University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Joseph's
Men's Hoops Hosts Saint Joseph's On Saturday Afternoon
February 22, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Minutemen and Hawks set for 2 PM tip on ESPN+.
| University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 27 | Saint Joseph's (11-15, 4-9 A-10) at Massachusetts (9-17, 2-11 A-10) |
| Date // Time | Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019 // 2:00 PM (ET) |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. // Mullins Center |
| Live Statistics | Sidearm Live Stats |
| Game Notes | vs. Saint Joseph's (PDF) |
| Watch | TV: None // Digital: ESPN+ |
| Listen | 105.5 FM WEEI, 830 AM WCRN, Tune-In App |
| @UMassAthletics // @UMassBasketball | |
| UMass Basketball | |
| UMass Basketball | |
| UMass Home Tickets | 866-UMASS-TIX // Single Game, Season Ticket, Mini-Plan, Parquet Pass Info |
| University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball - Saint Joseph's Preview |
• A quick two-game home stand is up next for the UMass basketball team starting Saturday afternoon against Saint Joseph's (2 PM). Following the weekend match-up, UMass will return to the Mullins Center on Tuesday night to host Dayton (7 PM, NESNPlus). Saturday's game will feature a special in-game recognition of long-time program administrative assistant Bonnie Otto who retired earlier this year after 33 years of service to the program.
• Saturday's game will be streamed digitally via on ESPN+ for desktop and mobile devices.
• On the radio airwaves, the game will be broadcast on the UMass Sports Network anchored by flagship station 105.5 FM WEEI and online via the TuneIn App. New Voice of the Minutemen Jay Burnham will be joined courtside by former player Tim Collins.
• Overall, UMass leads the series against the Hawks 38-36 since first playing in 1983. The Minutemen have won four of the last seven meetings in the series though the Hawks have won two straight. The Hawks earned a 64-62 decision in Philadelphia despite a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds from Rashaan Holloway. UMass led by five points late in the second half, but the Hawks rallied down the stretch for the home win.
• The Minutemen have played in a number of close games this year with 13 games being decided by seven-or-fewer points. The Minutemen are 5-8 in those contests. Five of UMass' 12 league games were decided by five-or-fewer points with the Minutemen in position to tie or go ahead late in each of the loses.
• UMass is led again this season by Pipkins who is the top returning scorer in the Atlantic 10 after notching 21.2 points per game last year. He was named to the Atlantic 10 Preseason First Team after a breakout sophomore campaign. He is one of just six players in program history to average over 21 points a game in a single-season joining the likes of Julius Erving and Marcus Camby. He also became the 51st player in program history to eclipse 1,000 points for his career.
• With 1,397 career points, Pipkins needs 32 more points to pass Horace Neysmith (12th, 1,428 pts, 1981-85) on the all-time scoring list at UMass. If Pipkins maintains his current scoring average, he could finish among UMass' top-10 all-time scorers as a junior.
• Pipkins also ranks 14th in career scoring average (15.9 pts), 5th for career three-pointers (225), 13th in assists (324), and 10th in steals (140).
• On the year, UMass has the sixth best scoring average (70.6 pts) in the Atlantic 10, ranks sixth in field goal percentage (43.8) and is second in three point field goal percentage (34.7). Defensively, UMass is 13th in the league giving up 72.4 points per night - though in league play that number has fallen to 68.9 points allowed which ranks 8th overall. While the defense has improved during league play, the offense has averaged just 62.0 points which ranks 14th.
• Individually, Rashaan Holloway leads the A-10 for field goal percentage (71.3) while Pipkins ranks fifth in the league for points per game (16.6) and third in assists per game (5.2). Jonathan Laurent remains the top three-point shooter in the A-10, connecting on 45.3 percent of his attempts from range while Carl Pierre is fourth (40.6 percent).
• On the season, Pipkins' 16.6 points per night leads the Minutemen. Pierre ranks second with an 11.4 point per game average, while Holloway rounds out the top scorers with a 9.2 point average. Curtis Cobb and Laurent are just shy of double figures as well averaging 8.4 and 8.2 points, respectively, per night.
• Pierre has been the hot hand over the last three games averaging 20.5 points on 29-of-53 shooting that includes 20 three pointers. He has scored 20-plus points in the last two of the last three games with a career-best 26 points in the overtime loss at George Mason.
• Samba Diallo has also played well over the last three games averaging 7.0 points and 7.1 rebounds in that stretch.
• Djery Baptiste, who joined the Minutemen in December prior to the Georgia game and will also be eligible in 2019-20, has made an instant impact on the defensive side for UMass with 17 blocked shots in 13 games. He had a career-high five blocks against La Salle. His 17 blocks are 2nd-best on the team and already account for just under 1/4th of UMass' swats this season.
