University of Massachusets Athletics
Saturday, January 24
Amherst, Mass.
11:00 a.m.
University of Massachusetts
vs
Bowling Green
Women's Hoop Returns Home For Conference Contest Against Bowling Green
January 23, 2026 | Women's Basketball
| University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Notes & Information | |
| Matchup | Massachusetts (13-4, 5-2 MAC) vs Bowling Green (10-8, 3-4 MAC) |
| Date | Time | Jan. 24, 2026 | 11:00 a.m. |
| Location | Amherst, Mass. | Mullins Center |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts | Bowling Green |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Live Stats | SideArm Stats |
| @UMassWBB | |
| @umasswbb | |
| UMass Women's Basketball | |
AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball (13-4) returns home to the Mullins Center for a Saturday morning matchup against Bowling Green (10-8) at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN+. Links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter).
THE MATCHUP
- Massachusetts and Bowling Green will meet for the third time in program history, as the Falcons have a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series matchup.
- Bowling Green holds the away record at 1-0.
- The teams first matchup came on Dec. 19, 2012 with Bowling Green taking a narrow 64-61 victory on the day, despite Jasmine Watson's 21 points on 9-for-15 shooting and then-freshman point guard Nola Henry dishing out 11 assists.
- The programs last met on exactly a year later on Dec. 19, 2013, with the Falcons running away with an 86-46 victory.
LAST TIME OUT
- UMass fell to Ball State, 78-60, during a Wednesday night matchup at Worthen Arena.
- After a strong first half for the Minutewomen, highlighted by 14 points from Yahmani McKayle on a blistering 6-8 from the field along with four assists and Allie Palmieri adding 11 with three triples; with Massachusetts heading into the break with a 39-33 lead, a second half Cardinal surge proved to be too much for UMass.
- UMass shot just 20 percent in the second half, will Ball State shooting at a red-hot 59.3 percent clip.
- In the effort, McKayle fueled the offensive unit with a game-high 20 points, along with five assists and two steals. Palmieri chipped in 14 points and three rebounds, and Lilly Ferguson, making her third-straight start, registered 10 points and five rebounds.
- As a unit, the Minutewomen nabbed 32 rebounds, dished out 12 assists and swiped nine steals.
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 dishing out 20.5 assists per game, good for second in the MAC and 17th in the country.
- The team ranks best in the MAC for assist/turnover ratio (1.27), three point percentage defense (.262), rebound per game (43.50) and offensive rebounds per game (16.33).
- The team also ranks second in the MAC in field goal percentage defense (37.6).
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 return to the road for a conference matchup against Ohio on Wednesday, January 28, in Athens, Ohio.
- The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter)
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