University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Saint Louis
Championship Sunday: No. 1 Minutewomen To Play No. 3 Saint Louis In A-10 Finals
March 04, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Massachusetts will be making its third consecutive championship game appearance
| University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Game Notes & Information | |
| Atlantic 10 Championship • Championship Central • Printable Bracket | |
| Game 33 | No. 1 Massachusetts (26-5, 14-2 Atlantic 10) vs. No. 3 Saint Louis (16-17, 10-6 Atlantic 10) |
| Date // Time | Sunday, March 4 // Noon |
| Location | Wilmington, Del. // CHASE Fieldhouse |
| Watch | ESPNU |
| Stream | n/a |
| Live Statistics | LiveStats |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts |
| Social Media | Facebook:Â UMass Women's Basketball Twitter:Â @UMassWBBÂ //Â @CoachVerdiUMass Instagram:Â @UMassWBB |
The Need to Knows
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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.
On the Docket
Massachusetts advanced to Sunday's championship game with a 63-50 victory over George Mason in the quarterfinals and an 80-60 semifinal win over Richmond.
It will be the third consecutive championship game appearance for the Minutewomen, having defeated Dayton 62-56 last season and falling to VCU 81-69 in the 2021 final. It will be the fourth overall championship game appearance by UMass, having also played in 1998 (lost 66-64 in overtime to Virginia Tech).
In the semifinal win over the Spiders, four Minutewomen tallied double figures including Destiney Philoxy (16), Sam Breen (14), Makennah White (14) and Ber'Nyah Mayo (13).
Massachusetts moved to 26-5 on the season with the win, tying for the most wins in program history originally set last season.
The Minutewomen dropped a 77-75 decision at Saint Louis on Feb. 22, with Sam Breen posting 23 points and nine rebounds in the loss.
Last season, UMass was seeded No. 3 in the tournament and reached the A-10 Finals, earning the program's first A-10 Championship by knocking off No. 1 seeded Dayton, 62-56.
Sam Breen leads Massachusetts in points this season with a total of 542, averaging 17.5 per game and sits in first in rebounds (312; 10.1 rpg). Destiney Philoxy leads the team with 156 assists, while Ber'Nyah Mayo ranks first in steals with 79. UMass has averaged 75.7 points per game this season, while averaging 40.2 rebounds per game. The Minutewomen have outscored their opponents 2,347-1,925 this year.
Seeding SecuredÂMassachusetts locked in the No. 1-seed and a share of the Atlantic 10 Regular Season Title with an 84-61 victory over George Washington last Saturday evening to cap off the regular season with a 24-5 overall record, including an 14-2 record in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The Minutewomen secured the one seed for only the second time in program history, locking in the No. 1-seed in the 1998 A-10 Championships, to receive the double-bye into the Quarterfinals. In the Quarterfinals, Massachusetts holds an 8-15 record all-time. Last season, UMass was seeded No. 3 in the tournament and reached the A-10 Finals, earning the program's first A-10 Championship Title, knocking off then No. 1 seeded Dayton, 62-56.
A-10 Postseason Accolades
Sam Breen headlined a total of six Atlantic 10 postseason awards for Massachusetts, as she garnered A-10 Player of the Year for the second straight year. Breen became the first Minutewomen to not only win the award, but achieve the honor in back-to-back seasons. She is also the first A-10 player to collect the award in two consecutive seasons, since Jackie Kemph (Saint Louis), who won Co-Player of the Year in 2015-16 and Player of the Year in 2016-17, and is the last solo winner of the accolade since back-to-back champion, Amber Harris (Xavier) won it in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
In addition, Breen was also tabbed to the league's All-Conference First Team for the third straight year and third time in her career. Sydney Taylor joined Breen on the All-conference First Team, picking up the honor for the first time in her collegiate career, while Ber'Nyah Mayo garnered her first career A-10 postseason accolade, landing on the All-Conference Second Team. Destiney Philoxy earned a spot on the All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season. Philoxy is only the third Minutewomen to garner the All-Defensive Team award, joining Jennifer Butler (2001-02; 2002-03) and Brooke Campbell (2004-05), while becoming the second Minutewomen, along with Butler to be named to the team in back-to-back years.
