UMass Welcomes La Salle To Mullins Saturday Afternoon On NBCSN

University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 6	Massachusetts (2-3, 1-1 Atlantic 10) vs. La Salle (5-5, 2-1 Atlantic 10)
Date \| Time	Saturday, January 9, 2021 \| 4 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 \| 2020-21 Prospectus
Twitter	@UMassAthletics \| @UMassBasketball
Instagram	UMass Basketball
Facebook	UMass Basketball

AMHERST, Mass. -- After seeing each of its last two games postponed, the UMass men's basketball team returns to the court on Saturday afternoon when the Minutemen host La Salle at the Mullins Center. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. in a matchup that can be seen nationally on NBCSN with UMass alum Mike Corey and Tim McCormick on the call.

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 36 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 16 players in the country, and two players in the Atlantic 10, with two 30+ point games this season. Mitchell is averaging 22.6 points per game this year, good for seventh in the NCAA among players who've played at least five games

Mitchell's 661 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.

The series with La Salle
UMass leads the all-time series with La Salle, 26-19, which dates back to 1971-72. Earlier this season, the Minutemen received 37 points from Tre Mitchell and nine assists from Noah Fernandes to knock off the Explorers on Dec. 16, 85-66, to move to 1-0 in A-10 play for the first time since 2015-16.

A win Saturday would give UMass four straight wins vs. the Explorers for the first time since 2015.

Home again, home again
UMass is back in the Mullins Center for four of its next five scheduled games, where the Minutemen are 1-2 on the young season. 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.

This season, the Minutemen are averaging 91.3 points per game at home and shooting 43% from the floor.

High octane offense
The Minutemen have had no problem putting the ball in the basket early on this season, and currently rank 12th in the nation and first in the Atlantic 10 with 86.8 points per game. Massachusetts has had at least three players in double-figures in all five games this season, and has scored at least 75 points in each of its first five games for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

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.

Fernandes has 22 assists and just four turnovers in his last three games, and is 18th in the NCAA (third in the A-10) among players who have played at least five games with an AST:TO ratio of 3.50.

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.

O Captain, My Captain
Last season, senior captain Carl Pierre became the 52nd player in team history to reach 1000 career points, and cracked the top-25 on UMass' all-time scoring list on Dec. 30 vs. George Mason. Pierre is also fourth all-time at UMass in career three-point field goals made, and hit his 250th on Dec. 11 vs. Northeastern.

Ball security
UMass finished the 2019-20 season with 407 turnovers, the third fewest in a season in team history.

The Minutemen continued to take care of the ball on Dec. 11 vs. Northeastern with just nine turnovers. Dating back to last season, UMass has recorded 10 or fewer turnovers in four of its last 10 games. UMass is 27th in the NCAA and first in the Atlantic 10 with a turnover margin of 4.6 this season.

Scoreboard

UMass Welcomes La Salle To Mullins Saturday Afternoon On NBCSN

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Players Mentioned

C.J. Anderson

Noah Fernandes

Tre Mitchell

Carl Pierre

Scoreboard

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