Women's Basketball Hits The Road To Face In-State Foe Holy Cross

University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 4	Massachusetts (3-0) vs. Holy Cross (1-2)
Date // Time	Friday, Nov. 19 // 7 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. // Mullins Center
Watch	ESPN+
Live Statistics	LiveStats
Game Notes	Massachusetts // Holy Cross
Social Media	Facebook: UMass Women's Basketball Twitter: @UMassWBB // @CoachVerdiUMass Instagram: @UMassWBB

The Need to Knows
Follow the Minutewomen on Social Media
Follow UMass women's basketball on Twitter (@UMassWBB), Instagram (UMassWBB) and Facebook (UMass Women's Basketball) for the latest news and updates around the program. In addition, fans can follow head coach Tory Verdi on Twitter @CoachVerdiUMass.

Breen and Philoxy Tabbed Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference
Breen was named to the preseason all-conference first-team coming off a season where she averaged 18 points per game and 10 rebounds on her way to being named to the A-10 All- Conference First-Team in 2020-21. The graduate student led the league in double-doubles with 15, including a stretch where she recorded seven straight from Jan. 29-March 13. Breen reached double figures in scoring in 22 of 24 contests, including eight games with 20 or more.

Philoxy was tabbed to both the preseason all-conference second-team and all-defensive team after leading the Atlantic 10 and ranking eighth nationally in assists a season ago as a junior with 156. The guard played in all 24 contests for the Minutewomen and scored in double figures in 12 games on her way to being named second-team all-conference in 2020- 21. Philoxy averaged 11.5 points to go along with 6.5 assists per game.

Last Time Out
University of Massachusetts women's basketball went 3-0 on Tueday, defeating Iona 79-56.

Five Minutewomen scored in double figures, led by Sydney Taylor's 25 points. Taylor made 10 field goals , including five three-pointers in the triumph.

Graduate student Sam Breen recorded her third double-double, tallying 13 points and 13 rebounds.

All-Time Series vs. Holy Cross
University of Massachusetts women's basketball looks to take keep its winning streak going at Holy Cross after earning three straight victories to open the season.

In the all-time series, the Minutewomen leads 13-11 over the Crusaders. The two programs last met on December 8, 2019, when UMass edged Holy Cross 75-72.

#Savage7
Massachusetts returns the Savage 7, who picked the names after brainstorming and deciding upon sophomore Ber'Nyah Mayo's suggestion of Savage 7. The seven players include Sam Breen, Stefanie Kulesza, Mayo, Angelique Ngalakulondi, Destiney Philoxy, Sydney Taylor and Makennah White.

The name came about when UMass finished runner-up in the Atlantic 10 Championship after winning three games in three days, with just seven active players. Seeded No. 7 in the tournament, the determined group knocked off No. 10 Saint Joseph's in overtime before winning a quarterfinal matchup vs. No. 2 Fordham and semifinal tilt against No. 3 Saint Louis.

Queen[s] of the Assist (well, almost)
Junior Destiney Philoxy has established herself among the top ball distributors in the country, averaging 6.5 assists per game. That ranks tied for fifth in the country, with Syracuse's Tiana Mangakahia (7.5 apg) in the national lead and Philoxy. In terms of total assists (156), Philoxy is No. 8 in Division I.

The Queens, N.Y. native set up a career-high 11 buckets in the Davidson win on Jan. 8, 2021, and became the first UMass player since Megan Zullo (2010-11) to have multiple games in the same season with 10-plus assists–the other being on Jan. 3 at La Salle (10). She has recorded eight-plus dimes in eight games last season.

Philoxy continued to add her to her total, contributing 10 a team-leading 10 assists in the 2021-22 season-opener on Nov. 9.

"Swish" Taylor
Junior Sydney Taylor has been one of the most improved Minutewomen since the 2019-20 season, and entered the WNIT ranking second on the team and No. 5 in the Atlantic 10 in scoring (15.2 ppg) last season. Taylor was outstanding during the 2020-21 A-10 Tournament, averaging a team-high 20 points and being named to the A-10 All-Championship Team alongside Sam Breen and Destiney Philoxy, while adding a career-high-tying 27 points on 8-of-14 shooting, that came in the Quarterfinal win over Fordham.

Taylor kept the momentum going into this season, logging a team best 16 points against Central Connecticut State in the season-opener.

Next Up
The Minutewomen travel to Providence to take on the Friars on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

Scoreboard