University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Women's Basketball Hosts Rhode Island At Mullins Center On Wednesday
January 03, 2023 | Women's Basketball
The Minutewomen and Rams match up at 5 p.m. on NESN/ESPN+.
| University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes & Information | |
| Game 15 | Massachusetts (11-3, 1-0 A-10) vs. Rhode Island (10-3, 1-0 A-10) |
| Date // Time | Wednesday, Jan. 4 // 5 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. // Mullins Center |
| Watch | NESN/ESPN+ |
| Stream | ESPN+ |
| Live Statistics | LiveStats |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts | Rhode Island |
| Social Media | Facebook:Â UMass Women's Basketball Twitter:Â @UMassWBBÂ //Â @CoachVerdiUMass Instagram:Â @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.
Last Time Out
UMass notched its first A-10 victory last Saturday over St. Bonaventure, winning 74-51, improving to 11-3 on the year.Â
Sam Breen had a career day, recording her first career triple-double with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Her 11 dimes also marked a career-high. Four other Minutewomen reached double figures on the day. Sheonly the second Minutewomen in program history to achieve a triple-double in 22 years, since Jennifer Butler on Nov. 17, 2000. In addition to Breen, four other Minutewomen reached double figures, led by Sydney Taylor with 16 points. Makennah White followed with 13 of her own, while Ber'Nyah Mayo and Destiney Philoxy also tallied 11 points along with Breen. Breen totaled a game best 14 boards and 11 assists, as Mayo finished the day with a game-high five steals.
All-Time Series vs. Rhode Island
TheMinutewomen and the Rams wil meet for the 89th time in program history, as UMass holds the advantage in the all-time series, 49-39, including the record in Amherst at 24-19. The two programs first met on March 7, 1974, with a Massachusetts 61-53 victory on the day. The last meeting occurred at the Mullins Center last season, where the Rams defeated the Minutewomen, 60-46.
Seeing Double (And Triple) Double
Sam Breen - 47 Double-Doubles* | 1 Triple-Double (* total includes at Penn State)
2022-23: 7 | 1 (Triple-Double)
2021-22: 17
2020-21: 15
2019-20: 8
2022-23: 2
2021-22: 5
Destiney Philoxy - 4
2022-23: 1
2021-22: 2
2020-21: 1
Makennah White - 3
2022-23: 1
2021-22: 1
2020-21: 1
Ber'Nyah Mayo - 2
2021-22: 2
Laila Fair - 1
2021-22: 1* (* at Saint Joseph's)
Home Court Advantage
The Minutewomen went on an eight-game win streak at home, dating from Feb. 5, 2022 to Nov. 30, 2022. It was the program's third longest streak in Amherst in the Atlantic 10 era. The longest streak dated from Feb. 18, 1995 to Feb. 27, 1996, with 15 total games, with the second longest being a 10-game win streak from Jan. 19, 2006 to Dec. 13, 2006.
Statistically Speaking
The Minutewomen currently sit in first the Atlantic 10 conference in scoring offensively, averaging 77.1 points per game (1,079 pts), while placing ninth in defensive scoring with a 63.1 average (884 pts). The team is also first with a 13.9 scoring margin. The team ranks 35th in the nation with its scoring offense.
UMass ranks second in combined team rebounds (42.1 rpg), tallying 14.1 offensive rebounds per game (1st; 197 total). The Minutewomen are second with a 5.9 rebounding margin.
Sam Breen is tied for third in the conference in scoring with 17.8 ppg (249 pts) and tied for first in rebounds with 9.9 per game, placing first in total boards with 139. In the nation, she is tied for 18th in rebounds and tied for seventh with eight double-doubles this season. She is also tied for second with one triple-double.
Sydney Taylor sits sixth in scoring (16.8 ppg, 218 pts) in the A-10 and second with 3.0 3FGs per game. Taylor is tied for 10th in the nation with both her 3FGs per game and tied for 19th her three-pointers made (39 total).
Angelique Ngalakulondi averaged 4.1 offensive rebounds per game (53 total), so far, this season, to sit first in the A-10. She is T-12th with her offensive rebounds per game in the NCAA.
Destiney Philoxy continues to aid her teammates, dishing out 71 dimes, averaging 5.1 assists per game, placing third, currently, in the league. Philoxy ranks 21st in the nation with her total assists, while sitting tied for 30th with her average.
Walking the [Mile]Stone Path
Sam Breen and Destiney Philoxy each eclipsed their 1,000th career point on Dec. 8, 2021. They became the 21st and 22nd Minutewomen to achieve the feat, while becoming the third pair in program history to earn it in the same season, and first since 2006-07. The duo may also be the first to reach the milestone in the same game in NCAA history. Breen is now fifth in career points (1,634), passing Kate Mills (1,525; 2004-08), while Philoxy is now 10th in career points (1,407) in program history, passing Julie Ready on the list (1,406; 1977-81). Sydney Taylor became the 23rd Minutewomen to join the 1,000-point club after garnering her 1,000th career point on Nov. 22, 2022. She currently sits 16th on the list with 1,151 points, passing Tez Kraft (1,144; 1994-99).
In addition to reaching the career milestone, Breen reached 1,000 points in the Massachusetts uniform on Dec. 22, 2021 at Hartford. With just her UMass career, Breen would be in fifth on the career points scored list (1,590). The graduate student has also collected 948 total career rebounds, so far, to place third in all-time career records, passing Octavia Thomas (903; 1992-96) on the list. With the Minutewomen, Breen has totaled 895 boards, good enough for fourth on the list. Philoxy hit 400-plus career assists on Dec. 11, 2021 and 500-plus career assists on Feb. 26, 2022. She is in the career records all-time with 599, claiming the top spot in the category, passing Sabriya Mitchell (578; 1994-98). She is only the fourth Minutewomen to achieve 500-plus dimes, along with Mitchell, Christel Zullo (1985-89) and Kathy Coyner (1997-01). Philoxy also played in her 100th career game on Jan. 22 at George Washington, while Breen reached her 100th career game played in the A-10 Quarterfinals vs. Fordham (March 4).
Philoxy has also put her name on the career games played list, playing 128 contests, so far, passing Hailey Leidel (123; 2016-20) and on the career steals list, ranking seventh with 184, also passing Leidel, so far, in her career. Fellow teammates Ber'Nyah Mayo and Sam Breen are etched on the career steals list in the record book, as Mayo sits in 11th with 171 and Breen is 13th with 162.
Head Coach Tory Verdi achieved his 100th victory at the helm of Massachusetts in the 76-58 win over Saint Joseph's in the A-10 Semifinals on March 5. His current record with the Minutewomen stands at 112-82.
Double Figures Reached
Sam Breen recorded 12 double figures contests, while Sydney Taylor had 10-plus point games for the 11th time this season, including Taylor scoring 20-plus points in four consectuive games. Destiney Philoxy has 10 games in double digits, while Ber'Nyah Mayo also reached double figures in nine of the 14 contests this season. Makennah White has six double figure games and Angelique Ngalakulondi has four on the year.
Next Up
Massachusetts hits the road to take on Loyola Chicago on Saturday, Jan. 7, in Chicago, Illinois. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m. on ESPN+.Â
