UMass Returns To Mullins To Host Bryant On Monday

University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 4	Massachusetts (2-1, 1-0 Atlantic 10) vs. Bryant (6-2, 3-1 NEC)
Date \| Time	Monday, December 21, 2020 \| 4 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| Mullins Center
Watch	NESN \| ESPN+ (Outside New England)
Listen	WEEI (105.5 FM) \| WCRN (830 AM) \| Tune-In App
Live Statistics	SIDEARM Live Stats
Game Notes	Massachusetts Notes \| 2020-21 Prospectus
Twitter	@UMassAthletics \| @UMassBasketball
Instagram	UMass Basketball
Facebook	UMass Basketball

AMHERST, Mass. – The Massachusetts men's basketball team returns to non-conference action on Monday when the Minutemen play host to Bryant in the first meeting between the two schools since 1980. Tip-off from the Mullins Center is set for 4 p.m. on NESN and ESPN+.

Tre Ball
Tre Mitchell continues to stamp his name throughout the UMass record book. On Dec. 16 at La Salle, he had a career-high 37 points, tied for the eighth most points in UMass single-game history. In just 34 career games, Mitchell is already tied for seventh in career 30+ point games in UMass history.

Mitchell wasted no time in confirming that the hype is real on Dec. 11 vs. Northeastern with 31 points and 11 rebounds in his season debut, including 19 points and six boards in the first half alone. Mitchell's performance put him on a list with some of the UMass greats, tying him for the fourth most points in a season opener in program history.

Mitchell is one of only nine players in the country, and two players in the Atlantic 10, with two 30+ point games this season.

Mitchell's 626 career points have him on track to reach 1000 career points this season. He would be only the fifth player in program history to reach 1000 career points in just two seasons, joining Julius Erving, Jim McCoy, Luwane Pipkins and Chaz Williams.

The new normal
On November 17, the Massachusetts men's basketball team paused all team activities following a positive COVID-19 test result among the program's Tier 1 personnel, which consists of coaches, student-athletes, team managers and support staff. Results were detected during COVID-19 surveillance testing, which is conducted three times a week in accordance with NCAA guidelines.

Due to a pause in team activities, UMass did not participate in the Multiple Team Event at Mohegan Sun previously scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend. UMass returned to practice on December 5. The Dec. 11 game vs. Northeastern marked the latest the team started a season since 1947-48, when the team's first game was held on December 12, 1947.

The series with Bryant
Monday's matchup with the Bulldogs will be just the second meeting between the two schools, and first as Division I opponents. The only previous meeting came on Dec. 9, 1980, an 85-76 overtime win for the Minutemen, when Bryant was playing at the Division II level.

Home sweet home
UMass is back in the Mullins Center for its final two scheduled games of the calendar year, where the Minutemen are 17-6 against non-conference foes under head coach Matt McCall. The Minutemen were 11-5 at home last season, marking the third time in the last four seasons that Massachusetts had won at least 11 games at the Mullins Center.

Minutemen take care of business at La Salle
UMass got the Atlantic 10 slate started with a bang on Dec. 16 at La Salle, knocking off the Explorers 85-66 at Gola Arena to earn its first victory in an A-10 opener since the 2015-16 season.

The win also marked the most points for the Minutemen in an A-10 opener since the 2007-08 season (92 points vs. Saint Joseph's), and the largest margin of victory since the 2005-06 season (82-63 vs. Duquesne).

Commonwealth Kid
Noah Fernandes got it done everywhere at La Salle on Dec. 16, finishing with a career-high nine assists and five steals along with 11 points in 32 minutes.

The Mattapoisett, Mass. native's nine assists and just one turnover were the most assists with the fewest turnovers since C.J. Anderson's 12:1 day on Mar. 3, 2018 vs. Duquesne. His five steals, meanwhile, were the most in a game for a Minuteman since Anderson also had five steals on Dec. 28, 2016 vs. Georgia State.

The NCAA announced on Sept. 16 that the legislative relief waiver for Fernandes had been approved. Fernandes, a transfer from Wichita State, was immediately eligible for competition.

Scoreboard

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Players Mentioned

C.J. Anderson

Noah Fernandes

Tre Mitchell

Luwane Pipkins

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics