Women's Hoops To Take On FAU In First Game Of FIU Holiday Classic

University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Notes & Information
Matchup	Massachusetts (7-1, 0-0 MAC) at Florida Atlantic (5-5, 0-0 American)
Date \| Time	Dec. 19, 2025 \| 1:30 p.m.
Location	Miami, Fla \| Ocean Bank Convocation Center
Game Notes	Massachusetts \| FAU
Watch	ESPN+
Live Stats	SideArm Stats
Twitter	@UMassWBB
Instagram	@umasswbb
Facebook	UMass Women's Basketball

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball (7-1) travels to Miami, Florida for a Friday matchup against Florida Atlantic (5-5) at 1:30 pm on ESPN+ for the first of two games at the FIU Holiday Classic. Links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter).

THE MATCHUP
Massachusetts and Florida Atlantic will meet for the first time in program history.

On Saturday, Dec. 20, the Minutewomen will face Youngstown State, which is also for the first time in program history. When facing an opponent for the first time, UMass has an 84-99 record. Massachusetts last defeated a first-time opponent on March 20, 2025, crusing past Stonehill College, 86-40, in the first round of the WNIT. The last time UMass defeated multiple inagural opponents was during the 2022-23 season, when the Minutewomen bested Arizona State (88-64), Drake (100-83), Loyola Chicago (76-59) and UAlbany (73-48).

Additionally, UMass will play back-to-back contests for the first time since the 2023-24 season, when it defeated La Salle on March 6, 54-49, in the first round of the A-10 conference before falling to Duquesne on March 7.

Massachusetts last consecutive-day regular season games were during the 2021-22 season, when the Minutewomen competed in three-straight contest spanning Nov. 26-28 at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla.

LAST TIME OUT
Despite falling to Army, 64-61, in West Point, N.Y., the Minutewomen showed flashes of grit throughout the contest. The team shot over 43 percent from the field and knocked down four triples, along with a strong defensive showing totaling eight steals and two blocks. Despite clutch shooting from Yahmani McKayle and Megan Olbrys down the stretch, Army's three-point barrage was too much to overcome.

Senior forward Olbrys was the largest contributor for the Minutewomen, tallying 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists on an efficient 6-for-9 from the field.

McKayle stuffed the stat-sheet, as she added 11 points, five rebounds and five assists in the afternoon.

The Minutewomen totaled 32 points in the paint along with 33 rebounds and 14 assists.

NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES
The Minutewomen welcome six newcomers, featuring four freshmen.

Massachusetts brings freshmen Anya George, Eva Hannon, Aiyanna Perkins and Brooke Pulpi into the mix for the 2025-26 season.

Rhode Island transfer Ayanna Franks arrives to Amherst off a 3.1 points per game season, adding 1.6 rebounds in 10.7 minutes.

Leah Bullard spent her first season at Oakland, averaging 2.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 8.4 minutes of action.

OLBRYS ON THE RISE
Senior Megan Olbrys is coming off an impressive season in the Atlantic 10 last year, leading the team with career-best averages in points (14.0), rebounds (8.2), and free throws per game (.786).

Olbrys posted eight double-doubles during the 2024-25 campaign and recorded a season-best 23 points against Loyola Chicago (2/9).

The Norwood, Mass. native earned the A-10 Third Team All-Conference honors at the end of the 2024-25 season and received the 25-player watchlist for the 2026 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award to start the 2025-26 season.

NOTABLE NUMBERS
UMass is holding opponents to 54.1 points per game, good for best in the MAC and 25th in the country.

The team ranks second in the MAC for scoring margin (14.8) and third in assists per game (17.0). The team also ranks second in the MAC in steals per game (11.5), blocked shots per game (3.3) and field goal percentage (.432).

YEAR THREE UNDER COACH LEFLAR
Massachusetts women's basketball enters its third season under Head Coach Mike Leflar in 2025-26 after his tenure as Associate Head Coach (2021-23) and Assistant Coach (2018-21) with the Minutewomen.

Leflar has been an integral part of building the most successful era in Massachusetts women's basketball, helping the program to its first regular-season Atlantic 10 championship this past season after the program earned its first Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship in 2021-22, while adding an NCAA Tournament berth in 2022 to go along with WNIT appearances in 2021 and 2023, and 2025

Leflar most recently worked closely with the Minutewomen forwards, including 2023 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year, Sam Breen. Under Leflar's guidance, Breen developed into one of the most decorated players in program history and earned back-to-back Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors in 2022 and 2023

UP NEXT
The Minutewomen continue on the road with a contest against Youngstown State on Saturday, December 20, in Miami, Florida for the second leg of the FIU HolidayClassic. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter).

Scoreboard

Women's Hoops To Take On FAU In First Game Of FIU Holiday Classic

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Leah Bullard

Ayanna Franks

Anya George

Eva Hannon

Yahmani McKayle

Megan Olbrys

Aiyanna Perkins

Brooke Pulpi

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics