Massachusetts Hosts Rhode Island In Super Bowl Sunday Matchup

University of Massachusetts Men's Basketball Notes & Information
Matchup	Massachusetts vs Rhode Island
Date \| Time	Feb. 11 \| 2:00 p.m. ET
Location	Amherst, Mass. (Mullins Center)
Twitter	@UMassMBB
Instagram	@umassbasketball
Facebook	UMass Men's Basketball

AMHERST, MASS. - The Minutemen return to the Mullins Center for a Super Bowl Sunday matchup against Rhode Island on Feb. 11 in Amherst, Mass. The broadcast can be found on USA Network with links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassMBB on X (Twitter).

This week for the Minutemen

The Matchup

Sunday's game marks the 164th all-time matchup between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with the Minutemen holding a 94-69 advantage in the series.
The weekend matchup marks the first conference home-and-home for the Minutemen as they fell, 77-89 to Rhode Island earlier this season in Kingston.
Massachusetts has faced Rhode Island more than any other opponent in program history.UConn is the only other program the Minutemen have faced in over 100 matchups.
UMass first played Rhode Island on Jan. 11, 1908; claiming a 32-14 victory in Amherst, Mass.

Last Time OUT

Massachusetts dropped a tightly contested contest to St. Bonaventure, 79-73, on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at the Reilly Center.
Playing 37 minutes, senior Matt Cross led the Minutemen, finishing the game with 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
Keon Thompson who played extremely efficient, going 7-9 from the field for 16 points and a team-high seven rebounds in 34 minutes.
UMass also got double-digit performances from Jayden Ndjigue, who was one point away from tying his career-high of 13, and a ten-point outing from Rahsool Diggins.

Scoring and Security

The Minutemen have been one of the best teams in the nation in regard to ball security, ranking no. 38 in the country in turnover margin (3.0) and no. 41 in assist to turnover ratio (1.46).
Massachusetts has shown the ability to score consistently and efficiently, ranking No. 49 in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 80.3 points per game.
The Minutemen have recorded 90-plus points in four games this season including a 100-78 victory over Portland on Dec. 22.
Massachusett's 102-81 victory over Quinnipiac marked the first time the Minutemen scored 100 points since March 4, 2021 vs. Saint Joseph's.
The Minutemen were secure in possession, turning the ball over just five times vs. UAlbany (11/7/23) and URI (1/13/24). It marked the first two times since March 10, 2010 vs Temple (4 TO) that Massachusetts has recorded 5 or fewer turnovers in a game.

Dynamic Duo

Seniors Matt Cross and Josh Cohen make up one of the Atlantic 10's premier scoring duos averaging a combined 32.0 points per game, ranking third in the conference.
The two forwards also rank as the no. 2 rebounding duo in the A-10, pulling in a combined 14.8 per game. They sit just below George Mason's Keyshawn Hall and Amari Kelly (15.0 rpg).
Matt Cross (31 points) and Josh Cohen (26 points) combined for 57 of the Minutemen's 89 points against CCSU (11/22/23). The performance marked the first time since Jan. 10, 2018 that two players have each scored 25-plus points. Luwane Pipkins (44 points) and Carl Pierre (25 points) were the last teammates to achieve the feat, doing so in overtime vs. La Salle.
With their efficient performance vs. CCSU (11/22/23) Cross (84.6%) and Cohen (90.9%) become the first two players to shoot .750 or better from the field (min. 10 att), since Tre Mitchell shot 76.5% (13-17) at La Salle on Dec.16, 2020.

Year Two Under Coach Martin

Massachusetts basketball is in the midst of its second season under head coach Frank Martin in 2023-24.
Massachusetts comes fresh off a 2022-23 campaign that saw Coach Martin lead the Minutemen to their best record under a first-year head coach since 1996 and capture the Myrtle Beach Invitational title.
Martin's team also recorded the largest true road win over an A-10 opponent by a UMass squad since February of 1996 with a 69-45 win at Rhode Island.
Martin holds a 317-225 (.584) collegiate coaching mark, picking up 171 of his wins in 10 seasons at South Carolina while recording 117 wins in five seasons at Kansas State.
Head coach Frank Martin picked up his 300th collegiate coaching win on Jan. 25, 2023 with a 85-76 win over Richmond.
Prior to his time in Amherst Martin led the Gamecocks to a new program record for wins in a single season and coaches the team to its best NCAA Tournament run in program history, a trip to the Final Four in 2016-17. The 15-year head coach also led Kansas State to a 29-8 record and an Elite Eight appearance during the 2009-10 season.

New MEN in Mullins

UMass features a new look roster which includes five returners and 10 newcomers (two transfers).
The Minutemen welcome a talented eight-man freshman class which spans players from seven states and South Sudan and is comprised of Jaylen Curry, Robert Davis Jr., Marqui Worthy, Jayden Ndjigue, Tarique Foster, Mathok Majok, Rollie Castineyra and Tyler Mason.
Tyler Mason joined the freshman class as a December enrollee, providing depth in the front court with 23 games remaining on the schedule.
The class features three 3-star recruits, including Jaylen Curry, one of the highest-rated recruits in the Atlantic 10 for the class of 2023.
UMass also brings in two transfers in Daniel Hankins-Sanford and Josh Cohen who have played an immediate role in the Minuteman frontcourt.
Cohen was one of the most productive post players in the nation a season ago, scoring a career-high 40 points twice against Lehigh and Hawaii on his way to earning NEC Player of The Year honors.
Hankins-Sanford comes to Massachusetts after playing 22 games for South Carolina a year ago. The Charlotte, North Carolina native features natural rebounding instincts and elite athleticism at the power forward position.

Familiar Faces

Massachusetts returns three key pieces in Matt Cross, Keon Thompson and Rahsool Diggins from last season.
Senior Matt Cross was selected as a 2023-24 preseason All-Atlantic 10 Third Team selection after a productive first year in Amherst.
Cross ranked as one of just seven players in the conference to average over 12.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg. a season ago.
Cross is joined by St. Joe's Cameron Brown and Dayton's Daron Holmes as the only three players to achieve this feat who return to the Atlantic 10 in 2023-24.
Sophomore point guard Keon Thompson steps into an elevated role this season after starting nine of the last 10 games for the Minutemen in 2022-23.
Thompson averaged 8.88 points per game and 4.0 assists per game in those nine starts. The guard was one of just three individual players in the A-10 last season to record 12 or more assists in a game with 12 against Davidson on Feb. 4, 2023.
Junior Rahsool Diggins steps into a bigger role in 2023-24 after making 26 appearances and 10 starts for the Minutemen a season ago.
Diggins averaged 4.7 points and 2.4 assists per game, scoring a career-high 15 points on 3-of-6 from 3-point range at Saint Joseph's on Jan. 21, 2023.

On The Bench

Head coach Frank Martin boasts a talented staff full of experienced assistants featuring three former head coaches, two former McDonald's All-Americans and a former NBA lottery pick.
Associate Head Coach Allen Edwards was the head coach of the Wyoming Cowboys from 2016-20. Edwards' teams recorded 60 wins over four seasons, including back-to-back 20-win seasons
Assistant Coach Brett Nelson comes to Amherst after spending the last four seasons as the head coach at Holy Cross. Nelson, a former McDonald's All-American, is a 2004 graduate of Florida, a three-year starter for the Gators and helped his team to four NCAA Tournaments and to the 2000 national championship game.
Assistant Coach Brian Steele enters his second second UMass after spending time on head coach Frank Martin's staff at South Carolina. Steele was a three-year letter winner at South Carolina as a student-athlete and served as a student assistant during the 2015-16 season in addition to the 2016-17 Final Four campaign.
Director of Player Development Anthony Evans spent five seasons as the head coach at FIU following six years as the head coach at Norfolk State. At FIU, Evans' teams ranked in the top-10 percent nationally from 2015-17 in the NCAA Academic Progress Report and coached multiple Conference USA all-league and all-defensive players.
Director of Player Personnel Doug Edwards ed the Seminoles to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1990-93. The Miami, Fla. Native scored 1,604 points in his career and is the only player at FSU to score 500 or more points in three consecutive seasons. Edwards earned All-SEC Second-Team honors as a senior before being drafted with the 15th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1993 NBA Draft.
Head Coach Frank Martin coached now associate head coach Allen Edwards and director of player personnel Doug Edwards at Miami Senior High School.

Up Next

The Minutemen hit the road for a Valentines Day matchup with Richmond on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Robins Center. The broadcast can be found on ESPN+ with links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassMBB on X (Twitter).

Scoreboard

Massachusetts Hosts Rhode Island In Super Bowl Sunday Matchup

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rollie Castineyra

Josh Cohen

Matt Cross

Jaylen Curry

Robert Davis Jr.

Rahsool Diggins

Tarique Foster

Daniel Hankins-Sanford

Mathok Majok

Tyler Mason

Jayden Ndjigue

Keon Thompson

Marqui Worthy

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics

Massachusetts Hosts Rhode Island In Super Bowl Sunday Matchup

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Rollie Castineyra

Josh Cohen

Matt Cross

Jaylen Curry

Robert Davis Jr.

Rahsool Diggins

Tarique Foster

Daniel Hankins-Sanford

Mathok Majok

Tyler Mason

Jayden Ndjigue

Keon Thompson

Marqui Worthy

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