Women's Basketball To Face In-State Rival Harvard - University of Massachusetts Athletics

University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Notes & Information
Matchup	Massachusetts (1-1, 0-0 MAC) vs Harvard (2-1, 0-0 Ivy)
Date \| Time	November 11, 2026 \| 7:00 p.m.
Location	Cambridge, Mass. \| Lavietes Pavilion
Game Notes	Massachusetts \| Harvard
Watch	ESPN+
Live Stats	SideArm Stats
Twitter	@UMassWBB
Instagram	@umasswbb
Facebook	UMass Women's Basketball

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball (1-1) travels to Cambridge, Mass., to take on in-state rival Harvard (2-1) on Wednesday, November 11. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN +. Links and live updates are available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter).

THE MATCHUP

Massachusetts and Harvard will meet for the 28th time in program history, with the Minutewomen holding a 15-12 advantage in the all-time series.
The two teams first met on November 30, 1977, with the Minutewomen claiming a 68-51 season-opening victory.
The programs last met on November 11, 2025, when a 26-11 fourth-quarter run propelled Massachusetts to a 68-55 victory, led by Yahmani McKayle's 22 points.

LAST TIME OUT

The University of Massachusetts women's basketball team (1-1, 0-0 MAC) outlasted Providence, 60-50, in Alumni Hall on Saturday afternoon. The Minutewomen used strong defensive pressure to force 23 turnovers and turn those opportunities into 27 points, building a lead as large as 16 points in the fourth quarter.
UMass established an early advantage, taking a 19-12 lead into the second quarter behind a 7-0 scoring run. Providence battled back in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to two at halftime, 26-24. The Friars tied the game early in the third, but the Minutewomen responded and carried a 41-34 advantage into the final period.
The Minutewomen opened the fourth quarter with a 10-0 run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Yahmani McKayle, to extend their lead to 51-35. Providence attempted to close the gap late, but UMass held on to secure the 60-50 victory.
Aiyanna Perkins led Massachusetts with 14 points, while McKayle added 12 and Chinenye Odenigbo finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Jess Ross recorded a team-high 10 rebounds, and Ayanna Franks contributed nine points and four assists. UMass finished with 40 rebounds, including 22 offensive boards, and recorded 14 steals in the contest.

FROM QUEENS TO UMASS

Sophomore point guard Yahmani McKayle had a strong inaugural season in the Mid-American Conference for the Minutewomen. The Queens, N.Y. native averaged 16.4 points per game (3rd MAC), 5.2 assists (3rd) and 3.0 rebounds on .384/.343/.909 shooting splits.
McKayle set career-highs in points (28 at Kent State (1/3/26)), assists (11 vs Akron (1/14/26)) and steals (7 vs Buffalo (3/7/26)) last season. For her play, McKayle was named to the All-MAC First Team.
The junior guard was selected to the All-MAC Preseason First Team for the 2026-27 campaign, marking the second straight season she has garnered the honor, being named to the Second Team last year.

LOCKED UP

Last season, Massachusetts had one of the best defensive units in the Mid-American Conference. The Minutewomen held opponents to just 60.3 points per game (second best in the MAC), .380 percent from the field (2nd), .282 percent from three (1st), 18.6 turnovers forced per game (4th), 3.50 blocks per game (3rd) and 9.61 steals per game(4th).
Individually, Chinenye Odenigbo ranked tied for second in the conference in blocks per game (1.5) and Ayanna Franks ranked tied for second in steals per game (2.6).

HEART AND HEIGHT

Massachusetts boasts nine players 6-foot-tall or taller, making for one of the tallest teams in the conference. The Minutewomen have an average height of 5'9.6", and stacked head to toe make up nearly 90 feet – roughly two-and-a-half times taller than the average telephone pole.

UP NEXT

The Minutewomen return home to Amherst, Mass., to host Central Connecticut State on Saturday, November 14, at 1:00 p.m. at the Mullins Center.
The game will be streamed on ESPN +, with live stats and updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter).

Scoreboard

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ayanna Franks

Yahmani McKayle

Chinenye Odenigbo

Aiyanna Perkins

Jess Ross