Massachusetts Hosts In-State Rival Holy Cross Sunday

University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 9	Massachusetts (5-3) vs. Holy Cross (4-2)
Date // Time	Sunday, Dec. 8 // 2 p.m.
Promotions	• Girl Scouts Day • Holiday Toy Drive
Location	Amherst, Mass. // Mullins Center
Tickets	UMass Athletics Ticket Central // (866) UMASS-TIX
Live Statistics	SIDEARM Stats
Watch	ESPN+ United States // International
Social Media	Facebook: UMass Women's Basketball Twitter: @UMassWBB // @CoachVerdiUMass Instagram: @UMassWBB
Game Notes	Massachusetts // Holy Cross

The Opening Tip
• University of Massachusetts women's basketball returns to the Mullins Center hardwood on Sun., Dec. 8, welcoming Holy Cross to Jack Leaman Court for a 2 p.m. game on ESPN+. Colin Cronin and Ryan Beaton will be on the call.

• The Minutewomen are looking for their third straight win and sixth their last seven games, most recently holding off New Hampshire, 67-65, on Thurs., Dec. 5. It capped a perfect 4-0 record for UMass against America East foes this season, having also defeated UMass Lowell (Nov. 14), Hartford (Nov. 17) and Vermont (Nov. 29).

• UMass appeared to have the UNH game put away comfortably with a 19-point lead in the third quarter, but the Wildcats waged a furious comeback effort in the final stanza to ultimately get as close as one in the waning seconds of the contest. Despite committing 22 turnovers, the Minutewomen had three double-digit scorers led by senior Hailey Leidel (21).

• Both freshman Maeve Donnelly (12 pts, 8 reb) and sophomore Destiney Philoxy (9 pts, 9 ast) narrowly missed double-double performances as well vs. UNH. Philoxy's nine dimes reset a career-high and were the most by a Minutewoman in a game this season.

• In the six games since UMass fell to Providence on Nov. 9, the squad is averaging over 77 points per game with a +20 scoring margin. Leidel leads the attack averaging 18.7 points in that span while both Donnelly (6 reb/gm) and fellow freshman Angelique Ngalakulondi (6.8 reb/gm) have sparked the group on the glass.

• Leidel (1,483 points) holds sole possession of seventh place on the UMass all-time scoring list, needing seventh points to tie Jennifer Butler (1999-2003) with 1,490. Leidel is also one of 17 players in program history with at least 1,000 points plus 500 rebounds. She has made at least one three-point field goal in 13 straight games since Feb. 24, and 30 of her last 31 games dating back to Dec. 7, 2018.

• A win Sunday would be the fourth in a row at home for UMass, marking the first time the squad has accomplished that feat since taking five straight from Feb. 17-Nov. 20, 2018. The last time the squad won four straight at home in the same season was in 2016-17.

From the Twittersphere

How'd you like:
?? Being an honorary captain
?? Having dinner with @CoachVerdiUMass
?? Coming on a road trip with us

Introducing…the ?????????????????? ????????!

?? https://t.co/ikk8Fr1YNA #FlagshipIsRising | #Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/S18Omqs7tm
— UMass Women's Basketball (@UMassWBB) December 5, 2019

#FeatureFriday with Destiney Philoxy

???? Queens, NY
?? Takes home the ?? as the best dancer??
?? Stir fry from @UMassDining is ??#FlagshipIsRising | #Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/QrUyeHdgXq
— UMass Women's Basketball (@UMassWBB) December 6, 2019

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Players Mentioned

Maeve Donnelly

Hailey Leidel

Angelique Ngalakulondi

Destiney Philoxy

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics