University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Getting Ready For 2004-2005 Season
July 22, 2004 | Men's Basketball
July 22, 2004
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Heading into the 2004-2005 season, the UMass basketball team looks to return to its place among the top teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. With all five starters returning from last year's squad, and some talented newcomers joining the team, the Minutemen should once again have the ingredients necessary to contend in the league, and make a run at their first postseason tournament bid since 1999-2000.
Although last year's Minutemen were only able to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10 East Division, they showed some flashes of what UMass fans can expect to see in years to come. UMass led the Atlantic 10 in blocked shots with an average of 5.3 per game, while standing second in assists with an average of 15.4 per contest.
To build the 2004-2005 team, the Minutemen have 12 players returning, including all five starters and nine of the 10 scholarship lettermen off last year's squad. All told, the 12 returnees provided 93.4 percent of the scoring and 91.3 percent of the rebounding a year ago. They will be joined by a cast of three newcomers, who will look to help the Minutemen return to the postseason this spring.
Backcourt
UMass' returning cast is headlined by senior point guard Anthony Anderson, who will be in his fourth season in the Minuteman starting lineup. Anderson averaged 12.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season, while leading the team in assists (102), steals (44) and three-point shooting (82 of 212, 38.7 percent). Over the course of his UMass career, Anderson has been incredibly consistent, hitting at least 70 three-point field goals and handing out at least 100 assists in each of his first three years.
Joining Anderson in the backcourt is sophomore Art Bowers, who earned 23 starts last season and was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team. Bowers averaged 9.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in 2003-2004, while showing that he has the ability to be a prime time scorer in the Atlantic 10. He scored in double figures 13 times last year, including five games with at least 18 points in the second half of the season.
Also in line to earn a starting spot on one of the wings is sophomore Maurice Maxwell, who also stepped into the starting lineup as a true freshman with 19 starts. Maxwell showed his potential with great all-around skills, averaging 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals per contest. He also had the ability to perform in the clutch, hitting big three-pointers late in the game at Rhode Island and at Temple.
The top backcourt reserve for the Minutemen will be senior Chris Chadwick. After transferring to UMass from Cecil (Md.) Community College prior to the start of last season, Chadwick averaged 3.7 points, 1.9 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game, while battling through injuries. Senior Brennan Martin could also contribute off the bench. Martin is an excellent shooter, who has nailed 40 three-point field goals in his collegiate career. Senior walk-on Mike Jones will provide the Minutemen with added depth.
Frontcourt
Junior Rashaun Freeman established himself as one of the top big men in the conference last year, and looks to contend for Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors in 2004-2005. Last season's Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, Freeman led the team with averages of 15.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, while hitting 54.9 percent of his field goal attempts. With a year of collegiate experience under his belt, Freeman should become the league's most dominant low post player this season.
Junior Jeff Viggiano returns to join Freeman along the front line, after starting 46 games over the last two seasons. A versatile player who has the ability to play at either power forward or small forward, Viggiano averaged 9.7 points per game last year, while ranking second on the team with an average of 5.4 rebounds per contest. He looks to once again be one of UMass' top players, whether he is down low or on the wing.
Another prime contender for a starting spot is sophomore Lawrence Carrier. A native of San Bernardino, Calif., Carrier sat out the 2003-2004 season under NCAA academic guidelines. Rated as the nation's 86th-best prep by PrepStars, Carrier averaged 20.3 points and 9.3 rebounds for Salisbury (Conn.) School in 2002-2003. He could see action as either a small forward or at power forward.
Looking to contribute off the bench will be a pair of sophomores in Stephane Lasme and Alassane Kouyate. Lasme was the top big man off the bench last season, averaging 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while posting a team-best 51 blocked shots. Kouyate, who sat out last season as a medical redshirt, saw action in 14 games as a rookie in 2002-2003, and contributed 0.1 points and 0.6 rebounds while averaging 3.9 minutes per game.
Two true freshmen will also look to make contributions off the bench, in Olivier Lamoureux and Jeff Salovski. Lamoureux averaged 9.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest last year at Champlain St. Lambert School in Montreal, Quebec. Salovski earned All-State honors last season at Bristol (Conn.) Central High School, averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks per game. Senior walk-on Tim Collins and sophomore walk-on Adham Osman will provided added depth for the Minutemen up front.
Schedule
Challenging schedules and UMass basketball have gone hand and hand for more than a decade, and that beat should continue in 2003-2004. The RPI Report has ranked UMass' among the 50 toughest in the nation 10 times in the last 13 seasons.
Although the non-conference slate is not entirely set, a number of tough opponents will be on the schedule. Defending national champion Connecticut will visit the Mullins Center, as will Boston College, another Big East Conference team which made the NCAA Tournament. Defending America East Conference regular season champion Boston University will also come to the Mullins Center, while the Minutemen will hit the road to face Miami (Fla.), and will take on perenial power Gonzaga at the Key Arena in Seattle, Wash.
In the Atlantic 10 East Division, the Minutemen face home-and-home series with three teams which advanced to postseason tournaments last year, in St. Joseph's (NCAA), Rhode Island (NIT) and Temple (NIT). UMass will also take on four more postseason teams from the Atlantic 10 West Division, facing Richmond (NCAA) and Xavier (NCAA) at home, while hitting the road to battle Dayton (NCAA) and George Washington (NIT).
