Four Minutemen Named To Atlantic 10 End Of Year Awards

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Following a successful 2023-24 regular season campaign, four Minutemen have been honored in the Atlantic 10 End of Year Awards. Seniors Josh Cohen and Matt Cross, Junior Rahsool Diggins and Freshman Jaylen Curry all received recognition in the annual All-Conference Awards.

Veterans Matt Cross and Josh Cohen highlighted the honors, each earning All-Conference First Team selection. Massachusetts is the lone Atlantic 10 program with two players in the First Team. Cross and Cohen are the first Minutemen to be named to the First Team since Tre Mitchell in 2021 and first duo to be named since Rashaun Freeman and Stephane Lasme in the 2006-07 season.

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— UMass Men's Basketball (@UMassMBB) March 12, 2024

Cross receives recognition after an impressive campaign which saw him finish the regular season with averages of 15.6 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 55.1 percent from the field. The Beverly, Massachusetts native consistently ranked top-two in the Atlantic 10 in rebounds per game and top-10 in points per game. A threat on offense and on the glass, Cross recorded five double-doubles including two in a three-game span putting up all-around performances in wins against Richmond (16 pt / 13 reb) and VCU (18 pt / 12 reb).

Cohen made an immediate impact during his first season in Amherst, ranking top-10 in the conference in points and rebounds per game. A true post scorer, Cohen finished the regular season with averages of 16.0 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 54.3 percent from the field. The Saint Francis (Pa.) transfer tallied 11 games with 20-plus points this season, matching Tre Mitchell's total during the 2019-20 campaign.

Junior Rahsool Diggins claimed the Chris Daniels Co-Most Improved Player award, after excelling in a starting role during the 2023-24 regular season. Diggins progressed in nearly every category, completing the regular season with averages of 12.6 points and 2.5 rebounds on 40 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent from three-point range. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native set new single-game career-highs in points (25), rebounds (6), field goals made (9) and three-pointers made (6).

Jaylen Curry earned All-Rookie team selection, after finishing the conference schedule with averages of 9.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists on 40.3 percent shooting from the field. Showing consistent improvement over the course of the season Curry recorded double-digit scoring performances in nine conference games, including a career-high 18 points and four made three-pointers at Loyola Chicago (1/17/24). Playing in all 30 games for the Minutemen as a freshman, Curry ended the regular season with his first career start in the Masachusetts' 66-64 victory over Fordham (3/06/24).

With the conclusion of the 2023-24 regular-season, the Massachusetts men's basketball team is officially set as the No. 4 seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship which will run Tuesday, March 12 through Sunday, March 17 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. The Minutemen (20-10, 11-7 A-10), having locked in the double-bye and an automatic spot in the quarterfinal matchup will play the winner of game five between No. 5 VCU and the winner of No. 12 Fordham/No. 13 Davidson on Thursday afternoon at 2 PM.

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Players Mentioned

Josh Cohen

Matt Cross

Jaylen Curry

Rahsool Diggins

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics