Men's Basketball Takes On Rhode Island In Home Finale

Feb. 26, 2002

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GAME DAY QUICK FACTS

The Teams: Rhode Island (7-18/3-11) at Massachusetts (11-14/5-9)

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002

Time 7:30 p.m.

Place: William D. Mullins Center (9,493), Amherst, Mass.

Television: Atlantic 10 Network (J.P. Dellacamera, play-by-play, Tim Capstraw, color, shown on New England Sports Network in Massachusetts)

Radio: UMass Radio Network (Bob Behler, play-by-play, Jack Leaman, color, WLZX 99.3 FM, Springfield, flagship)

Probable Massachusetts Starters
Pos. No.  Name                 Ht.   Wt.   Yr.
F      3  Ronell Blizzard      6-8   205   Sr.
F     21  Eric Williams        6-8   243   Sr.
C     33  Kitwana Rhymer      6-10   256   Sr.
G     12  Anthony Anderson    5-11   175   So.
G     30  Shannon Crooks       6-2   222   Sr.

Probable Rhode Island Starters
Pos. No.  Name                 Ht.   Wt.   Yr.
F     11  Steve Mello          6-1   178   So.
F     13  Lazare Adingono      6-6   195   Jr.
C     54  Marcus Evans         6-9   250   Sr.
G      2  Dinno Daniels        6-0   175   Sr.
G      4  Howard Smith         6-0   175   Jr.

The Game: A pair of longtime New England rivals square off on Senior Night at the Mullins Center, as Massachusetts hosts a Rhode Island team looking to sweep the Minutemen for the first time since the 1998-99 season (and just the second time since 1987-88). This is the 118th meeting between the schools in a series that dates to the 1908-09 campaign. UMass ended a three-game losing streak with Saturday's 67-54 homecourt victory over Fordham, and stands 11-14 overall and fourth in the A-10 East at 5-9. Coach Steve Lappas' team is looking to build momentum heading into next week's Verizon Atlantic 10 Tournament in Philadelphia. The Minutemen, who can be seeded no higher than fourth in the A-10 East, own a one-game lead over Fordham and a two-game advantage over Rhody heading into tonight's games, and will lock up the East's fourth seed with one more victory. UMass is 7-6 in the Mullins Center this season, 4-3 against Atlantic 10 foes, and 8-6 overall at home including a non-league win over Oregon at the Springfield Civic Center. With their win over Fordham, the Minutemen assured themselves of a 20th-straight .500 or better homecourt record. In its eight homecourt victories, UMass has averaged 67.1 ppg and yielded 56.4 ppg, but in its six home losses it has tallied just 56.5 ppg and allowed 68.7 ppg. The Minutemen are 8-2 at home this season when scoring 62 or more points, 8-1 when holding their opponent to 60 or fewer points. Rhode Island, meanwhile, is 7-18 overall and 3-11 in the A-10 East (sixth) after Saturday's 77-64 loss at La Salle. The Rams, who have lost three straight and five of their last six since beating UMass, 70-59, in Kingston earlier this month, have allowed 70 or more points in 12 of 17 losses. First-year coach Jim Baron's team, which is 5-2 in games decided by six points or less, is 3-11 on the road this season, with its victories coming at Fairfield, Geroge Washington and Fordham.

Minute-Matters: Trends to consider as UMass meets Rhode Island for the 118th time . . .

The Minutemen, 8-6 at home this season, including a victory over Oregon at the Springfield Civic Center, have secured their 20th-straight .500 or better homecourt record (including each of the 10 seasons they've called the Mullins Center home).

According to CollegeRPI.com, UMass has played the nation's 57th-toughest schedule, and the A-10's second-hardest behind No. 35 Temple. The Minutemen are 2-3 vs. teams ranked from 1-50 in the RPI, 3-6 against schools ranked 51 to 100, and 6-5 vs. squads ranked 101 or higher.

Massachusetts, which has fashioned 12-straight winning Atlantic 10 records, will finish with its first losing conference mark since the 1988-89 season when it was 5-13 (eighth in the A-10) in John Calipari's rookie campaign on the UMass bench.

In its 11 victories this season, UMass has shot 45.2 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from three-point range and 65.8 percent at the free throw line while averaging 67.0 ppg, but in its 14 defeats it has averaged 61.8 ppg and shot 38.3 percent from the floor, 31.6 percent from beyond the arc and 67.3 percent at the foul line.

The Minutemen have out-shot their opponent from the field in 10 of their 11 wins (the Temple game in Amherst was the exception) this year and 13 times overall. In 17 of UMass' 25 starts, the winning team has shot 44.2 percent or better from the field.

Massachusetts is 6-1 on the year when shooting 48.0 percent or better from the field, with five of those efforts coming outside the Mullins Center. In last week's loss at St. Joseph's, UMass recorded its second-best shooting game of the year (.510), but saw its 19-game win streak when hitting 50.0 percent or better from the floor end.

UMass has averaged 66.0 ppg and shot 41.7 percent from the field in 11 road games this year, but has averaged just 62.6 ppg and hit 40.7 percent from the floor in 14 home tilts.

The Minutemen are 7-0 on the year when attempting 16 or fewer three-pointers, 4-14 when they've launched 17 or more shots from beyond the arc.

Massachusetts has drained 175 three-pointers on the year, the third-highest single-season effort in school history, and just six shy of surpassing the record of 180 set over 34 games in 1994-95. The Minutemen's 505 three-point attempts rank as the second-best one-season total in school history, 22 behind the 1994-95 squad's record 527 attempts.

UMass has made at least one trey in 118-consecutive games (its opponents have a string of 62-straight games with at least one trey) and in 494 of 501 games it has played since the arc was added to the college game (1986-87). The Minutemen have averaged 8.71 made bonus baskets against A-10 foes this season, compared to 7.00 made treys overall.

Massachusetts, which nailed a season-high-tying 12 trifectas at St. Joseph's and had 10 in Saturday's win over Fordham, has drained eight or more three-pointers in 11 of 14 league games after making no more than seven in any non-conference tilt.

UMass is 5-4 on the year when making five or fewer three-point goals, 6-10 when hitting more than five treys, and 2-4 when scoring 10 or more three-point buckets.

The Minuteman bench has provided 17.4 ppg (compared to the opponent's 11.7 ppg) and has outscored the foe's men of pine in 17 of 25 outings. Over the last four games, the Massachusetts' bench has outscored its opponent's bench, 73-22.

In its wins, the UMass bench has averaged 16.7 ppg, compared to 17.9 ppg in its losses. In eight of 11 victories, the Minuteman bench has outscored the opponent's bench.

Massachusetts has averaged 15.7 assists per game in its victories, but just 13.2 apg in its losses. In eight of their 11 victories the Minutemen have recorded at least 15 assists, a mark they haven't hit in 10 of their 14 defeats.

The Minutemen rank third in the Atlantic 10 in three-point percentage defense (.321), fourth in scoring (65.7 ppg) defense and fifth in field goal percentage (.409) defense.

Massachusetts is 9-2 on the year when holding its opponent to a field goal percentage mark below 38.0 percent, but is 2-12 when its foe has shot 38.0 percent or better from the floor.

The Minutemen are 10-1 when yielding 62 or fewer points, and have won 19 of their last 21 games when allowing 62 or fewer points.

Conversely, Massachusetts is 0-4 this season, and has lost 25-straight games when allowing its opponent to score 80 or more points since recording a 93-89 win at Duquesne, Jan. 20, 1996.

Steve Lappas-coached teams own an all-time record of 95-16 (.856) when scoring 80 or more points, including an 0-1 mark at UMass. His Manhattan teams were 16-3 (.842) when scoring 80-plus points, while his Villanova squads went 79-12 (.868) when reaching the 80-point plateau.

In its wins this year, UMass has limited its foes to 35.4 percent field goal shooting, including just 28.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc, and 57.0 ppg, but in its losses, foes have shot 45.7 percent from the field, including 36.0 percent from three-point range, and averaged 72.5 ppg.

Massachusetts has utilized nine different starting combinations this year, as nine players have drawn at least one start. Senior Shannon Crooks is the only Minuteman to start all 25 games.

The Minutemen are 4-0 this season when Shannon Crooks, Micah Brand and Kitwana Rhymer score 10 or more points in the same game with the victories coming over Marist, Maine, George Washington and La Salle.

UMass ranks sixth in the Atlantic 10 in rebound margin (+0.2 rpg) for all games, but is ninth in league games only statistics (-3.8 rpg). In their wins, the Minutemen have outrebounded their foe by an average of +4.4 rpg, but they are a -3.3 rpg in their losses. Massachusetts has outrebounded its opponent in eight of 11 victories this season and 13 times overall.

Massachusetts opponents have made more free throws (400) than the Minutemen have attempted (395) for the year, as its foes have shot 215 more free throws on the season.

The Minutemen have overcome double-digit opponent leads in three (Arkansas-Little Rock, Oregon and at St. Bonaventure) of their 11 victories, and have trailed at some point in 23 of 25 outings. The only games UMass led from wire to wire were the Marist contest and the first Temple game.

UMass opened the season at 4-0 for the first time since the 1995-96 season (when it began 26-0 en route to a 35-2 finish and a Final Four trip), but is just 7-14 since then.

Last year, the Minutemen were 13-12 after 25 games, and finished 15-15 overall after advancing to the title game of the Verizon A-10 Tournament. Since making the last of seven-straight NCAA Tournament trips in 1997-98, UMass owns a 57-61 (.483) overall record.

The Massachusetts offensive attack is balanced, as seven players contribute at least 5.3 ppg, led by Shannon Crooks' 14.3 scoring average. Crooks, who has recorded a team-high 20 double-figure scoring games this season, has led the Minutemen in scoring 12 times.

Crooks ranks 35th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,009 points (he has 1,052 points in his collegiate career, including 43 as a freshman at St. John's), and needs five points to pass No. 34 and current Rhode Island assistant coach Tyrone Weeks (1994-98) and 14 to overtake No. 33 Tim Edwards (1963-67). Crooks also needs eight assists to become the fourth Minuteman to record 1,000 points and 300 assists, joining Al Skinner (1,235/320), Alex Eldridge (1,053/518), and Charlton Clarke (1,041/350).

Senior Kitwana Rhymer is fourth in the A-10 in blocks with 1.68 bpg. The fifth-leading shot-blocker in school history (179), Rhymer has blocked at least two shots 11 times this year, including a career-high-tying six snuffs vs. Holy Cross and five against both La Salle and Oregon.

Rhymer has averaged 12.8 ppg and 6.7 rpg in UMass wins, while shooting 62.5 percent from the floor, but has averaged 5.8 ppg and 5.5 rpg in its losses, and shot 40.5 percent from the field. Against Fordham, he recorded his fourth double-double of the season (and the 18th of his career), with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Sophomore Anthony Anderson has earned four Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week citations this season, and is a leading candidate for the league's Rookie of the Year honor. He has drained 62 three-point goals on the year, which equals the ninth-best single-season effort in school history.

Anderson has hit 45.6 percent (47-for-103) from beyond the arc over the last 13 games, while averaging 12.6 ppg. He has recorded 10 double-figure scoring games over that stretch, one of which was a career-high 20-point performance against Dayton in Amherst.

Junior Micah Brand had four points and six rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench against Fordham. He's hit 5-for-23 from the field (21.7 percent) the last four games, and averaged 3.0 ppg.

Brand has tallied 10 double-digit scoring games on the year, and ranks as UMass' second-leading rebounder (5.6 rpg) and third-best scorer (9.0 rpg).

Sophomore Raheim Lamb had eight points and five rebounds in 17 minutes against Fordham. He's averaged 7.1 ppg and 4.6 rpg over his last eight starts, and included in that stretch was a career-high 18-point effort against St. Bonaventure two weeks ago tonight in this building.

Senior Day: Tonight's game marks the final regular-season Mullins Center appearance for seniors Ronell Blizzard, Shannon Crooks, Kitwana Rhymer, Eric Williams, and student manager Will Stieglitz, all of whom will be honored in a pre-game ceremony. UMass owns a 7-2 mark on Senior Day at the Mullins Center, with its losses coming in the last two years to George Washington in 1999-2000 and St. Bonaventure last year.

The Coaches: A new chapter in UMass basketball history began on March 26, 2001, when athletic director Bob Marcum introduced Steve Lappas (City College of New York, 1977) as the school's 19th basketball coach. In his 14th season as a head coach, Lappas owns a 241-186 (.564) record, including an 11-14 (.440) mark in his first year on the Minuteman bench. Just the third rookie UMass coach to start his career in Amherst 4-0, and first since Johnny Orr in 1963-64, Lappas is 0-1 all-time against Rhode Island and coach Jim Baron. Lappas came to Amherst after nine highly-successful years at Villanova (1993-2001), where he guided the Wildcats to a 174-110 (.613) record and seven postseason appearances (four NCAA, three NIT). He ranks as the sixth-winningest coach in Big East history (and was the third-winningest among active league coaches when he left the Main Line) with 97 league victories. At Manhattan (1988-92), Lappas improved the Jaspers' win total every year, going from seven in 1988-89, to 11 the following year, 13 in his third season and 25 in his fourth and final campaign (1991-92) en route to a 56-62 (.475) four-year mark and one postseason (NIT) appearance. Equally impressive as Lappas' on-court record is the classroom performance of his players, as all of his seniors at both Villanova and Manhattan graduated. Prior to moving to Manhattan, Lappas spent four seasons as an assistant to Rollie Massimino at Villanova, and was a member of the Wildcats' 1985 national championship staff. Baron (St. Bonaventure, 1971) owns a 213-220 (.492) mark in his 15th season as a head coach, 7-18 (.280) in his rookie campaign at Kingston. Before taking over the Rhody program, Baron undertook major rebuilding projects at St. Bonaventure and St. Francis (Pa.), and led both institutions to the NCAA Tournament before moving on. He fashioned a 132-131 (.502) nine-year mark at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure, and a 74-71 (.510) record in five seasons at St. Francis (Pa.). Baron has taken five teams to postseason play (two NCAA, three NIT) and owns a 7-15 all-time record vs. UMass. Six of Baron's victories have come in his last nine games against the Minutemen, and since former UMass standout Tyrone Weeks joined his staff, Baron's clubs are 5-1 against Massachusetts (4-1 at St. Bonaventure, 1-0 at Rhode Island). Weeks, who served as a team captain in his junior and senior seasons, helped the Minutemen to four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances during his career, including the 1996 Final Four. He is one of eight players in school history to score at least 1,000 points and grab 800 rebounds, as his career totals of 1,013 points and 858 rebounds rank 34th and sixth, respectively in UMass history.

The Rhode Island Series: This is the 118th meeting in a series that Massachusetts leads, 67-50, after Rhode Island's 70-59 homecourt victory earlier this month ended the Minutemen's four-game series win streak. UMass, though, has won 23 of the last 29 meetings between the schools, including last year's 82-67 victory in Amherst. UMass is 41-18 all-time vs. the Rams in games played in the Commonwealth, including a 6-2 advantage in games played at the Mullins Center, and has won 11 of the last 13 meetings between the teams in Amherst. Rhody, which hasn't swept the season series from UMass since the 1998-99 season, last won here on Feb. 4, 1999, when it scored a 73-62 victory. The Minutemen have beaten the Rams more times (67) than any other opponent and the series ranks as the longest in school history in terms of games played (117).

Minutemen-Rams Round I in 2002: Neither team led by more than three points in the game's first 13 minutes, but Rhode Island, trailing 14-12 at the 7:20 mark, took control of the game with an 8-0 run that gave the home team a 20-14 lead with 5:29 left in the first half. The Rams held a 31-24 halftime lead, but the visiting Minutemen refused to fold, opening the second half on a 15-8 run, capped by a Raheim Lamb tip-in, to tie the game at 39-all with 12:56 to play. Rhode Island answered with a 7-0 run to take a 46-39 lead with 9:37 left, and the closest the visitors would get the rest of the way would be five at 46-41 with 9:18 to play on a pair of Eric Williams free throws. Anthony Anderson led the Minutemen, who were without Micah Brand (he missed the game with a sprained left ankle), with a game-high 17 points, while Williams came off the bench to score 11 points and grab nine rebounds. UMass' top scorer, Shannon Crooks, was held to a season-low five points and hit just 1-of-15 from the field. Troy Wiley and Dustin Hellenga led the Rams' attack with 15 points each, and Dinno Daniels chipped in 11. Rhode Island hit 46.9 percent from the field for the game, held a 35-34 rebounding advantage, and limited UMass to 32.8 percent shooting from the field for the game, including 25.9 percent in the first half.

Fordham Review: After trailing by as many as five points in the game's first 10 minutes, UMass broke a 15-all tie with 9:29 to go on a lay-in by Kitwana Rhymer that keyed an 18-7 run by the home team and gave it a 33-22 lead with 4:08 left. Leading 37-29 at halftime, UMass opened the second half on an 18-9 run to take a 55-38 lead with 11:03 left on a three-pointer by Anthony Anderson. The Minutemen extended their lead to 19 points at 61-42 with 7:31 to play, but Fordham used an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to 61-53 at the 4:08 mark. UMass then hit 6-of-9 at the line in game's final 3:39 to seal the 67-54 win and earn a split in the regular-season series with the Rams. Anderson led the UMass attack with a game-high 16 points, while Rhymer recorded his fourth double-double of the season (14 points and 11 rebounds) and Eric Williams netted 10 off the bench. The Minutemen held a 45-37 advantage on the glass and outshot the Rams, .397 to .386, including .435 to .125 from three-point range.

Getting it Done with Defense: The key to UMass' success has been its play at the defensive end of the floor, a longtime trademark of the Minuteman program that has continued under coach Steve Lappas. Massachusetts ranks third in the A-10 in three-point percentage defense (.321), fourth in scoring (65.7 ppg) defense and fifth in field goal percentage (.409) defense. The Minutemen are 10-1 this season when allowing 62 or fewer points, and have allowed just 57.0 ppg in their wins compared to 72.5 ppg in defeat this year. How good has UMass' defense been this season? The Minutemen have held their opponent under both their season scoring and field goal percentage marks in 17 games, and in one other game they held the foe under its scoring average, but allowed it to top its season field goal percentage mark. UMass is 11-6 on the year when holding its opponent under both their season scoring and field goal shooting averages, 0-8 when allowing its foes to exceed one or both of their season marks. In each of the last 10 seasons, Massachusetts has held its opponents to season marks below 70.0 ppg and 42.0 percent shooting from the floor. Here's a look at UMass' defensive efforts game-by-game this season:

After allowing Fordham to record its season-scoring high (95 points) in the season's first meeting at Rose Hill Gymnasium, UMass held the Rams to a season-low 54 points in Amherst.

At St. Joseph's, UMass held a Hawk team that had averaged 83.4 ppg in eight games at Alumni Fieldhouse to 72 points, their second-lowest scoring game of the year in the building.

In its second meeting with St. Bonaventure, UMass held the nation's eighth-highest scoring team to a season-low 60 points and just four three-point goals (the Bonnies entered the game as the nation's top three-point shooting team with 10.6 made per game).

The Minutemen held La Salle to a season-low field goal percentage (.306) and its second-lowest point total of the year (47), while holding the A-10's fourth-leading scorer in Rasual Butler to a season-low-tying four points and just seven field goal attempts (he was averaging 17.0 fga).

Massachusetts held St. Bonaventure, a team that owned an 85.1 ppg (92.0 ppg in seven home appearances) scoring average to a then-season-low 65 points at Olean.

UMass held Temple to a season-low 53 points, the Owls lowest point total in 35 games.

Massachusetts limited an Ohio State team that had hit at least 50.0 percent from the field in eight of its first 12 games to 44.9 percent shooting, its second-lowest shooting game of the year.

The Minutemen held St. Joseph's to 63 points in Amherst and snapped the Hawks' 43-game streak of scoring at least 65 points, which was the school's longest such string since the mid-1960s.

UMass handed Maine its biggest loss of the season, and limited a team that was shooting 45.7 percent from the field to 36.4 percent marksmanship.

Central Connecticut State had hit 46.7 percent from the floor and averaged 70.3 ppg in the nine games prior to being limited to 33.3 percent shooting and 49 points by the Minutemen.

Massachusetts held UConn 15.6 points below its then-season average of 84.6 ppg.

The Minutemen held North Carolina State, a team that had averaged 76.4 points in its first five home games, to 62 points and 33.9 percent field goal shooting.

UMass put the breaks on an Oregon team which had scored 90 or more points in each of its first four games, allowing the Ducks 58 points and 35.8 percent shooting from the field.

The Minutemen limited Marist to 32.7 percent field goal shooting for the game (just 21.7 percent in the first half, the lowest mark in a half by a UMass opponent since Temple's 10.3 percent second-half performance, Feb. 28, 1999) and 59 points (just 17 in the first half, the fewest allowed by UMass in a half since holding Rhode Island to 15 first-half points, Feb. 22, 2000).

In its season-opening victory over Arkansas-Little Rock, UMass held the Trojans to 36.2 percent shooting from the floor, and just six points over the game's last 9:25 as it rallied for the victory. The 60 points were the fewest allowed by the Minutemen in their season-opener since holding Chaminade to 48 points in 1996-97, and the fewest allowed against a Division I opponent in an opener since limiting Cleveland State to 60 points in the 1993-94 lid-lifter.

                        Avg. Entering UMass Game              vs. UMass
Opponent                     PPG        FG%              Points        FG%
Arkansas-Little Rock       *70.9      *.474                  66       .362
Marist                      74.7       .440                  59       .327
Oregon                      92.5       .541                  58       .358
North Carolina State        72.0       .461                  62       .339
Holy Cross                  61.6       .353                  67       .532
Boston College              86.5       .508                  80       .371
Connecticut                 84.6       .479                  69       .478
Central Connecticut State   70.3       .467                  49       .333
Maine                       64.7       .457                  60       .364
Marshall                    75.2       .463                  81       .481
St. Joseph's                78.6       .472                  63       .431
Ohio State                  75.3       .513                  70       .449
Fordham                     69.5       .429                  95       .514
Richmond                    61.7       .379                  63       .388
Temple                      68.3       .406                  53       .339
George Washington           73.8       .420                  60       .364
St. Bonaventure             85.1       .449                  65       .418
Dayton                      70.4       .440                  83       .585
Rhode Island                60.4       .368                  70       .469
Duquesne                    63.0       .411                  78       .522
La Salle                    66.1       .412                  47       .306
St. Bonaventure             82.9       .445                  60       .347
Temple                      69.4       .411                  64       .453
St. Joseph's                76.8       .470                  72       .407
Fordham                     72.7       .458                  54       .386
*UALR's final 2000-01 marks are listed.

Returnees Pick Up Slack: One of the biggest questions surrounding the 2001-02 UMass basketball team was who would replace Monty Mack and his team-leading 19.5 per game scoring average. Massachusetts' seven returnees have picked up most of the slack, as they are averaging 12.9 ppg more as a group this year than they did a year ago. Senior Shannon Crooks, a strong candidate for the A-10's Chris Daniels Most Improved Player Award and all-league honors, has shown the biggest scoring improvement, as his average has increased from 9.0 ppg a year ago to a team-high 14.3 ppg this season. Senior Eric Williams (+1.7 ppg), junior Micah Brand (+0.6 ppg) and sophomores Jameel Pugh (+4.1 ppg) and Willie Jenkins (+2.7 ppg) have increased their scoring production, while seniors Kitwana Rhymer (-1.0 ppg) and Ronell Blizzard (-0.5 ppg) have seen slight dips in their scoring averages this year. While most of the returning Minutemen have increased their scoring marks, the team average of 64.1 ppg is down 3.9 ppg from last year's 68.0 ppg. Conversely, UMass allowed 2.5 ppg less this year, as it has surrendered 65.7 ppg this season, compared to 68.2 ppg a year ago.

The Minutemen at Mullins: Massachusetts, 7-6 at the Mullins Center this season (8-6 overall at home, including a win over Oregon at the Springfield Civic Center), stands 83-29 (.741) in its 10th season of play in the building, including a 58-18 (.763) mark vs. A-10 foes. With the Fordham win, the Minutemen have posted a .500 or better homecourt record for 20th-straight seasons, including each of the 10 years they've called the Mullins Center home.

The SWAT Team is Back: Led by 2001 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year Kitwana Rhymer, the Minutemen continue to rank among the league leaders in blocked shots. Rhymer ranks fourth in the A-10 in blocks (1.68 bpg), while UMass ranks third in the league at 3.88 bpg, and has had at least four rejections 13 times with a high of eight three times. Rhymer, Micah Brand (24) and Ronell Blizzard (12) have accounted for 78 of the Minutemen's 97 blocks this season, a total that would rank the trio ahead of three league teams.

Halftime Talk: Whatever coach Steve Lappas and his staff have said to the Minutemen at halftime this season appears to work. UMass has averaged just 28.2 ppg in the first half of its games, but after halftime, has put 35.9 ppg on the board in the second stanza. Massachusetts has been outscored by an average of 2.4 points in the first half, but has outscored its opponents by an average of 0.8 points in the second half. In their 11 victories, the Minutemen have averaged 29.4 points in the first half and 37.6 in the second stanza, while yielding 26.0 in the first half and 31.0 points in the last half, but in their defeats they've put up 27.2 in the first half and 34.6 in the second, while allowing 34.2 in the first 20 minutes and 38.3 in the final half.

Another Tough Slate: After playing one of the toughest schedules in school history a year ago (20 of their 30 games were against 2001 postseason tournament teams) the Minutemen are tackling another challenging slate in 2001-02. But that's really nothing new, as over the last eight seasons, only once has the Massachusetts strength of schedule been ranked lower than 56th among Division I institutions, and four times in that stretch it has had an SOS among the nation's top 20. As of Feb. 26, 2002, UMass was ranked 115th in the RPI calculated by CollegeRPI.com and had the nation's 58th-toughest slate (and second-strongest among A-10 schools behind No. 35 Temple), as its opponents have posted a 319-235 (.576) record. Massachusetts' 11 non-league foes own an impressive record of 194-104 (.651), as nine of the 11 have .500 or better records, and eight have already won at least 17 games.

Consistent Success: The Minutemen, who have posted 12-straight winning A-10 records (after posting no winning marks, just two .500 records and 53 victories in their first 13 seasons in the league) since a 5-13 mark in 1988-89, own a 143-66 (.684) record in regular-season league play since then and have captured 10 league titles (five regular season, five tournament) in that time frame. In its 26th season as an A-10 member, UMass owns a 196-198 (.498) all-time regular-season record in league play. Over the last 12-plus seasons, Massachusetts owns a 280-139 (.668) overall record (includes 2001-02 record, too), an average of 22.4 wins per season, and has posted seven, 20-win seasons, 11, .500 or better campaigns, and made 10 postseason appearances (seven NCAA, three NIT). The A-10 is one of only six conferences to send at least two teams to the NCAA Tournament every year since 1991, joining the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC. Temple is the only league team with more NCAA appearances (11) than UMass (seven) over that 11-year stretch.

The Comeback Kids: It really shouldn't come as much of a surprise that UMass has overcame double-digit deficits to beat St. Bonaventure, Oregon and Arkansas-Little Rock this year, as those type of comebacks have happened before in Amherst. Including those games, the Minutemen have now recorded 20 double-digit comebacks to win over the last eight seasons. At St. Bonaventure, Massachusetts trailed by 10 midway through the first half, but rallied for a 67-65 victory. In the Oregon game, the Minutemen were down by as many as 11 points in the first half, but came back to score a 62-58 win over the Ducks at the Springfield Civic Center. Against Arkansas-Little Rock, UMass trailed by 10 points, 37-27, with 19:31 left in the game, but came back to score a 66-60 victory. In last year's game against George Washington in Amherst, UMass overcame a 15-point deficit with 1:07 left in the first half to beat the Colonials, 76-60. That was the largest deficit the Minutemen had overcome to win since rallying from 16 down to beat Maryland, 50-47, Dec. 2, 1995.

Quick Tips: UMass had a season-low five turnovers against Dayton, a mark which equalled its lowest total ever in the Mullins Center, and also drained an arena-record 12 treys against the Flyers...Massachusetts has shot better from the field on the road (.417) than it has at home (.407), and as a result has averaged 66.0 ppg away from home, compared to 62.6 ppg on its home floor...over the last three years, Massachusetts owns a 23-7 record when scoring 70 or more points, including a 2-2 mark this season...UMass has won 19 of its last 20 games when shooting 50.0 percent or better from the field since...UMass is 7-7 in games decided by five or fewer points the last two years (2-3 this season), after going just 1-6 in such games during the 1999-2000 season...the Minutemen, 9-0 this season and winners of 23-straight when leading with 5:00 to play, own an 87-9 (.906) record since the start of the 1996-97 season when leading after 35 minutes of action...UMass has produced at least one all-conference performer for 18-straight seasons.

Fast Breaks: Fordham (Minutemen, 67-54)--After allowing Fordham to record its season-high point total (95) in its win over the Minutemen at Rose Hill Gym, UMass held the Rams to a season-low 54 points in Amherst and ended a three-game losing streak with the win, Game was close for first 10 minutes, but Minutemen built 11-point lead over the last 10 minutes of the first half, held 37-29 halftime lead, and stretched lead to 19 in the second half, before a late Fordham run closed the gap, Anthony Anderson led the Minutemen with 16 points, while Kitwana Rhymer turned in his fourth double-double of the season (14 points, 11 rebounds). At St. Joseph's (Hawks, 72-67)--The Hawks bolted to a 16-3 lead in game's first five minutes, but Minutemen cut lead to three points twice and were within 41-35 at halftime, Trailing 54-46 with 11:00 to play, UMass used 12-4 run to force 58-all tie, but St. Joseph's 9-0 run ended upset bid, despite 51.0 percent shooting effort from the field by visitors, Shannon Crooks scored game-high 21 points, became 35th player in school history to reach 1,000-point plateau. At Temple (Owls, 64-47)--Owls opened the game on an 11-0 run, as UMass didn't score over the game's first 5:15 and trailed by 11 points (34-23) at halftime, Minutemen fell behind by 17 early in second half, but used a 15-2 run to pull within 47-43 midway through the final half, Temple answered with 8-0 run, and visitors never got closer than nine the rest of the way, Anderson was only Minuteman in double figures (15 points). St. Bonaventure (Bonnies, 60-56)--Minutemen held St. Bonaventure to season-low point total (60) and just four three-point field goals, but visitors hit 22-for-29 at the foul line (compared to just 4-for-4 for home team) to gain a split of the season series, Neither team led by more than five points for first 30 minutes before Bonnies built lead to nine at 52-43 with 5:37 left, UMass pulled to within 52-50 with 1:52 left, and had a chance to tie but turned the ball over, then down 57-54 with 17 seconds left couldn't get the ball in bounds after a timeout and gave the ball back to the Bonnies, Raheim Lamb had career-high 18 points, Bonnies became first visiting team to beat UMass three-straight times at Mullins. La Salle (Minutemen, 62-47)--UMass overcame a slow offensive start to snap a three-game losing streak, leading 20-18 at halftime, Minutemen used 14-2 spurt to open second half, watched La Salle close to within five, then put the game away with 7-1 run, Crooks had team-high 15 points, topped 1,000-point mark for collegiate career, Micah Brand returned to starting lineup after missing two games with left ankle sprain, had 10 points and seven rebounds. At Duquesne (Dukes, 78-69)--Massachusetts held 14-point lead twice in first half, and was up by 10 at halftime, but Duquesne shot 56.5 percent from the field in the last half to end Minutemen's 16-game series win streak, Trailing 61-52 with 9:57 left, the Dukes used a 20-4 run to take a 72-65 lead with 3:25 left, Crooks led Minutemen with 19 points, while Rhymer had third double-double of the season (17 points, 12 rebounds). At Rhode Island (Rams, 70-59)--Rhode Island broke 39-all second-half tie with 7-0 run, and the closest UMass would get after that would be five points (46-41), as Rams beat Minutemen for first time in five games, Anderson had game-high 17 points. Dayton (Flyers, 83-68)--Dayton opened the game on a 13-0 run, then after allowing the Minutemen to get within eight at 19-11 used a 17-0 run to put the home team away for good and end its three-game win streak, Crooks had a game-high 21 points, while Anderson tallied a career-best 20 points, Five Flyers scored in double figures, as Dayton recorded the highest field goal percentage mark against UMass since 1996-97 season. At St. Bonaventure (Minutemen, 67-65)--UMass overcame 10-point first half deficit to end Bonnies' 10-game homecourt win string, record first win at Reilly Center in five years with third-straight A-10 victory after an 0-3 start, Brand slammed home a Crooks miss with 9.2 seconds left to break a 65-all tie, as visitors ended game on 12-3 run, Rhymer had team-high 23 points and seven rebounds, UMass held St. Bonaventure, a team that had averaged 85.1 ppg, to a then-season-low 65 points. George Washington (Minutemen, 73-60)--Minutemen overcame early seven-point Colonials' lead to beat visiting George Washington for fourth-straight time, UMass used a 9-0 run late in first half to take control of the game, Massachusetts hit season-best 53.3 percent from three-point range, shot 48.9 percent for the game overall, including 73.7 percent in the second half, Brand turned in second career double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds). Temple (Minutemen, 63-53)--Massachusetts led from start to finish in ending Owls' two-game Mullins Center win streak, Minutemen hit 11-of-25 three-pointers, Kyle Wilson had career-high 17 points, while Crooks also added 17, Minutemen had 20-10 lead eight minutes into game, held 29-21 halftime advantage, but watched Owls get within 38-35 with 13:54 left before a 9-0 run put the game away. At Richmond (Spiders, 63-54)--Spiders shot 45.0 percent (9-for-20) from three-point range to hand Minutemen fifth-straight loss, UMass held 24-23 lead early in second half, but Richmond used an 8-0 run to take a 31-24 lead and the visitors would get no closer than three the rest of the way, Anderson led UMass with 15 points, while Lamb netted 10 off the bench. At Fordham (Rams, 95-86)--UMass scored a season-high 86 points, but gave up an opponent-high 95 points and lost fourth-straight game, Crooks had season-best 24 points, while Jameel Pugh added career-high 22 points, Minutemen held 37-33 lead late in the first half, but Rams grabbed 40-39 halftime lead, then used a 9-0 second-half run to push the lead from 47-46 to 56-46 and the closest UMass would get the rest of the way would be five. Ohio State (Buckeyes, 70-62)--Ohio State broke open a close game with a 9-0 run to end the first half, then stretched the advantage to as many as 18 midway through the second half, Minutemen refused to fold, pulled to within 65-60 with 59 seconds to go, but Buckeyes hit 5-of-8 free throws in final minute to hold on, Crooks tallied then-season-high 22 points, while Brand had 15 points and game-high nine rebounds. St. Joseph's (Hawks, 63-38)--Minutemen went scoreless for over eight minutes to start game, fell behind 29-17 at intermission and never got closer than 11 in the second half in dropping A-10 opener to defending league champions, offensive output was lowest in a game since 1985-86 season, lowest in home contest since 1948-49 campaign, St. Joseph's handed UMass third-worst loss in Mullins Center history, Crooks was lone Minuteman in double figures (10 points). At Marshall (Herd, 81-66)--Game was close throughout first 33 minutes, but with visiting Minutemen holding 59-58 lead, Herd used 12-1 run to seal their third-straight series win, Crooks led UMass with 15 points, while Brand turned in first career double-double (12 points, career-high 11 rebounds), former Temple guard Ronald Blackshear had game-high 26 points for Herd. Maine (Minutemen, 78-60)--Massachusetts ran win streak to two and ended three-game losing streak to Maine with come-from-behind victory over visiting Black Bears, Minutemen held 28-27 halftime lead, fell behind by five early in second half, but closed game on 29-13 run to record 18-point win, five UMass players scored in double figures, led by Brand's 17 points, all of which came in second half, for second-straight game Pugh established new scoring (12) and rebounding (six) career-highs. At Central Connecticut State (Minutemen, 64-49)--Playing in first men's collegiate basketball game ever at Mohegan Sun Arena, UMass overcame early six-point deficit to post win, Minutemen went scoreless for nearly eight minutes in first half, but used late run to take 25-21 halftime lead, then opened second half with 20-3 spurt to put game away, Rhymer had season-highs of 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Pugh netted then-career-high 11 points as UMass snapped three-game losing streak by hitting season-high 51.9 percent from the field. UConn (Huskies, 69-59)--For second-straight game, UMass found itself down by double-digits in the opening half, as the visiting Huskies owned 13-point halftime lead and went on to beat the Minutemen for the 11th-straight time, UMass cut Husky lead to four in the second half, but could get no closer, as visitors made 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute to hold on, Crooks led UMass attack with 14 points, while Rhymer turned in his first double-double of the season (12 points/12 rebounds) and Anderson was in double figures for the third-straight game (10 points), UMass hit 32.9 percent from the field, made just one three-point attempt (in 18 tries), outrebounded Huskies, 46-28, but UConn hit 47.8 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from three-point line. At Boston College (Eagles, 80-78)--No. 13 Eagles roared to 23-point halftime lead, led by as many as 26 early in second half, before Minutemen got back in game and nearly pulled off dramatic comeback, Anderson drained three treys in game's final 15.1 seconds but BC held on for the victory to capture second consecutive Commonwealth Classic title, Anderson had then-career-high 19 points, while Crooks added 18, as Minutemen had five double-figure scorers for first time since Dec. 7, 2000, game against Providence, Troy Bell poured in a career-high 34 points to lead Eagles, who were outscored 67-53 from the field, but hit 27-of-38 at the line (compared to UMass' 11-for-21). Holy Cross (Crusaders, 67-56)--Crusaders overcame four-point halftime deficit to beat Minutemen for second-straight season, Brand led UMass with 15 points, while Anderson added a then-career-best 13 points and a career-high seven assists in 39 minutes, Holy Cross shot 53.2 percent from the floor (including 61.9 percent in second half and 72.7 percent from beyond the arc). At North Carolina State (Minutemen, 69-62)--In first road game of season, Minutemen respond with victory, holding Wolfpack to 33.9 percent shooting from the floor, Crooks scored 20 points, Brand added 14 and Willie Jenkins a career-high 12 as UMass moved to 4-0 for 16th time in school history and made Steve Lappas the first rookie UMass mentor to start career 4-0 since Johnny Orr in 1963-64, Minutemen became only third non-ACC team to win in N.C. State's three-year-old Entertainment & Sports Arena. Oregon (Minutemen, 62-58)--Ducks jumped to an 11-point lead in game's first nine minutes, only to watch Minutemen storm back for win, Brand scored four points in game's final 1:16 as UMass posted 13th win in last 14 games played at the Springfield Civic Center, Crooks in double figures for third-straight game with 13 points, Minutemen held an Oregon team, which had scored 90 or more points in each of its first four games, to 58 points and 35.8 percent shooting from the field, while hitting 50.0 percent (7-for-14) from three-point range. Marist (Minutemen, 66-59)--Minutemen raced to a 12-2 lead in game's opening minutes, held 19-point halftime advantage, but watched visiting Red Foxes get within three in second half, first 2-0 start for UMass since 1995-96 season, Rhymer came off bench, had 16 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, while Crooks added 14 and Brand 10. Arkansas-Little Rock (Minutemen, 66-60)--UMass overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to give coach Lappas a victory in his first game in Amherst, Brand netted career-high-tying 23 points as UMass won season opener for eighth time in the last nine years, despite Trojans' 10, treys, Wilson became first "true" freshman to start for Minutemen on opening-day since 1996-97 season.

Noting the 2001-02 Minutemen

#0 Brennan Martin, 6-6, 190, Fr., F, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

Did not score in nine minutes off the bench against Fordham, but tallied a rebound and an assist.

Was scoreless over his first seven collegiate appearances, but came off the bench at St. Bonaventure to score a career-high nine points and collect two assists in a career-high 22 minutes of work.

Averaging 1.2 ppg and 0.4 rpg in 15 appearances on year, Martin has slipped into coach Lappas' rotation over the last 11 games (90 of his 100 minutes have come in that stretch).

Fifteen of his 22 points this season came in back-to-back games at St. Bonaventure (nine) and against Dayton (six) in Amherst.

Did not score in 13 minutes off the bench against Rhode Island in Kingston.

#1 Willie Jenkins, 6-6, 200, So., G/F, Memphis, Tenn.

Has appeared in 21 games on the year, drawing nine starts, while averaging 3.4 ppg and 2.4 rpg.

Had two points and four rebounds in 21 minutes off the pine against Fordham.

Over the last five games, he's averaged 5.8 ppg in 17.0 mpg, and hit 41.7 percent from the field.

Six of his nine three-point goals have come over the last five games (6-for-15, 40.0 percent).

Tallied career-highs of 12 points and three assists in victory at North Carolina State.

Has grabbed five or more rebounds four times, while contributing five or more points eight times.

Averages 5.4 ppg and 3.6 rpg in UMass victories, 2.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg in its losses.

Struggled shooting the ball from the field (.299, on 23-for-77 shooting), but is 17-for-20 (a team-best 85.0 percent) at the free throw line, including 14-for-15 (.933) in the game's final 4:50.

Did not score, but grabbed a rebound in season's first meeting with the Rams in Kingston.

#3 Ronell Blizzard, 6-8, 205, Sr., F, Waterbury, Conn.

One of four, fifth-year seniors on the 2001-02 UMass roster, Blizzard has appeared in 20 games, averaging 1.1 ppg and 1.7 rpg in 8.5 minutes of work per outing.

Made second start of the season (and eighth of career) against Fordham, did not score, but grabbed a rebound in two minutes of action.

Drew first start of the year against Ohio State. Did not score against the Buckeyes, but contributed four blocked shots and a pair of rebounds in 14 minutes.

Had a season-high five points, three rebounds and two blocked shots against Rhode Island in Kingston.

#11 Kyle Wilson, 6-2, 175, Fr., G, White Rock, British Columbia

True freshman has played in all 25 games, averaging 3.8 ppg and 1.3 rpg in 15.4 minutes.

Had eight points, two rebounds, a pair of assists and a steal in 13 minutes off the bench against Fordham.

Over the last 13 games, he's shot 41.9 percent (18-for-43) from three-point range and 75.0 percent (9-for-12) at the free throw line, while averaging 5.3 ppg.

Recorded a career-high 17 points against Temple in Amherst, and has contributed five or more points eight times on the year.

Against A-10 foes, he's shooting 38.8 percent from three-point range and averaging 5.8 ppg.

Minutemen are 5-2 on the year with Wilson in the starting lineup.

Ranks third on the team in three-point percentage (.353), three-pointers made (24) and attempted (68), and assists (47), fifth in steals (16), seventh in minutes (386).

Has collected at least one assist in 19 of 25 appearances, including 13 multiple-assist outings, and a high of five at Richmond.

Wilson has drained at least one trey in 14 appearances, two or more seven times. Against Temple in Amherst, he was 5-for-7 from three-point range.

Tallied three points, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes against Rhody in Kingston.

#12 Anthony Anderson, 5-11, 175, So., G, Lynn, Mass.

A-10 Rookie of the Year candidate is UMass' second-leading scorer both overall (10.1 ppg) and in league play (11.7 ppg).

He had a team-high 16 points and five assists in 34 minutes vs. Fordham.

Has drained at least one three-point goal in 20 of 25 games, two or more treys 15 times, with a high of six (in seven attempts) against Dayton in Amherst and five on five other occasions.

Anderson has made at least one three-pointer in 13 of his last 14 appearances.

Tallied a career-high 20 points against Dayton, and had 17 in first meeting with Rhode Island at Kingston.

Produced 15 double-digit scoring games on the year, including 10 in his last 13 starts.

Over the last 13 games, he's averaged 12.6 ppg and hit 46.2 percent from the field (55-of-119) and 45.6 percent (47-for-103) from three-point range.

Ranks fourth in the A-10 in three-point percentage (.395), sixth in three-point goals made per game (2.48 mpg), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (1.64/1), 13th in assists (3.60 apg).

In A-10 games only statistics, he's tied for first in three-point goals made per game (3.36 mpg), ranks fourth in three-point percentage (.448), 11th in assist/turnover ratio (1.38/1) and tied for 15th in assists (3.36 apg).

Leads UMass in three-point goals made (62), attempted (157) and percentage (.395), is second in assists (90), minutes played (851), steals (24) and scoring (10.1 ppg), fifth in field goal percentage (.424) and sixth in rebounding (3.5 rpg).

Has dished out at least three assists in 19 of 25 games with a high of seven against both Holy Cross and La Salle.

Minutemen are 6-9 on the season when he scores in double figures, 7-1 when he grabs five or more rebounds, 5-3 when he collects five or more assists.

Has played 30 or more minutes 19 times this season, including each of his last seven starts.

His 62 made three-point goals equal the ninth-best single-season effort in school history.

#14 Paco Kotaridis, 5-11, 185, So., G, Athens, Greece

Made squad as walk-on, and has appeared in five games, averaging 0.6 ppg and 0.2 rpg.

Hasn't played in last seven games (coach's decision).

Tallied only career points on three-point goal as time expired against Central Connecticut State.

#21 Eric Williams, 6-8, 243, Sr., F, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Tri-captain has been a steady performer, averaging 5.5 ppg (sixth on team) and 4.8 rpg (third-best on club) in 25 appearances with three starts to his credit.

Had 10 points, six rebounds and three steals in 22 minutes off the bench against Fordham.

Williams has provided five or more points 13 times, including five double-digit efforts (UMass is 1-4 in those games), one of which was a season-best and UMass career-high-tying 14-point performance at Marshall.

Grabbed five or more rebounds 14 times on the year with a high of nine at Rhode Island (also had 11 points vs. the Rams in Kingston).

Is second on the team in both free throw (.821) and field goal (.451, tied with Raheim Lamb) percentage, fourth in three-point percentage (.324) and three-pointers made (12), fifth in three-point attempts (37) and sixth in minutes played (439).

The Syracuse transfer and fifth-year senior has hit seven-straight free throws, but hasn't made a trip to the line over the last five games.

#24 Jameel Pugh, 6-4, 200, So., G, Sacramento, Calif.

Hasn't played in last six games (coach's decision) or scored in his last four appearances since a career-high 22-point effort at Fordham.

Averaging 5.3 ppg and 2.1 rpg in 11.4 minutes over 12 appearances off the bench this season.

Third on the team in free throw percentage (.750, tied with Raheim Lamb), fifth in three-point goals made (seven), sixth in three-point attempts (29) and seventh in scoring (5.3 ppg).

Has three double-digit scoring games to his credit this season.

Stands 33rd on Slam's all-time list of the world's top 50 dunkers. UMass alum Julius Erving ('72) ranks third.

Did not score in six minutes off the bench at Rhode Island, which was his last court appearance.

#30 Shannon Crooks, 6-2, 222, Sr., G, Boston, Mass.

Tri-captian leads UMass in scoring (14.3 ppg), steals (36), assists (98) and minutes played (868), ranks second in three-point goals made (44), attempted (121) and percentage (.364), fifth in rebounding (3.6 rpg) and sixth in field goal percentage (.405).

A candidate for A-10's Most Improved Player Award and all-league honors, Crooks is trying to become the first Minuteman since Donald Russell in 1981-82 to lead the team in both scoring and assists in the same season, a feat that has been accomplished four times by three different players.

Had five points (tying a season-low, which he set at Rhode Island earlier in the month at Kingston) and a team-high six assists in 27 minutes against Fordham in Amherst.

Is eighth in the A-10 in assist/turnover ratio (1.42/1), 11th in scoring (14.3 ppg), steals (1.44 spg) and assists (3.92 apg), 13th in three-point percentage (.364), 14th in free throw percentage (.708).

In A-10 games only statistics, he's eighth in assists (4.08 apg), ninth in assist/turnover ratio (1.64/1), 11th in steals (1.36 spg), tied for 12th in free throw percentage (.764), tied for 13th in three-point percentage (.375), tied for 15th in three-point goals made (1.93 mpg) and 16th in scoring (13.9 ppg).

The only Minuteman to start all 25 games, he tallied a season-high 24 points at Fordham.

Has produced a team-high 20 double-digit scoring games this season, including five, 20-point efforts, and has led the team in scoring 12 times.

The fifth-year senior reached the 1,000-point mark for his collegiate career in the La Salle game (enters tonight's game with 1,047 points), then reached that plateau for his UMass career at St. Joseph's (has 1,009 points heading into tonight's game).

Is 10th on the school's career three-point attempts list (291), tied for fourth on the steals chart (141) and is 35th on the scoring list (1,009). Needs nine assists (has 292) to crack that top 10, too.

One of three former Bay State preps on this year's roster, Crooks has had at least one assist in 85 of 88 career games as a Minuteman, including 24 of 25 outings this season, and 15-straight.

He has dished out five or more assists nine times this year with a high of six four times.

Has averaged 13.6 ppg and shot 41.9 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from three-point range in UMass victories, but averages 14.9 ppg and has hit 39.7 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from behind the arc in its losses.

Over the last 10 games, Crooks hit 89.7 percent (26-for-29) at the foul line to move his season mark from .638 to .714. Since missing a pair of free throws late in the Duquesne game, he's made 10-straight at the line.

Has 13 multiple-trey efforts this season with a high of five nailed at St. Joseph's (in six attempts).

#33 Kitwana Rhymer, 6-10, 256, Sr., C, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

Turned in his fourth double-double of the season, a 14-point, 11-rebound effort vs. Fordham.

Ranks fourth in the A-10 and leads the Minutemen in blocks (1.68 bpg).

Has had two or more blocks in 11 outings, including a career-high-tying six vs. Holy Cross.

Averages 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in UMass' wins, 5.8 ppg and 5.5 rpg in its losses.

Is fifth on the school's all-time block chart (179), 11 behind No. 4 Edwin Green (1980-84).

Has recorded nine twin-digit scoring games this year, four double-doubles, and has grabbed five or more rebounds 15 times.

UMass is 7-2 this year when he scores in double figures, 3-0 all-time when he scores 20 or more. A year ago against Rhode Island here, he tallied a career-high 30 points.

Rhymer leads UMass in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and field goal percentage (.525), is fourth in both scoring (9.0 ppg) and minutes played (648).

Ranks among the A-10 leaders in rebounding (6.0 rpg, tie-16th) and offensive rebounds (2.36 orpg, tie-11th).

In league games only, he's eighth in blocks (1.07 bpg), 13th in rebounding (5.9 rpg), tied for 15th in offensive rebounds (2.07 orpg) and 15th in defensive rebounds (3.79 rpg).

Over the last 10 games, he's averaged 11.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg, while shooting 60.9 percent from the floor and 69.6 percent from three-point range.

Averaged 18.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg in UMass' games against UConn and Central Connecticut State, and was rewarded with Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors for the second time in his career.

Against Rhode Island in Kingston earlier this year, he tallied nine points and four rebounds.

#34 Raheim Lamb, 6-5, 190, So., F, Boston, Mass.

Has averaged 6.2 ppg and 3.8 rpg in 20.4 minutes of work over 25 appearances with 13 starts.

Contributed eight points and five rebounds to UMass' winning effort against Fordham.

Tallied career-high 18 points in career-high 33 minutes vs. St. Bonaventure in Amherst.

Tied for second with Eric Williams on the team in field goal percentage (.451), tied for third in free throw percentage (.750, with Jameel Pugh), and is fourth in blocks (eight), steals (17) and rebounds (3.8 rpg), fifth in both minutes (510) and scoring (6.2 ppg).

Averages 5.5 ppg in UMass wins, 6.7 ppg in its losses.

Lamb has scored six or more points 13 times on the year, including five double-digit efforts (UMass is 1-4 in those games), and has grabbed five or more rebounds 11 times.

Over the last five games, he's averaged 8.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg, while shooting 45.9 percent from the floor and 85.7 percent at the free throw line.

Had nine points and a career-high eight rebounds vs. Rhode Island in Kingston. Also nailed first career three-pointer in the setback.

#40 Micah Brand, 6-11, 243, Jr., F, Middletown, N.Y.

UMass' second-leading rebounder (5.6 rpg) and third-leading scorer (9.0 ppg).

Came off the bench last Saturday against Fordham to score four points and snag six rebounds in 29 minutes against the Rams.

Recorded 10 double-figure scoring games this year, one of which was a career-high-tying 23-point effort against Arkansas-Little Rock in the season-opener.

The Minutemen are 6-4 this season when he scores in double-digits. Had eight double-figure scoring games in the season's first 12 games (11.8 ppg), but has had just two such efforts over his last 11 appearances (5.9 ppg).

Brand hit 50.8 percent from the field over the season's first 12 games, but has shot just 30.8 percent (24-for-78) over his last 11 games.

Is second on the team in blocks (24), third in steals (18) and minutes played (648), fourth in field goal shooting (.429). He's played in 23 games this year, drawing 21 starts.

Missed first Rhode Island game this season with a sprained left ankle.

Ranks 11th in the A-10 in blocks (1.04 bpg), 13th in defensive rebounds (4.09 drpg) and 19th in rebounding (5.8 rpg).

In league games only statistics, he's ninth in blocks (0.92 bpg), 20th in rebounding (5.2 rpg).

Grabbed five or more rebounds 13 times, including three twin-digit efforts, and the first two double-doubles of his career.

Averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.7 rpg in UMass wins, while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 74.1 percent at the line, but in losses has averaged 7.5 ppg and 5.4 rpg, while hitting 38.4 percent from the field and 52.4 percent at the free throw line.

Thirteen of his 17 career 30-plus minute playing stints have come as a junior.

From Here: UMass concludes the regular season on Saturday, March 2, at A-10 West leader Xavier (20-5/12-2 heading into a Thursday night home date with La Salle) in a 12:05 p.m. game that tips-off ESPN's Championship Week coverage. Rhode Island returns home to host St. Bonaventure on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in the final game in Keaney Gym's storied history.

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