Women's Basketball To Host Central Connecticut State - University of Massachusetts Athletics

University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Notes & Information
Matchup	Massachusetts (1-2, 0-0 MAC) vs Central Connecticut State (0-4, 0-0 NEC)
Date \| Time	November 14, 2026 \| 1:00 p.m.
Location	Amherst, Mass. \| Mullins Center
Game Notes	Massachusetts \| CCSU
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 (1-2, 0-0 MAC) fell to Harvard, 78-65, at Lavietes Pavilion on Tuesday night. The Minutewomen battled throughout the contest but were unable to overcome an early Crimson lead, as Harvard forced 19 UMass turnovers and converted those opportunities into 29 points.
Harvard jumped out to an early 12-0 lead in the first quarter, setting the tone with defensive pressure and forcing three turnovers in the opening minutes. UMass responded behind contributions from Caroline Dotsey, Jess Ross and Aiyanna Perkins, but the Crimson carried a 28-15 advantage into the second quarter. The Minutewomen found their rhythm offensively in the second quarter, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Ayanna Franks, but Harvard maintained a 43-28 lead at halftime.
The Minutewomen continued to fight in the second half, with Franks leading the offensive effort and Dotsey providing a spark on the boards and in the paint. UMass cut into the deficit with timely baskets from McKayle, Perkins and Derkack, but Harvard answered on the other end to maintain its advantage. The Crimson carried a 62-49 lead into the fourth quarter and held off the Minutewomen's late efforts to secure the 78-65 victory.
Franks led Massachusetts with 18 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. McKayle added 12 points, five assists and three steals, while Dotsey contributed 11 points and seven rebounds. Ross pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. UMass finished with 30 rebounds and 11 points off turnovers.

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

Caroline Dotsey

Ayanna Franks

Yahmani McKayle

Chinenye Odenigbo

Aiyanna Perkins

Jess Ross