University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
St Josephs Pa
Minutemen Down Hawks, 76-65
February 19, 2000 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2000
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - Monty Mack returned from a one-game absence to score 23 points as Massachusetts defeated St. Joseph's 76-65 in the Atlantic 10 Conference on Saturday.
Mack missed Wednesday's 81-72 win over Fordham with the flu, but made 8 of 9 free throws and grabbed six rebounds on Saturday.
Massachusetts (14-11, 8-4) remained tied with St. Bonaventure for second place in the Atlantic 10 East division. The top two teams receive first-round byes in next month's Atlantic 10 tournament.
Marvin O'Connor led St. Joseph's (11-13, 6-7) with 15 points, but missed 8 of 13 shots as the Hawks lost their third game in five days. It was St. Joseph's sixth consecutive loss to Massachusetts.
Shannon Crooks scored 20 points for Massachusetts in a foul-plagued game.
The Minutemen took control with a 14-4 run to end the first half, and led 32-27 at halftime.
Massachusetts ran into foul trouble as Kitwana Rhymer, Micah Brand and Chris Kirkland played much of the second half with four fouls apiece.
Rhymer fouled out with 1:56 remaining and Massachusetts leading 70-60. The closest St. Joseph's came in the final minutes was five, when Bill Phillips' two free throws made it 65-60 with 3:21 left.
St. Joseph's made 19 of 29 free throws, while Massachusetts was 26 for 34 from the line.
