Minutemen Set For No. 6 Dayton On Saturday At Mullins On NBCSN

University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 25	Massachusetts (10-14, 4-7 Atlantic 10) vs. No. 6 Dayton (22-2, 11-0 Atlantic 10)
Date \| Time	Saturday, February 15, 2020 \| 12:30 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| Mullins Center
Watch	NBCSN
Listen	WEEI (105.5 FM) \| WCRN (830 AM) \| Tune-In App
Live Statistics	SIDEARM Live Stats
Game Notes	Massachusetts Notes \| 2019-20 Prospectus
Twitter	@UMassAthletics \| @UMassBasketball
Instagram	UMass Basketball
Facebook	UMass Basketball
UMass Home Tickets	Get Your 2019-20 Tickets Now! \| 2019-20 Promotional Calendar

AMHERST, Mass. – In the midst of a three-game homestand, the UMass men's basketball hosts No. 6 Dayton on Saturday afternoon at the Mullins Center. Tipoff is set for 12:30 p.m. on NBCSN. The Flyers are the highest ranked opponent to come to the Mullins Center since No. 2 Saint Joseph's on Feb. 25, 2004.

Saturday's promotions
Until Friday at 12 p.m., fans can purchase $10 tickets in the value section by clicking here. Rally towels will also be available for the first 2000 fans in attendance, and fans can enter for a chance to win a free car!

In addition, stick around after the game for a post-game shoot around on Jack Leaman Court.

The series with Dayton
Dayton leads the all-time series, 15-14, as the teams square off for the second time this season. UMass is in search of its first win vs. the Flyers since Feb. 3, 2018 after UD swept the series last season and picked up a win in January.

Earlier this season, Dayton used a 59% shooting performance in the first half to bolt out to a lead early and never looked back, knocking off UMass at UD Arena, 88-60. Tre Mitchell (16 points, seven rebounds) and Carl Pierre (12 points), set the tone for the Minutemen, who were held to a 20-of-52 (38%) day from the floor overall, while Obi Toppin had 16 points and four boards.

Stiff competition
UMass has gone up against some of the nation's top teams, including 11 currently ranked in the top-100 of the NCAA NET Rankings: Dayton (5), Rutgers (33), URI (35), Virginia (55), Yale (58), South Carolina (65), St. John's (67), Saint Louis (76), Akron (78), Duquesne (86), Davidson (89).

Saturday marks the first time since the 2005-06 season that UMass will play two teams ranked in the top-ten of the AP poll. The Minutemen took on then-No. 7 Virginia earlier this season.

Home sweet home
The Minutemen are currently on a three-game homestand at the Mullins Center, where they are 9-3 this season. UMass is shooting 48% from the floor and 37% from three (102-of-271) at home. Tre Mitchell (16.2) and Carl Pierre (14.3) are both averaging better than 14 points per game at home, while the defense is forcing opponents into an average of 16.3 turnovers per game.

Tre ball
Tre Mitchell had a career-high 30 points on Feb. 4 at Rhode Island, and is fourth in the Atlantic 10 and first among rookies averaging 16.2 points per game this season.

Mitchell's 30-point night against the Rams were the most for a UMass freshman since Rashaun Freeman scored 31 on Feb. 28, 2004. Mitchell's averaging 19.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in his last eight games.

New look lineup
Freshmen Kolton Mitchell and Preston Santos have started each of the last five games, including their first collegiate starts on Jan. 25 vs. Duquesne. Along with Tre Mitchell, it marked the first time the Minutemen had three freshmen start since Jan. 28, 2017 vs. George Mason. Santos had a career-high 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, and is averaging 11.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg and is shooting 65% (24-of-37) since being inserted into the starting five.

Dishin'
UMass had a season-high 26 assists on 38 made field goals on Jan. 29 against Saint Joseph's, the most assists in a game since Jan. 26, 2014 against Fordham. The 38 made field goals were also the most in a game since Nov. 19, 2017 vs. Niagara.

Sean East II and Carl Pierre had seven dimes each, a new career-high for Pierre. East II is fifth in the nation among freshmen, and t-68th overall, with 4.7 assists per game, and is also 63rd in the NCAA with 113 assists in 24 games.

Down, but not out
The Feb. 9 win over George Mason marked the third time this season that UMass erased a 10-point deficit to come back and win the game (at Fairfield, vs. Saint Joseph's).

Youth movement
It's a new look roster for the Minutemen in 2019-20 with nine newcomers, including seven freshmen. The seven rookies are the most for UMass since the 2007-08 season. All seven freshmen (John Buggs III, Sean East II, C.J. Jackson, Kolton Mitchell, Tre Mitchell, Preston Santos, T.J. Weeks) have made their collegiate debuts, with Tre Mitchell starting all 20 games and East II 18-of-20.

The rookies have combined for 55% (910-of-1668) of the Minutemen's scoring so far this season. Weeks and East II started the season with back-to-back A-10 Rookie of the Week accolades, marking the first time since the 2003-04 that UMass collected consecutive A-10 rookie of the week honors.

Overall, the Minutemen have earned five A-10 Rookie of the Week nods this season, the most since 2003-04. In January, East II became the first Minuteman since Chris Lowe in 2005-06 to earn the honor twice in a season before being joined by Mitchell on Feb. 10.

Scoreboard

Minutemen Set For No. 6 Dayton On Saturday At Mullins On NBCSN

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Players Mentioned

John Buggs III

Sean East II

C.J. Jackson

Kolton Mitchell

Tre Mitchell

Carl Pierre

Preston Santos

T.J. Weeks Jr.

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics