Massachusetts Routs George Washington, 81-67

AHMERST, MASS. - Massachusetts (12-6, 2-3 Atlantic 10) defeated George Washington (14-4, 3-2 A-10) at the Mullins Center on Saturday afternoon. Rahsool Diggins led the Minutemen on a career day, notching a career-high 25 points and team-high five assists.

Diggins went 9-of-19 from the field, while splashing five three-pointers and a perfect 2-2 from the free-throw line.

It's @RahsoolDiggins3 world and we're just living in it right now

2??2?? and counting for our guy#Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/YiMOQpLJgf
— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassMBB) January 20, 2024

In his fourth straight game in double-digits, Jaylen Curry went 8-12 from the field while scoring 17 points off the bench. The freshman guard added four assists and three rebounds in 27 minutes.

TOUGH @Jaylencurry0 ??

Our guards CAME. TO. PLAY.#Flagship?? pic.twitter.com/9kwQZ7vi1A
— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassMBB) January 20, 2024

After a tight first half, UMass emerged as a stark offensive opponent; adding an impressive 50 points in the final 20 minutes of play. Upon the 31-31 tie score at halftime, the Minutemen closed in on an eventual 24-point lead by way of season-high 17-0 run.

The Revolutionaries were led by Maximus Edwards who notched 13 points, hitting 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.

The matinee A-10 showdown marked the first time since March 14, 2013 that the Minutemen won over the Revolutionaries.

Breaking Down The Action

Keon Thompson hit a three at 18:58 for the first UMass points of the game.
Rahsool Diggins knocked down another three for the Minutemen as they took a 6-4 lead.
Diggins beat the shot clock for his second bucket of game to snap a 2:26 scoring drought and give UMass a 12-11 advantage.
The Minutemen continued off this momentum, mounting a 6-0 run elapsed across 2:39. UMass went a perfect 3-for-3 from the field goal during this stretch.
George Washington stormed back, creating a quick 9-0 run of their own.
Daniel Hankins-Sanford hit a floater in the lane to end the Revolutionaries run and bring UMass back within two.
Out of the media timeout, Jaylen Curry scored his third basket of the game, going 3-3 in six minutes.
Josh Cohen converted a three-point play to tie the game at 25 all with 5:54 remaining in the half.
Diggins put the Minutemen up for the first time since the 10:45 mark with a tough bucket in the paint.
UMass held George Washington scoreless from the field over an impressive 4:59 over this period, an ode to the group's tight defensive pressure.
After missing a three, Thompson made a steal in the open floor and found Curry in transition to give the Minutemen a 29-28 lead.
Heading into the break, the score read a deadlock 31-31.
Coming out for the second half, Cohen hit his first triple of the game at 19:32.
Diggins went on an 8-0 run of his own, making a pair of free throws and hitting back-to-back triples to put UMass up 42-36.
Thompson added to the UMass run with a driving layup, forcing a GW timeout as the clock read 15:57. The basket marked a then 10-run and 44-36 score.
Diggins found Cohen under the basket to give UMass their first double-digit lead with 14:37 remaining in the game.
The scoring blitz continued with Keon Thompson's driving layup at 12:69 elapsing the eventual 17-0 run; the Minutemen's highest this season.
Diggins continued to rain in the threes, hitting a step back from beyond the arc to give him 22 points and counting on the afternoon.
Robert Davis Jr. found Curry cross-court to splash an impressive triple in transition, adding to the 63-43 score.
At the 7:42 media timeout, the Minutemen confidently held a 63-48 advantage; their largest lead of the afternoon.
The red-hot Diggins notched a new career-high (25 points) in defiant fashion, knocking down a team-high fifth three-pointer with 6:18 remaining in the game.
As GW went into a full-court press, UMass was able to snap it with ease, leading to break away dunks by Thompson and Hankins-Sanford at 5:34.
Massachusetts played an efficient game during the final five minutes of play, earning seven of their last eight shots from the field and yet another 7-0 run. These efforts gave them a game-high 24-point edge with 2:21 left in regulation.
Despite the Revolutionaries attempt at a comeback with a 10-run, the push proved too little too late; the final buzzer sounding to the tune of an 81-67 UMass victory.

New Kids On The Block

Curry led the newcomers, posting a back-to-back impressive offensive performance. The freshman tallied 17 points, nearing his career-high 18-point game at Loyola Chicago (1/17/24). Curry went 8-for-12 from the field, while recording a career-high four assists.
Josh Cohen posted another double-double, finishing the contest with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The Saint Francis transfer also added four assists and a blocked shot in 33 minutes.
Is his third start for the Minutemen, Daniel Hankins-Sanford scored ten points on 4-8 shooting from the field.

Numbers To Know

3: Double-doubles in the last four games for Josh Cohen.
5: Minutemen reached double figures for the fourth time this season; led by Diggins, (25 points) and followed by Curry, (17 points) Cohen, (15 points) Thompson, (13 points) and Hankins-Sanford, (10 points).
17: The Minutemen recorded their largest uncontested run of the season; with a noteworthy 17-0 stretch in the second half.
20: Points came on the fast break, a testament to the Minutemen's efficient pace and sharp shooting on the afternoon.
22: UMass finished with 22 assists, the third most this season.
25: Diggins recorded a career-high 25 points. During his impressive game, the Junior guard went 9-19 from the field, 5-11 from three-point range, and an impressive 100% from the free-throw line.
44: points were earned in the paint by the Minutemen.
50: points were scored in the second half alone, hallmarked by a game-high 24-point lead and 17-0 scoring run.

Year Two Under Coach Martin

Massachusetts Head Coach, Frank Martin now holds a 27-22 record leading the Minutemen.
Martin now sits with a 315-223 collegiate career record.

Series History

UMass now holds a 46-30 record all-time versus the Revolutionaries, soundly claiming the 78th matchup between the two programs. The win marks the Minutemen's first over George Washington since 2014.

Up Next

Massachusetts continues its two-game homestand with a Tuesday night matchup against Saint Joseph's at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center. The broadcast can be found live on NESN with streaming available on ESPN+. Links and live updates are available at umassathletics.com or @UMassMBB on X (Twitter).

Scoreboard

Next Event

Team Stats

Rahsool Diggins

Jaylen Curry

Josh Cohen

Keon Thompson

Players Mentioned

Josh Cohen

Jaylen Curry

Robert Davis Jr.

Rahsool Diggins

Daniel Hankins-Sanford

Keon Thompson

Players Mentioned

Josh Cohen

Jaylen Curry

Robert Davis Jr.

Rahsool Diggins

Daniel Hankins-Sanford

Keon Thompson

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics