out to a 12-2 lead and held a 10 point lead off and on until the 5:51 mark in the first half up 26-16. The Minutemen would then go on a 20-9 run to finish the half with a one point lead. Here is a complete list of the comebacks made by UMass since January, 1995:
| Opponent | Date | Time Remaining | Score | Final Score | |
| West Virginia | Jan. 27, 1995 | 4:48 in second | 80-62, West Virginia | 97-94 (ot), UMass | |
| Maryland | Dec. 2, 1995 | 4:39 in first | 28-12, Maryland | 50-47, UMass | |
| Boston College | Dec. 9, 1995 | 3:52 in first | 33-20, Boston College | 65-57, UMass | |
| Pittsburgh | Jan. 23, 1996 | 13:01 in first | 15-3, Pittsburgh | 79-71 (ot), UMass | |
| Xavier | Feb. 4, 1996 | 10:59 in first | 23-12, Xavier | 78-74 (ot), UMass | |
| La Salle | Feb. 15, 1996 | 19:40 in second | 30-20, La Salle | 70-53, UMass | |
| Drexel | Dec. 12, 1996 | 12:00 in first | 14-2, Drexel | 69-48, UMass | |
| Rhode Island | Jan. 21, 1997 | 9:51 in first | 21-11, Rhode Island | 64-60, UMass | |
| George Washington | Jan. 30, 1997 | 6:30 in first | 26-16, GW | 68-63, UMass | |
| Rhode Island | Feb. 8, 1997 | 3:40 in first | 29-19, Rhode Island | 64-61, UMass | |
| UNC-Charlotte | Jan. 15, 1998 | 13:50 in second | 42-32, UNC-Charlotte | 68-62, UMass | |
| St. Joseph's | Feb. 21, 1998 | 12:18 in second | 52-41, St. Joseph's | 82-79, UMass | |
| Dayton | Jan. 28, 1999 | 3:19 in first | 25-15, Dayton | 59-57 (ot), UMass | |
| Boston College | Dec. 4, 1999 | 5:51 in first | 26-16, Boston College | 74-67, UMass | |
| Villanova | Dec. 6, 1999 | 16:00 in second | 33-22, Villanova | 52-51, UMass |
Around the Atlantic 10 Conference
1999-2000 Atlantic 10 Standings(through games of 1/17/2000)
| EAST | A-10 | Pct. | Overall | Pct. |
| St. Bonaventure | 4-0 | 1.000 | 12-2 | .857 |
| Temple | 3-1 | .750 | 9-4 | .692 |
| UMass | 2-1 | .667 | 8-7 | .533 |
| Rhode Island | 1-2 | .333 | 4-12 | .250 |
| Fordham | 1-3 | .250 | 8-8 | .500 |
| St. Joseph's | 1-3 | .250 | 6-7 | .462 |
| WEST | A-10 | Pct. | Overall | Pct. |
| Duquesne | 3-1 | .750 | 8-7 | .533 |
| Dayton | 2-1 | .667 | 12-3 | .800 |
| Xavier | 2-2 | .500 | 11-5 | .688 |
| Virginia Tech | 2-2 | .500 | 8-7 | .533 |
| George Washington | 0-2 | .000 | 6-9 | .400 |
| La Salle | 0-3 | .000 | 6-8 | .429 |
This Week in the Atlantic 10
Saturday, Jan. 15Fordham 70, Dayton 61 *
Rhode Island 75, La Salle 66 *
Virginia Tech 82, George Washington 72 *
St. Bonaventure 57, Temple 56 *
Duquesne 85, Xavier 78 *
Sunday, Jan. 16
UMass 73, St. Joseph's 69 *
Tuesday, Jan. 18
Duquesne at Rhode Island * 7:30 p.m.
Temple at La Salle * 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 19
Fordham at Virginia Tech * 7:00 p.m.
George Washington at St. Joseph's * 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 20
Pennsylvania at Temple 7:00 p.m.
Dayton at UMass * 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 22
Rhode Island at UMass * 12:00 p.m.
St. Bonaventure at Fordham * 1:00 p.m.
George Washington at Dayton * 2:00 p.m.
Virginia Tech at Temple * 4:00 p.m.
St. Joseph's at Duquesne * 7:35 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 23
La Salle at Xavier * 2:00 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 24
Virginia Tech vs. Virginia (at Richmond, Va.) 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25
St. Joseph's at Rhode Island * 7:30 p.m.
La Salle at Dayton * 7:30 p.m.
Xavier at Temple * 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 26
St. Bonaventure at George Washington * 7:30 p.m.
* denotes conference games
UMass in the A-10 Team Rankings
| Category | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Blocked Shots | 3rd | 4.53 |
| Steals | 3rd | 9.13 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 4th | 14.60 |
| 3-Point Field Goal Percentage Defense | 4th | .317 |
| Field Goal Percentage Defense | 4th | .420 |
| Rebounding Offense | 4th | 37.3 |
| Turnover Margin | 5th | +1.93 |
| Scoring Defense | 5th | 65.2 |
| Scoring Margin | 5th | +3.3 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 6th | 23.07 |
| 3-Point Field Goal Percentage | 6th | .350 |
| Rebounding Defense | 7th | 38.5 |
| Rebounding Margin | 7th | -0.8 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 8th | .412 |
| Scoring Offense | 8th | 68.5 |
| Assists | 8th | 12.07 |
| Assist / Turnover Ratio | 9th | 0.79 |
| 3-Point Field Goals Made | 11th | 4.73 |
| Free Throw Percentage | 12th | .635 |
UMass in the A-10 Individual Rankings
| Scoring | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Monty Mack | 2nd | 19.8 |
| Chris Kirkland | 11th | 15.3 |
| Rebounding | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Kitwana Rhymer | 4th | 7.7 |
| Chris Kirkland | 12th | 6.2 |
| Field Goal Percentage | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Chris Kirkland | 3rd | .463 |
| Monty Mack | 9th | .409 |
| Assists | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Jonathan DePina | 15th | 2.67 |
| Free Throw Percentage | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Monty Mack | 10th | .800 |
| Steals | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Monty Mack | 5th | 2.13 |
| Chris Kirkland | 13th | 1.67 |
| Shannon Crooks | 14th | 1.60 |
| 3-Point Field Goal Percentage | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Monty Mack | 15th | .355 |
| 3-Point Field Goals Made | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Monty Mack | 3rd | 2.87 |
| Blocked Shots | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Kitwana Rhymer | 2nd | 2.20 |
| Assist / Turnover Ratio | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Jonathan DePina | 10th | 1.38 |
| Offensive Rebounds | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Kitwana Rhymer | 8th | 2.80 |
| Chris Kirkland | 8th | 2.80 |
| Defensive Rebounds | Rank | Avg. / No. |
| Kitwana Rhymer | 5th | 4.87 |