Just Take A Minute: Dec. 14-18

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   Friday, Dec. 18

Tomorrow is the big day in Boston for UMass Basketball as the Minutemen take on Memphis at 6 p.m., at the TD Garden. JTAM has news on the game including an update on Ricky Harris' ankle and the sweet throwback uniforms the team will be wearing. A great crowd is expected but tickets are still available, call 1-866-UMASS-TIX for info.

The Springfield Republican has a story on UMass' retro uniforms to be worn on Saturday.

In the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Matt Vautour has a story on Ricky Harris improving ankle. "At this point in my life you have to take care of your body. I've been getting a lot of treatment with Dave (Maclutsky, the team's athletic trainer), trying to get it healed so I can get back out there," said Harris."When I had to jump for a rebound I was a little timid coming down on it," he added. "But as practice goes on I think I'll get my confidence back."

The Memphis Commercial Appeal has a great feature story on Derek Kellogg and his rebuilding of the UMass basketball program. "There are a lot of things coming at you the first year; there's just so much involved," said Kellogg, who was named head coach just a few days after Memphis' loss in the 2008 national title game. "It's crazy how fast it went by. It was like the blink of an eye."

The Boston Herald takes a look at UMass' first game at the Garden since 1997. "Instead of our fans always having to travel to UMass, it's a chance for us to get to them and make it a little easier and more accessible for our UMass alumni to come see our team," Kellogg said. "I'm excited and I hope our fans really come out and support our team and get a feel for where we're at."

ESPN.com analyst Fran Fraschilla has a great blog entry about the great start to the season by the Atlantic 10 conference.

UMass football foe James Madison features the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award winner in lineman Arthur Moats. He won the award for the top FCS defensive player by the largest margin ever. Read about it here.

The Hartford Courant has a feature story on UMass hockey opponent Quinnipiac and the Bobcats rise to national prominence this season.

Check This Out On UMassAthletics.com: Saturday's game will be available in many media forms, check the Watch & Listen page for the latest links. ESPN360.com will carry the live streaming videom if you can't get to the game on a TV to watch on ESPN2..

Don't Miss This: UMASS vs. MEMPHIS, Saturday Night at 6 p.m., TD GARDEN in BOSTON .... BE THERE!

   Thursday, Dec. 17

Buy Tickets To Saturday's Game Vs. Memphis

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The huge UMass-Memphis basketball game at the TD Garden is getting more attention. On WEEI Radio, Boston Herald writer Steve Buckley challenged UMass alums in Boston to come out and support the Minutemen on Saturday in his "Last Call" on Wednesday. Tonight, join us for the Bud Light UMass Radio Show at Paddy's in Springfield from 7-8 p.m., with Coach Derek Kellogg. JTAM also has info on ESPN's Todd McShay projection of Vladimir Ducasse being a first-round NFL draft pick.

In his latest NFL First Round projection, ESPN's Todd McShay has UMass Vladimir Ducasse being selected 28th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles. McShay his this tight synopsis: "Ducasse is 330 pounds and his feet might not be quick enough to hold up at left tackle, where he played at UMass, but he still moves well for his size and we think he could develop into a starting right tackle. If he doesn't pan out at tackle, he has the makings of an excellent guard."

Also on the NFL Draft front, Scouts Inc. has Ducasse ranked as the 31st overall top prospect in the draft. He has a grade of 90 out of 100.

The Springfield Republican and Daily Hampshire Gazette have the story of Ducasse being named an Associated Press First-Team All-American.

The Calgary Sun has a great feature story on UMass' Jon Quick, who is starring in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings. He will start tonight against the Flames in Calgary.

The New York Times has a lengthy feature story on the head coach of UMass' opponent on Saturday -- Memphis. New head coach Josh Pastner is just 32 years old, but has been involved in the game of basketball since he was a pre-teen.

Marcus Camby continues to post big numbers with the L.A. Clippers. In the team's 120-95 win at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, the UMass product had 10 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks.

UMass field hockey will have a new opponent in the A-10 in 2010. Commissioner Bernadette V. McGlade Wednesday announced that Lock Haven University will join the Atlantic 10 Conference as an affiliate member in field hockey, beginning in 2010. LHU will play a seven-game league schedule and is eligible for both the A-10 regular season and tournament championships next season.

Check This Out On UMassAthletics.com: A great holiday gift is a Sam The Minuteman Bobblehead. Buy one now for just $12.95.

Don't Miss This: Come on out and see Coach Kellogg tonight at Paddy's in Springfield from 7-8 p.m., at the Bud Light UMass Basketball Show. Or you can listen on 100.9 FM WRNX and online at UMassAthletics.com. Kellogg will also be interviewed on the Sports Hub 98.5 FM tonight, so tune in if you are out east.

   Wednesday, Dec. 16

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The UMass Sports Luncheon takes place at 12:15 p.m., this afternoon at the Campus Center at Room 1009. Basketball coaches Derek Kellogg and Marnie Dacko will be the guest speakers. Also hockey star Will Ortiz will be honored as the Athlete of the Week. UMass' 15 auctions for the 100 Seasons of UMass Basketball street banners end Wednesday evening. Be sure to bid. JTAM also has news on senior footballer Vladimir Ducasse.

In the Springfield Republican, Ron Chimelis writes that senior guard Ricky Harris is expected to play on Saturday vs. Memphis at the TD Garden. "He's been doing stuff on the bicycle to keep his wind up. He'll do some non-contract stuff, and I'm sure he'll be good to go," UMass men's basketball coach Derek Kellogg said Tuesday.

The Springfield Republican's Garry Brown mentions UMass in his weekly "Hitting To All Fields" column. Writing: Can UMass pull a hoop surprise against Memphis?

The Memphis Commercial Appeal has the latest on the Memphis Tigers with a story on the team's early-season schedule.

The D-League's Springfield Armor fell to 0-7 on Tuesday night, losing at the the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in Indiana, 124-107. The Armor suited up two former Minutemen in Chris Lowe, who played 18 minutes with eight points and two assists along with Maurice Maxwell, who had six points and five assists in 30 minutes. It was Lowe's second game with the team after debuting on Saturday in three minutes. Dante Milligan is sidelined with the broken nose.

The website Draft Countdown lists UMass Vladimir Ducasse as the No. 7 top riser on its HOT LIST. The list includes nine other FBS players. The site has this to say about Ducasse: "There is only one word to describe Vlad Ducasse: Massive. Most casual fans have probably never heard of or seen the 6-5, 330 pound Ducasse, who played in The Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision, but that will all change in the coming months. After absolutely dominating his competition this year Ducasse has really caught the attention of scouts and he has emerged as arguably the top small-school prospect for the 2010 NFL Draft. Despite his incredible size Ducasse is actually a very good athlete with nimble feet and good agility."

The Portland Press Herald has an interesting look at the state of the Northern teams in the CAA Football League (UMass, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island). Jenn Menendez writes: They are fierce rivals on the football field. Off the field, the universities are about to come together like never before. In the wake of the news that Northeastern and Hofstra have dropped football, athletic directors from the four programs will meet Dec. 21 with Tom Yeager, the Colonial Athletic Association commissioner, to advocate for themselves in a league whose alignment and dynamic has changed dramatically.

Jonathan Quick got his 20th win last night for the Los Angeles Kings, in a 3-2 win at Edmonton. He made 27 saves and is now tied with the New Jersey Devils' Martin Brodeur for the NHL lead in victories this season.

UMass women's basketball NLI signee Kelly Robinson played a key role in her high school Francis Lewis picking up a key win last night. The New York Post has the story on Lewis' 56-51 win over Thomas Jefferson. Robinson had nine points and five assists.

Check This Out On UMassAthletics.com: Thinking about gifts with the holiday season here? Why not make a gift to the UMAA. You can make a contribution online.

Don't Miss This: This afternoon at 12:15 p.m., the Sports Luncheon takes place at the Campus Center Room 1009. ... We are four days away from Saturday's clash with Memphis at the TD Garden in Boston. Get your tickets now for the nationally-televised game.

   Tuesday, Dec. 15

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Just 10 days until Christmas, hope you have all your gifts lined up. Here at UMass we are in the midst of final exams so no games this week. JTAM has some news and info on basketball, hockey and football. Also, the rumors of Marcus Camby being traded are rampant out of L.A., check out JTAM for the latest.

The UMass hockey team hangs tight at No. 15 in the USCHO.com Poll released on Monday. The Minutemen are also No. 15 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll for the second week in a row.

UMass' Jon Quick was named one of the NHL's Three Stars of the week. Quick, 23, was instrumental in helping the Kings (21-10-3) vault to the top of the Western Conference, with three wins, a 1.58 goals-against average and .941 save percentage. He had 26 saves in a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Dec. 7, turned aside 29 shots and five of eight shootout attempts in a 3-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Dec. 10 and finished the week by stopping 25 shots and all four shootout attempts in a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Dec 12.

In the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Matt Vautour has an update on Ricky Harris' ankle sprain. "He shot around a bit on his own," Derek Kellogg said. "He looked OK. He wasn't 100 percent. I'd guess about 60 percent. We're hopeful. I think by Wednesday we'll have a better idea of his status."

The Memphis Commercial Appeal has an update on the UMass basketball foe on Saturday in Boston, Memphis. The Tigers are healing up from some injuries, similar to the Minutemen. First-year Memphis coach Josh Pastner had to this to say about UMass: "They're better than their record. They have good players. They have talent. It wouldn't surprise me if you see them get hot and win the Atlantic 10. They're well-coached, they play a fun style that kids like to play, and it will be a true road game. We won't have the fan support like we did in Little Rock. It will be a true road game to see where we're at, and it's on national television."

1996 National Player of the Year and UMass legend Marcus Camby may be traded by the Los Angeles Clippers in the coming days. There are various stories on the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year changing jerseys. Read about it in the Los Angeles Times, Examiner and HoopsWorld.

Last night, the Clippers held off the Washington Wizards in a 97-95 win. Camby had eight points and 15 rebounds in the win.

If you haven't seen it, check out the Toshiba Commercial for its new television. It features two clips of UMass (in white) in the 2006 NCAA Semifinals vs. Montana. You can see No. 5 Steve Baylark running for a touchdown.

The Springfield Republican has a story on Jeromy Miles being named a Walter Camp All-American.

Check This Out On UMassAthletics.com: The Auctions Page includes 15 street banners from the 100 Years Of UMass Basketball. They make great holiday gifts.

Don't Miss This: We are five days away from Saturday's clash with Memphis at the TD Garden in Boston. Get your tickets now for the nationally-televised game.

   Monday, Dec. 14

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Welcome back to Just Take A Minute on Monday! Hope you had a great weekend. The men's basketball team and hockey team each picked up solid victories at home. JTAM has recaps of all the action. Also, UMass alum James Ihedigbo had his first NFL sack on Sunday. Today is the start of final exams in Amherst, so time to hit the books for studying.

The hockey team heads into break with a 10-5-0 record after a 4-1 win over Merrimack on Saturday the Mullins Center. Here are some recaps: Springfield Republican, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, UMass-Minutemen-Examiner~y2009m12d12-Mass-Attack-end-losing-streak-with-41-win-over-Merrimack">The Examiner.

The Boston Globe has this update on the US Olympic Hockey team hopefuls including UMass' Jon Quick.

The men's basketball win over Grambling State on Friday night is covered in the: Springfield Republican, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Boston Herald, Boston Globe, Examiner and Associated Press.

UMass all-time assist leader Chris Lowe made his Springfield Armor debut on Saturday as the team fell to 0-6 in a 98-91 loss to the Tulsa 66ers. The Springfield Republican has a story as well with this quote from Lowe, who made his debut without ever practicing with the D-League team: "It was out of the blue. He didn't want to play me. I didn't know the plays yet, but I'll be good here. Basketball is still basketball."

The Lawrence Journal-World mentions UMass' 61-60 win over Kansas last season in Kansas City in reference to this season's game in KC. The Jayhawks pounded A-10 foe La Salle, 90-65, on Saturday in the Jayhawks annual game in Kansas City. The ESPN broadcast made many references to UMass' upset win last season on the same weekend.

The women's basketball team's loss to Providence on Friday night is covered in the Daily Hampshire Gazette and Examiner.

The Salem News has a nice look at UMass' Chris Zardas, who is getting looks from NFL scouts. "I was lucky that agents and scouts came to a lot of our games to see offensive tackle Vladimir Ducasse, who will probably be a second round draft pick," said Zardas. "It was a good way for me to get exposure, and a lot of them liked what they saw."

The FCS Championship game which plays on Friday night in Chattanooga, features two teams familiar to UMass fans in Montana and Villanova. The Grizzlies reached the final for the third time in six years and will play a CAA/A-10 team for the third time as well. Montana downed Appalachian State, 24-17 on Saturday. Villanova came back to beat Williams & Mary, 14-13, on Friday.

In the New York Jets 26-3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, UMass alum James Ihedigbo had his first-career sack, of Bucs QB Josh Freeman. It is mentioned in the Newark Star-Ledger with a nice big photo.

The National Lacrosse League season is just around the corner and the Boston Blazers have started practice with UMass alums back on the field. The Boston Herald has a feature with a quote from UMass legend Sean Morris: "It's something that's growing like wildfire. At Marshfield, we probably played 30 high school teams in the South Shore, now there's around 60."

The Boston Globe has its Fall All-Scholastic Teams which include many future UMass student-athletes including lacrosse player Ryan Izzo, who was an Athlete of the Year as a football player.

Check This Out On UMassAthletics.com: Looking for a nice holiday gift? Want to relive great moments from UMass Athletics? Visit the Photo Gallery page for all the best images from UMass teams.

Don't Miss This: We are six days away from Saturday's clash with Memphis at the TD Garden in Boston. Get your tickets now for the nationally-televised game.

Look Back To The Week Of: Dec. 7-11 | Nov. 30-Dec. 4 | Nov. 23-24 | Nov. 16-20 | Nov. 9-13 | Nov. 2-6 | Oct. 26-30 | Oct. 19-23 | Oct. 12-16 | Oct. 5-9 | Sept. 28-Oct. 2 | Sept. 21-25 | Sept. 14-18 | Sept. 7-11 | Aug. 31-Sept. 4 | Aug. 24-28 | Aug. 17-21 | Aug. 10-14 | Aug. 3-8 | July 27-31 | July 20-24 | July 13-17 | July 6-10 | June 29-July 3 | June 22-26 | June 15-19 | June 8-12 | June 1-5 | May 25-29 | May 18-22 | May 11-15 | May 4-8 | April 27-May 1 | April 20-24 | April 13-17 | April 6-10 | March 30-Apr. 3 | March 23-27 | March 16-20 | March 9-13 | Mar. 2-6 | Feb. 23-27 | Feb. 16-20 | Feb. 9-13 | Feb. 2-6 | Jan. 26-30 | Jan. 19-23 | Jan. 12-16 | Jan. 5-9 | Dec. 29, 2008-Jan. 2, 2009 | Dec. 22-26 | Dec. 15-19 | Dec. 8-12 | Dec. 1-5 | Nov. 24-28 | Nov. 17-21 | Nov. 10-14 | Nov. 3-7 | Oct. 27-31 | Oct. 20-24, 2008 | Oct. 13-17, 2008 | Oct. 6-10, 2008 | Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2008 | Sept. 22-26, 2008 | Sept. 15-19, 2008 | Sept. 8-12, 2008 | Sept. 1-5, 2008 | Aug. 25-29, 2008 | Aug. 18-22, 2008

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