University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Set To Face Texas Tech
November 19, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2003
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Game Day Quick Facts
The Teams: Massachusetts (1-0) vs. Texas Tech (1-0)
Date: November 21, 2003
Time: 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Place: United Spirit Arena (15,098), Lubbock, Texas
ESPN2 Television: Dave Strader, play-by-play; Fran Fraschilla, color
UMass Radio Network: Scott Masteller, play-by-play; Jack Leaman, color; WRNX 100.9 FM, Holyoke, flagship
Texas Tech Radio Network: John Harris, play-by-play; Michael Lewis, color; KKAM 1340 AM, Lubbock, flagship
Series Record: First Meeting
Last Meeting: None
PROBABLE UMASS STARTERS Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. F 1 Rashaun Freeman 6-9 255 So. F 22 Jeff Viggiano 6-6 215 So. C 2 Gabe Lee 6-9 210 Jr. G 12 Anthony Anderson 5-11 170 Sr. G 34 Art Bowers 6-4 190 Fr.
THE SERIES WITH TEXAS TECH: This week's game will mark the first-ever meeting between the Minutemen and the Red Raiders on the basketball court. UMass does own an 8-8 mark all-time against current members of the Big 12 Conference, standing 2-1 against Colorado, 1-0 vs. Iowa State, 1-3 against Kansas, 1-0 vs. Missouri, 2-1 against Oklahoma, 0-1 vs. Oklahoma State and 1-2 against Texas. In addition, the Minutemen are 2-5 all-time against schools from the state of Texas (0-1 against Houston Baptist, 0-1 vs. North Texas State, 1-0 against Southwest Texas, 1-2 vs. Texas and 0-1 against Texas Christian). Prior to this week, the only game UMass has ever played in the Lone Star State came on Jan. 31, 1999, a 76-65 loss at Texas.
MINUTEMEN IN THE PRESEASON NIT: For the third time in the last 11 years, UMass has opened its season in the Preseason National Invitation Tournament. The Minutemen own a 5-2 all-time record in the Preseason NIT, including a runner-up finish in 1993. During the 1993 tournament, the Minutemen knocked off No. 1 North Carolina in the semifinals (91-86 in overtime), before falling to No. 6 Kansas in the title game (86-75). In their second appearance, to open the 1998-1999 campaign, the Minutemen split a pair of games. UMass stands 0-1 all-time in Preseason NIT games played on the opposition's home floor, and owns a 1-1 mark in quarterfinal round games. Atlantic 10 Conference teams are 14-11 all-time in the Preseason NIT.
GARDEN PARTY: The winner of the UMass-Texas Tech game will advance to Preseason NIT semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y. The opponent for that game will be the winner of the Minnesota-Utah contest, to take place on Nov. 19. The Minutemen own an all-time record of 7-11 at Madison Square Garden, including a 1-8 mark in the postseason NIT and a 1-1 record in the preseason NIT. UMass' last game at the Garden came on Feb. 6, 1996, when it posted a 73-47 victory over Fordham.
ANDERSON STARTS SEASON STRONG: Senior guard Anthony Anderson (Lynn, Mass.) had an outstanding game in UMass' season-opening 80-58 victory over Saint Francis (N.Y.). Anderson totaled 21 points in the game, hitting six of 10 shots from the floor, three of five from three-point range, and six of six from the foul line. In addition, he dished out six assists with only one turnover, while also collecting five rebounds. Last season, Anderson ranked as the team's second-leading scorer (11.8 ppg) and rebounder (4.3 rpg). He led UMass in seven different categories last season - minutes (36.1 mpg), field goal attempts (254), three-pointers (74), three-point attempts (189), free throw percentage (.757), assists (107) and steals (38). On track to earn a fourth season of competition by graduating by the summer of 2004, Anderson already ranks as one of the most prolific three-point shooters in school history. He stands fifth on the school's all-time charts for both three-pointers made (148) and three-point percentage (.393), while ranking seventh in three-point attempts (377). Anderson, who needs just 346 points to become the school's 36th career 1,000-point scorer, already owns two of the top 10 places on the school's single-season chart for three-point goals made.
VIGGIANO LOOKS FOR ANOTHER BIG SEASON: Sophomore forward Jeff Viggiano (Suffield, Conn.) has returned to the starting lineup for the Minutemen this season, after starting 21 of 29 games as a rookie in 2002-2003. In the season opener against Saint Francis (N.Y.), he totaled seven points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. Last year, Viggiano averaged 7.0 point and 2.9 rebounds per game. He became one of 16 true freshmen in UMass history to start at least 20 games (and the first since Tony Barbee and Harper Williams each made 26 starts in 1989-1990), and drew 21 straight starts to end the year. Viggiano recorded nine double-digit scoring games in 2002-2003, the most for a true UMass freshman since Marcus Camby recorded 14 such performances in 1993-1994.
LEE A FORCE IN THE MIDDLE: Junior center Gabe Lee (Camilla, Ga.) has become a solid presence in the lane for the Minutemen. In the season-opening victory over Saint Francis (N.Y.), Lee recorded career highs of 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots, in addition to scoring eight points. As a rookie in 2002-2003, Lee started 13 times in 28 appearances, averaging 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. In addition, he led the team in blocked shots with 46, while ranking third in the Atlantic 10 Conference with an average of 1.6 blocks per game. Although he is only in his second season with the Minutemen, Lee already has 53 career blocked shots, needing 37 more to move into the all-time UMass top 10.
THE NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: UMass has a number of new faces on the court this season, with a total of eight new players on the roster. Junior guard Chris Chadwick (Union, Md.) has joined the Minutemen as a junior college transfer, while sophomore forward Rashaun Freeman (Schenectady, N.Y.) will see his first collegiate action after sitting out the 2002-2003 season. Three freshmen have also joined the team, in guard Art Bowers (Wilmington, Del.), guard Maurice Maxwell (Philadelphia, Pa.) and forward Stephane Lasme (Libreville, Gabon). Rounding out the new faces on the roster are a trio of walk-ons: junior forward Tim Collins (Lee, Mass.), junior guard Mike Jones (Franklin, Mass.) and freshman forward Adham Osman (Natick, Mass.).
SAINT FRANCIS RECAP: Sophomore forward Rashaun Freeman totaled 11 points and 14 rebounds in the first game of his collegiate career, to lead the Minutemen to an 80-58 victory over Saint Francis (N.Y.) in the opening round of the Preseason NIT, at the Mullins Center on Nov. 18. UMass jumped out to an early nine-point lead, before the Terriers responded with a 19-8 run to take a brief two-point lead. The Minutemen then outscored Saint Francis 22-4 over the final eight minutes of the first half, to take a 44-28 lead into the lockerroom. The Terriers were able to cut the lead to five points midway through the second half, before a 13-0 UMass run put the game away. Senior guard Anthony Anderson led all scorers with 21 points, in addition to handing out six assists with only one turnover. Freshman guard Art Bowers had a strong debut with 14 points and three assists, while junior center Gabe Lee totaled eight points, 11 rebounds and seven blocks. Lee and Freeman combined to give UMass two players with double-figure rebounds for the first time since Mar. 9, 2000 against George Washington. Chrisitan Brown led Saint Francis with 13 points and five rebounds. The 22-point margin of victory was UMass' largest in a season-opening game since defeating top-ranked Arkansas 104-80 on Nov. 25, 1994.
HEAD COACH Steve Lappas: Now in his third season as the head coach of the Minutemen, Steve Lappas has an overall record of 25-34 while at UMass. He owns a career mark of 255-206 in 16 seasons as a head coach, including nine years at Villanova (174-110) and four seasons at Manhattan (56-62). A 1977 graduate of the City College of New York, Lappas has led his teams to four NCAA Tournament appearances (with Villanova in 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 1996-1997 and 1998-1999) and four trips to the National Invitation Tournament (Manhattan in 1991-1992 and Villanova in 1993-1994, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001). In addition, his 1993-1994 Villanova team claimed the NIT championship. Lappas currently ranks 11th all-time in career coaching victories at UMass, needing only 14 more wins to move into eighth place.
FREEMAN HAS IMPRESSIVE DEBUT: Sophomore forward Rashaun Freeman had an outstanding game against Saint Francis (N.Y.) to open his collegiate career. Freeman recorded a double-double against the Terriers, totaling 11 points and 14 rebounds, in addition to recording two assists, two steals and a block. With that performance, he became the first Minuteman to post a double-double in his collegiate debut since John Murphy had 16 points and 14 rebounds against West Virginia on Dec. 2, 1972. Freeman came to UMass from Schenectady High School, where he averaged 17.8 points per game during his senior season in 2001-2002. He was named Player of the Year by the Albany Times Union as a senior, in addition to earning All-State honors and leading his team to the New York Section II Class A title.
BOWERS HAS BIG GAME IN OPENER: Freshman guard Art Bowers came up big for the Minutemen in his first collegiate game against Saint Francis (N.Y.). Bowers totaled 14 points against the Terriers, hitting five of eight shots from the field, two of three from three-point range, and two of four from the free throw line. In addition, he recorded three assists, a steal and a rebound. Bowers came to UMass from St. Benedict's (N.J.) Prep School, where he averaged 18 points and six rebounds per game last season. He was a two-time All-State selection, and was ranked among the top 50 high school seniors in 2002-2003 by both ESPN.com and PrepStars.
MINUTEMEN BRING IN PRESEASON HONORS: Senior guard Anthony Anderson was named a preseason third team All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection by the league's coaches and media, announced during Atlantic 10 Media Day on Nov. 6. In addition, freshman guards Art Bowers and Maurice Maxwell were both selected to the preseason Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team. Bowers had previously been honored by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, which selected him as the preseason Atlantic 10 Newcomer of the Year.
UMASS PICKED FOURTH IN A-10 EAST: In the Atlantic 10 Conference's preseason poll, conducted among the league's coaches and media, the Minutemen were picked to finish in fourth place in the East Division. Saint Joseph's placed first in the poll and collected all 34 first place votes, with Temple coming in second and Rhode Island third. Following the Minutemen, Saint Bonaventure was ranked fifth and Fordham sixth. Xavier was picked to win the West Division with 17 of 34 first place votes, followed by Dayton (second, 17 first place votes), Richmond (third), La Salle (fourth), George Washington (fifth) and Duquesne (sixth).
EXHIBITION GAME #2 - PLAYAZ: Rashaun Freeman notched a double-double with a team-high 19 points and 15 rebounds, to lead the Minutemen to a 95-87 victory over the Playaz on Nov. 13, in preseason action at the Mullins Center. Freeman, who canned 12 of his 19 points in the first half, grabbed nine rebounds in the second half, and finished the game hitting eight of 12 from the field. Anthony Anderson had 16 points, including a trio of three-pointers, while Art Bowers and Maurice Maxwell each had 12 points. Jeff Viggiano rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points, including a pair of three pointers. Omar Cooper led the Playaz with 31 points, while James Scott added 23.
EXHIBITION GAME #1 - HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: Anthony Anderson scored 16 points on five of six shooting, including four of five from three-point range, as the Minutemen dropped a hard fought 77-68 decision to the Harlem Globetrotters at the Springfield Civic Center on Nov. 9. UMass led by as many as seven points early in the game, and was up 27-22 with six minutes remaining before the break. The Globetrotters then used a 16-10 run to take a one-point lead into the lockerroom. The lead expanded to eight points after the Globetrotters scored the first seven points of the second half, and the Minutemen trailed 64-55 with 6:21 left to play in the game. UMass then went on an 8-0 run to trim the lead to one point, but was unable to get any closer. The Globetrotters outscored the Minutemen 13-5 the rest of the way, to claim a nine-point win. Rashaun Freeman totaled 14 points, five assists and four rebounds for UMass, while Art Bowers added 12 points. The Globetrotters were led by Darrick Martin with 19 points and nine assists, while Cedric Ceballos had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench.
MORE GLOBETROTTER FACTS: With their 77-68 loss to the Harlem Globetrotters, the Minutemen made a very impressive showing. During the Globetrotters first four games on their 2003 College Tour, they scored at least 95 points in every game, while averaging 101.0 points per contest and a 25.0 margin of victory. Prior to UMass, the closest any team had come to the Globetrotters was Michigan State, which fell 97-82. With the win over UMass, the Globetrotters extended their current winning streak to 286 games, dating back to a 106-82 loss to Ohio State on Nov. 22, 2002.
MINUTEMEN ON THE RADIO: All University of Massachusetts basketball games can be heard live on the UMass Basketball Radio Network, with WRNX 100.9 FM (Holyoke) serving as the flagship station. Bob Behler is in his fifth season as the play-by-play announcer, while former UMass head coach Jack Leaman is in his 10th year as color analyst. Here is the list of this week's affiliates on the UMass Basketball Radio Network: WCAP 980 AM (Lowell / Boston) and WATD 95.9 FM (Marshfield / Boston). In addition, WMUA 91.1 FM, the UMass student station, will carry a number of Minuteman basketball games during the 2003-2004 season.
THE COORS LIGHT COACH'S SHOW: Head coach Steve Lappas' weekly radio show, "The Coors Light Coach's Show with Steve Lappas," airs live from the Blue Wall Pub in Amherst from 7:00-8:00 p.m. on WRNX 100.9 FM (Holyoke). The show, hosted by Bob Behler, runs throughout the season, and will next air on Monday, Dec. 1. The show is open to the general public.
THE UMASS BASKETBALL SHOW: Head coach Steve Lappas' weekly television show, "The UMass Basketball Show with Steve Lappas presented by Coca-Cola," airs on WGGB Channel 40 (ABC, Springfield) on Sundays at 11:30 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, and on WLVI Channel 56 (Boston) on Sundays at 11:55 p.m.
MINUTEMEN ON TELEVISION: UMass will once again make a number of appearances on live television during the 2003-2004 regular season. The Minutemen will play on ESPN2 at least three times, on Nov. 21 at Texas Tech, on Jan. 3 against Tennessee and on Jan. 24 against Temple. UMass will have four games carried as part of the Atlantic 10 Television Network package, against Duquesne (Jan. 18), Dayton (Feb. 8), Xavier (Feb. 14) and Richmond (Mar. 6). The Minutemen could make additional appearances on ESPN or ESPN2 in the semifinals and finals of the Preseason NIT, while the Mar. 3 contest at Temple will be shown on CN8, and the contest at Boston College will be shown by the New England Sports Network.
MULLINS MAGIC: UMass is currently in its 12th season of play at the William D. Mullins Memorial Center, posting an all-time record of 93-35 in the building. The Minutemen stand 1-0 at the Mullins Center so far this season, after their season-opening 80-58 victory over Saint Francis (N.Y.). UMass was 8-6 in the Mullins Center last year, and has not had a losing record at home since moving into the new arena in 1992-1993. In fact, UMass has gone 21 straight seasons without having a losing record on its homecourt. The Minutemen also own a 59-22 all-time record in regular season Atlantic 10 Conference games at the Mullins Center, and a 3-1 mark in Atlantic 10 Tournament contests.
DIALING LONG DISTANCE: The three-point shot has become an important part of the UMass offense since Steve Lappas began his tenure as head coach. The 2001-2002 Minutemen set school records for both three-point field goals made (204) and three-point field goals attempted (587) during Lappas' first season. Last year, UMass sank 164 three-pointers (fourth-most in school history), while attempting 544 shots from beyond the arc (second-most in school history). Massachusetts has made at least one three-point goal in 151 straight games heading into the 2003-2004 season.
AMONG THE ATLANTIC 10'S BEST: Over the last 14-plus seasons, Massachusetts owns a 294-159 overall record, good for an average of 20.9 wins per season. The Minutemen have made 10 postseason appearances over that stretch, while winning 20-or-more games in a season seven times. In addition, UMass has posted a winning record in Atlantic 10 play 12 times in the last 14 years, while finishing with an overall record below .500 just three times. After posting no winning campaigns, just two .500 records and a 53-133 overall mark in its first 13 seasons in the Atlantic 10, UMass has gone 150-76 in regular-season league play over the last 14 campaigns en route to 10 conference crowns (five regular season, five tournament). Eight times over the last 14 seasons, the Minutemen have won at least 11 league games. In the Atlantic 10, no program that has called the league home in each of the last 14-plus years has won more games overall than UMass (294). Xavier, though, does have 314 victories to its credit over that time frame, but the Musketeers didn't join the league until the 1995-1996 campaign.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: During the 2002-2003 season, the Minutemen were consistently one of the top defensive teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. UMass allowed only 66.5 points per game last season, the fifth lowest mark in the league, while standing third in the Atlantic 10 in three-point field goal percentage defense (31.6 pct.) and fourth in the conference in field goal percentage defense (41.3 pct.). The Minutemen were even more impressive with their perimeter defense against conference foes, leading the Atlantic 10 in three-point field goal percentage defense (30.4 pct.). UMass held its opponents to 62 points or fewer 14 times last season, posting an 8-6 record in those games.
ABOUT THE RED RAIDERS: Texas Tech enters the UMass game with a 1-0 record, after defeating Davidson 89-58 in its season opener. Senior forward Andre Emmett led the Red Raiders with 17 points and five rebounds, while freshman guard Jarrius Jackson added 17 points and two assists. Last season, Texas Tech posted an overall record of 22-13, including a third-place finish in the National Invitation Tournament.
TEXAS TECH HEAD COACH BOB KNIGHT: Now in his third season as the head coach at Texas Tech, Bob Knight owns a 46-22 mark during his time with the Red Raiders. Knight's career record stands at 810-311, including 29 seasons at Indiana (662-239) and six years at Army (102-50). He stands fourth in NCAA history in career victories, currently ranking behind only Dean Smith (879), Adolph Rupp (876) and Jim Phelan (830). Over the course of his career, Knight has led his teams to 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, with his 1976, 1981 and 1987 Indiana teams winning NCAA titles.
MINUTEMATTERS: Massachusetts has made at least one three-point field goal in 152 consecutive games and in 528 of 535 games it has played since the arc was added to the college game in 1986-1987 ... UMass has won 25 of its last 27 games when shooting 50.0 percent or better from the field, including this year's 1-0 mark and a 7-2 record in Steve Lappas' tenure in Amherst.
