Men’s Hoops Hosts VCU Saturday In Blackout Game

University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball Game Notes & Information
Game 27	Massachusetts (12-14 Overall, 5-9 Atlantic 10) vs. VCU (19-7 Overall, 12-3 Atlantic 10)
Date \| Time	Saturday, February 26, 2022 \| 4:30 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| Mullins Center
Tickets	Tickets
Watch	USA
Game Notes	Massachusetts \| VCU
Listen	WEEI (105.5 FM) \| WCRN (830 AM) \| Varsity Network App
Live Stats	SideArm Stats
Twitter	@UMassAthletics \| @UMassBasketball
Instagram	UMass Basketball
Facebook	UMass Basketball

AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts men's basketball team hosts VCU tomorrow in the Mullins Center at 4:30 for a blackout game. The matchup between the Minutemen and Rams marks the first since the 2019-20 season and will be nationally televised on USA.

Free Tees
The first 1,000 fans at tomorrow's blackout game against VCU will receive free UMass Basketball t-shirts.

Minutemen From Range
UMass ranks eight in the country in 3-point field goal percentage at .388 and sits 11th nationally in 3-point field goals per game with 10.2. The Minutemen also rank 23rd in total 3-pointers made and lead the Atlantic 10 in the category in addition to leading the league in 3-pointers per game. UMass has three active players shooting 40-percent or better from deep, led by Rich Kelly's .488 mark on the year.

The Road Ahead
The Minutemen are set for three games in six days next week beginning with a matchup at Fordham on Monday in a game that was originally postponed due to COVID protocol in the Rams' program. UMass matches up again with Fordham for Senior Day on Wednesday, March 2 in the Mullins Center and close out the week on the road at George Mason on Saturday.

Long Time No See
UMass matches up against VCU for the first time since the 2019-20 season after last year's contest was cancelled. The Minutemen won the last meeting between the two 60-52 on Feb. 26, 2020 and were set to take on the Rams in the opening game of the 2020 A-10 Championship in Brooklyn, N.Y. before the tournament was called off.

Helping Hand
Fernandes ranks 21st in the nation in assists per game with 5.5 and ranks 42nd in assist to turnover ratio at 2.4. The junior also leads the Minutemen in scoring has posted scoring outputs of 18 or more in seven games and finished in double figures in 18-of-22 contests. Ferrnandes set a new career-high in assists with 12 at St. Bonaventure (2/16) and added 14 points to post his second careeer double-double.

Steady Groovin'
Michael Steadman has been finding his groove offensively for the Minutemen and is averaging 12.5 points per game over the last four. Steadman has scored 12 or more in three of the last four, starting the stretch with a 19-point performance against Saint Joseph's on Feb. 12 in which he scored 11 of the first 13 UMass points and started 5-of-5 from the field.

Protecting The Rock
The Minutemen rank 35th nationally in fewest total turnovers and are inside the top-60 nationally in assist to turnover ratio and turnovers per game as a team.

Balanced Effort
Five Minutemen finished in double figures in the win over La Salle last Saturday, led by 18 points from C.J. Kelly to go along with 17 from Rich Kelly. Michael Steadman added 12 points and seven boards while Noah Fernandes and Greg Jones each finished with 10.

Jones' Boost
Greg Jones gave the UMass offense a boost off the bench with eight straight points after La Salle came back to tie in last Saturday's game. The forward put in back-to-back 3-pointers after the Explorers tied at 51-51 midway through the second half and followed with a layup too make it a 59-51 game.

??????????#Flagship?? X #Blackout pic.twitter.com/Q0TbPkw6Zk
— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassBasketball) February 25, 2022

Blackout. Saturday. 4:30PM.

Free T- Shirts for the first 1k fans. #Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/4mlZF4seyh
— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassBasketball) February 21, 2022

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Players Mentioned

Noah Fernandes

Greg Jones

C.J. Kelly

Rich Kelly

Michael Steadman

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics