University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutemen Ready for New Orleans, Calipari Banner Raising
December 15, 2015 | Men's Basketball
| University of Massachusetts Basketball Weekly Release | |
| Game 10 | Massachusetts (5-4 overall) vs. New Orleans (3-5) |
| Date | Time | Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015 | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| Location | Mullins Center (9,493) | Amherst, Mass. | Directions |
| Live Statistics | GameTracker |
| Watch | Atlantic 10 Digital Network |
| Listen (Radio) | 105.5 FM WEEI (Western Massachusetts), 830 AM WCRN (Worcester) and 1200 AM WXKS (Boston, Manchester, Providence) |
| Listen (Online) | WEEI Streaming Player | TuneIn App (mobile devices) |
| Series History | UMass leads, 1-0. Last meeting: UMass 68, New Orleans 56; Dec. 2, 1991 |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts  | New Orleans | Atlantic 10 | Southland Conference |
| Team Information | Massachusetts | New Orleans |
| @UMassAthletics | @UMassBasketball | #GoUMass | |
| UMass Athletics | |
| Promotions | John Calipari Banner Raising Ceremony | Throwback Jerseys |
| Buy Tickets | Available on TicketMaster.com or over the phone via 866-UMASS-TIX |
UMass-New Orleans Scouting Report
UMass men's basketball looks to cut short a three-game skid when New Orleans visits the Mullins Center for a Wednesday, Dec. 16 contest at 7 p.m. The University of Massachusetts Athletic Department will recognize former head coach and recent Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee John Calipari through a banner raising ceremony at halftime of the contest.
The Privateers will look to spoil the ceremony and turn around their road fortunes during the midweek tilt as New Orleans sports a 1-5 mark away from their facility but are 2-0 at home. Christavious Gill's 14.1 points per game paves the way as Gill shoots 40.7 percent from the floor (35-of-86), including 44.4 percent from outside (16-for-36). He is also converting 87.1 percent of his foul shots (27-for-31) with a team-best 18 steals.
Gill's efforts are supported by teammate Nate Frye, who averages 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and a team-best 3.1 assists per game through eight contests, including seven starts.
These teams have met once before, during the 1991-92 season. UMass took a 68-56 game from the Privateers at the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage on Dec. 2, 1991, during current head coach Derek Kellogg and assistant director of operations Lou Roe's first years competing for the Minutemen.
Follow UMass Athletics And UMass Basketball On Twitter
Instant information on the basketball program, including an inside look at key points and statistics in each game as well as updates from practice and other team events are available via the Twitter handle @UMassBasketball. Follow the Minutemen there and catch information about each University of Massachusetts Athletic Department program through @UMassAthletics.
Athletics To Honor John Calipari During UMass-New Orleans Game
As part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the UMass men's basketball 1995-96 Final Four team, the University of Massachusetts Athletic Department will honor former head coach John Calipari during the 2015-16 season with a banner raising ceremony before the contest against New Orleans on Dec. 16.
Calipari, who will be on-hand for the halftime ceremony, led UMass to five consecutive Atlantic 10 titles and as many straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Calipari, who guided the Minutemen from 1988-96, finished his tenure with 193 victories, including 91 versus league opponents. Calipari's banner will join the retired jerseys of five all-time Minuteman greats: George "Trigger" Burke (No. 32), Marcus Camby (21), Julius "Dr. J." Erving (32), Lou Roe (15) and Al Skinner (30).
The Difference A Year Makes
Nine games into his first year competing for the Minutemen in 2014-15, Jabarie Hinds averaged 7.8 points and 2.1 assists per contest. Nine games into his second season, the West Virginia transfer puts in 16.7 points and dishes out 4.7 assists per appearance. That equates to a +8.9 margin in scoring average and +2.6 increase in assists dished out.
Hinds is one of three Minutemen averaging around 17.0 points per game midway through December and the redshirt senior point guard is shooting 48.6 percent overall (54-of-111), including 20-for-51 on 3-pointers (39.2 percent). He has also hit 22-of-29 free throws (75.9 percent). As of games on Dec. 13, Hinds is the 12th-highest scoring player across the Atlantic 10 and also dishes out the fourth-most assists across all league competitors.
Clark, Davis Also Difference-Makers From 2014-15
In addition to Jabarie Hinds' +8.9 points per game increase from nine games into 2014-15, Donte Clark (16.6) and Trey Davis (17.2) sport similar increases in the scoring column. Clark scores +7.3 from nine games into his freshman campaign (9.3) while Davis is +6.5 over his junior year average (10.7).
It's Raining Threes, Hallelujah
After starting the season 10-of-41 from outside (24.4 percent) over the opening two games, UMass vaulted itself into fifth across the A-10 for 3-point accuracy (36.5; 80-of-219) with a heightened pace over the last seven games. During those contests, the Minutemen hit 39.3 percent of their treys (70-of-178). During just its wins, UMass is 45-for-85 (52.9 percent).
Guards Jabarie Hinds (20-of-51; 39.2), Donte Clark (21-of-54; 38.9) and Trey Davis (26-of-67; 38.8) pave the way. As a team, the side averages 8.9 made 3-pointers per game, the fourth-highest total in the league, with Davis in seventh (2.9), followed by Clark (2.3; tied-10th) and Hinds (2.2; 13th).
...But Not For The Opposition
In addition to having the fifth-best 3-point percentage among A-10 teams, UMass men's basketball limits opponents to the lowest conversion rate from beyond the arc through nine games (26.6 percent; 49-of-184). The Minutemen kept their foe below 30.0 percent on seven occasions, including a 2-for-14 night for Central Arkansas (14.3 percent), Florida Gulf Coast's 2-for-12 showing (16.7 percent) and a 5-for-27 line by Harvard (18.5).
Playing Clean Leads To Wins
UMass only turned the ball over six times during the 69-63 win at Harvard on Nov. 17, 2015, its fewest giveaway since the squad had five in an 80-62 win over Saint Joseph's on Feb. 9, 2013. It was a span of 77 contests between the two outings. Over the previous five seasons, the Minutemen have committed less than 10 turnovers on 11 occasions and are 8-3 in those contests.
Highly-Touted Quartet Fills Out Latest Recruiting Class
University of Massachusetts men's basketball and head coach Derek Kellogg brought four new members to the program on Wed., Nov. 11, as Chris Baldwin, DeJon Jarreau, Brison Gresham and Unique McLean signed their National Letters of Intent to compete for the Maroon and White beginning in 2016-17. The quartet combined to earn a top-25 class ranking across the three major recruiting services as it earned 22nd in the nation from 247Sports and 25th from ESPN and Rivals.
In addition to the praise heaped on the individual student-athletes, Kellogg's signees represent the top ranked class across all Atlantic 10 programs according to ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals.
Baldwin, the No. 2 ranked player in Massachusetts and a four-star recruit via ESPN, hails from Springfield, Massachusetts, and currently attends Notre Dame Prep.
Gresham, who is teammates with Jarreau at McDonogh 35 High School in New Orleans, is the fifth-ranked player in the state of Louisiana according to 247Sports with an overall grade of 90.
ESPN also touts the abilities of Jarreau, who is a four-star player ranked No. 62 overall in their top-100 listing with more than 20 offers from NCAA Division I programs across the country.
McLean, who played locally at the MacDuffie School in Granby, chose the Minutemen over Rutgers and a trio of other Atlantic 10 institutions in Dayton, Fordham and Rhode Island.
Cady Lalanne Chosen In 2015 NBA Draft
UMass men's basketball senior center Cady Lalanne was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round with the 55th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Lalanne became the first Minuteman since Stephane Lasme (2007) to be chosen in the NBA Draft and 16th all-time from UMass. He was the only player picked from an Atlantic 10 Conference school.
Basketball Moves In To Champions Center
The University of Massachusetts men's and women's basketball program moved into their first dedicated team facility during the Summer 2015 with the introduction of the John Francis Kennedy Champions Center for UMass Basketball. The 53,000-square foot building offers a state-of-the-art facility for the Minutemen and Minutewomen that will benefit generations of basketball student-athletes to come.
The structure is named in honor of longtime athletics support John Francis Kennedy, who donated the lead gift of $11 million toward the project. The 53,000-square foot facility houses the daily operations for the UMass men's and women's basketball programs. The $22-million facility features dedicated practice courts for each team, office space for the coaching staffs, locker rooms and areas for strength and conditioning along with athletic training services. It also contains Legacy Hall, which will display the rich history of UMass basketball along the building's Eastern corridor.
The creation of the facility has several additional benefits for the University, the community and other programs within the athletics department. Current space utilized in the Mullins Center for basketball will be converted to additional support areas for athletics. The dedicated practice space for the basketball program will allow more open dates for the Mullins Center to schedule entertainment groups such as concerts, theatrical productions and other performers. The teams will no longer need to schedule practices in the Curry Hicks Cage as well, which will allow more time for other athletics programs and University-related organizations to use the space.
