University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Harvard
Women's Basketball Welcomes Harvard To Mullins Center For WNIT Second Round
March 19, 2023 | Women's Basketball
The Minutewomen and Crimson square off at 7 p.m. on ESPN3.
| University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes & Information | |
| WNIT • Tournament Central • Printable Bracket | |
| Game 34 | Massachusetts (27-6) vs. Harvard (18-11) |
| Date // Time | Monday, March 20 // 7 p.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. // Mullins Center |
| Stream | ESPN3 |
| Live Statistics | LiveStats |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts | Harvard |
| 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.
The Opening Tip: The Massachusetts-Harvard Preview
• The University of Massachusetts will play host to Harvard in a second round WNIT matchup at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 20 at the Mullins Center.
• UMass advanced to the second round of the WNIT with a 73-48 win over Albany this past Friday night at the Mullins Center (March 17), while the Crimson down Towson at home 103-63 last Thursday (March 16).
• In the win over the Great Danes, Massachusetts set the all-time program record for wins in a season with 27 (27-6).
• The Minutewomen are playing in a national postseason tournament for a program-best third consecutive season after playing in the 2022 NCAA tournament and the 2021 WNIT.
• A win over the Crimson on Monday night would marl UMass' first back-to-back postseason wins (not in a consolation bracket).
• It will be the second meeting this season between Massachusetts and Harvard, as the Minutewomen posted a 77-76 victory at Lavietes Pavilion in Cambridge on Nov. 18.
• In that victory, four Minutewomen recorded double figures with Sydney Taylor leading the way with 23 points, while Destiney Philoxy posted her first double-double of the season.
• Massachusetts was one of 32 automatic qualifiers for the 2023 WNIT, earning the No. 1-seed in the A-10 Championships by finishing the regular season with a 14-2 conference record and a share of the regular-season title.
• In addition to a third consecutive postseason appearance, it marks the sixth overall postseason appearance by UMass, having previously competed in the 1996, 1998 and 2022 NCAA tournaments and the 1995 and 2021 NWIT/WNIT tournaments.
• During the 2022-23 regular season, the Minutewomen posted a program-record 12-game winning streak and finished the regular season with a 24-5 overall record.
• UMass received a double-bye into the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament and advanced to the championship for the third straight year with wins over George Mason (63-50) and Richmond (80-60) before falling in overtime to Saint Louis in the final (91-85).
Statistically Speaking
The Minutewomen currently average 75.9 points per game, 40.7 rebounds per game, 18.0 assists per game and 8.4 steals per game. In the nation, UMass sits in the top-50 in 11 categories.
UMass is eighth in assists per game (18.0), while placing 21st in the scoring margin (13.4) and 27th in scoring offense. In rebounds per game, the team ranks 38th, and 39th in offensive rebounds.
Sam Breen is first on the team with 17.4 ppg (575 pts), and in rebounds with 10.1 per game (334 total). In the nation, she ranks in the top-50 of nine categories. Breen is 12th in rebounds, 21st in rebounds per game and tied for eighth with 19 double-doubles this season. She is also tied for third with one triple-double.
Sydney Taylor sits second on the team in scoring (16.0 ppg, 511 pts) and is first with 3.1 3FGs per game. Taylor is tied for sixth in the nation in both 3FGs per game and with her three-pointers made (96 total), while tying for fifth in 3FG attempts.
Angelique Ngalakulondi averaged 3.2 offensive rebounds per game (101 total), so far, this season, to rank first on the team. Ber'Nyah Mayo averages 2.5 steals per game and has 83 total on the season. Mayo is 33rd in the nation with her swipes per game and tied for 17th in total steals.
Destiney Philoxy continues to aid her teammates, dishing out 168 dimes, averaging 5.1 assists per game to sit atop the leaderboard for UMass. Philoxy is 22nd in the nation with her total assists, while sitting 28th with her average.
Shaking Up The Record Book
After a 26 win season last year, UMass is currently holding 27 wins, marking the first time the program has had 20-plus wins in back-to-back seasons and being the most in program history. The team earned the most A-10 Conference wins in program history with its 14 after an 84-61 win over George Washington (2/25/23). This season, the Minutewomen are third with the least amount of overall losses (six), behind the inaugural year of 1968-69, which had two in its 15-game season. The team also holds the least amount of losses in the A-10 Conference in program history with only two , followed by three in the 1994-95 season and four last year.
