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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
VCU
UMass To Face VCU In Atlantic 10 Championship Game Sunday
March 13, 2021 | Women's Basketball
The Minutewomen will battle the Rams for an NCAA Tournament berth on ESPNU at noon
| University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes & Information | |
| Atlantic 10 Championship • Championship Central • Printable Bracket | |
| Game 21 | No. 7 Massachusetts (14-6) vs. No. 5 VCU (15-10) |
| Date // Time | Sunday, March 14 // Noon |
| Location | Richmond, Va. // Siegel Center (VCU) |
| Broadcast | ESPNU WatchESPN (cable login required) ESPN Mobile App |
| Live Statistics | StatBroadcast |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts // VCU |
| Social Media | Facebook: UMass Women's Basketball Twitter: @UMassWBB // @CoachVerdiUMass Instagram: @UMassWBB |
THE OPENING TIP: THE MASSACHUSETTS-VCU PREVIEW
• Massachusetts lives to fight another day as the seventh-seeded Minutewomen have reached the Atlantic 10 Championship game for the first time since 1998 and will face No. 5 seed VCU at noon on ESPNU inside the Siegel Center with an NCAA Tournament berth at stake.
• UMass is the lowest seed to play for an A-10 title since 2017 when Duquense, also a No. 7 seed, reached the championship game. A victory for the Minutewomen would make it the lowest-ever seed to emerge as champion.
• The last time that UMass played in the A-10 Championship game was March 2, 1998, a 66-64 overtime loss to Virginia Tech. The Minutewomen earned an NCAA at large bid that season, their second after first reaching the NCAA Tournament in 1996 and the WNIT in 1995.
• Nationally ESPNU will carry Sunday's game, with Jenn Hildreth (PxP) and Kelly Gramlich (color) on the call. Andy Bock will be the producer.
• The Minutewomen are playing their fourth game in four days on Sunday afternoon. UMass opened the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Thursday with a 79-69 overtime thriller over Saint Joseph's, led by a game-high 21 points from Sydney Taylor as four Minutewomen finished in double figures.
• UMass followed up that performance with an upset of No. 2 seed Fordham on Friday night in the Quarterfinals by an 80-70 score. Taylor tied a career-high with 27 points on 8-of-14 from the field, adding six rebounds.
• In Saturday's Semifinal, Sam Breen and Destiney Philoxy scored 28 points apiece as UMass took down another higher seed in No. 3 Saint Louis, 90-81. Breen eclipsed the 20-point plateau for the sixth time this season and recorded her seventh straight double-double, and 15th of the 2020-21 campaign as she added a team-high 10 boards. Ber'Nyah Mayo also reached double-figures for the Minutewomen with 13 points and a team-high four assists.
• Atlantic 10 postseason awards were unveiled on Tuesday. Breen was named to both the All-Conference First Team and All-Academic Team, while Philoxy was placed on the All-Conference Second Team.
• UMass and VCU split their two meetings during the regular season. The Minutewomen picked up a 55-49 road win over the Rams on Jan. 15, but VCU returned the favor on Feb. 26, defeating UMass at Rhode Island's Ryan Center by a 72-69 score.
