Minutewomen Back On Road For Saturday Matchup With Broncos

University of Massachusetts Women's Basketball Notes & Information
Matchup	Massachusetts (20-6, 11-3 MAC) vs Kent State (9-17, 5-10 MAC)
Date \| Time	Feb. 28, 2026 \| 12:00 p.m.
Location	Kalamazoo, Mich. \| University Arena
Game Notes	Massachusetts \| Western Michigan
Watch	ESPN+
Live Stats	SideArm Stats
Twitter	@UMassWBB
Instagram	@umasswbb
Facebook	UMass Women's Basketball

AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball (20-6) heads on the road to face the Western Michigan Broncos (9-17) at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN+ in Kalamazoo, Mich. at University Arena. Links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter).

THE MATCHUP

Massachusetts and Western Michigan will meet for the fourth time in program history, with the Broncos holding a 2-1 lead in the all-time series history.
The two teams first met on Nov. 8, 2013 during the Minutewomen's season opener, as Western Michigan won 66-58 on the day. UMass and the Broncos last met on Dec. 31, 2025, with Massachusetts securing a 73-40 victory on the back of a 22-0 run, securing the first MAC victory in program history.

LAST TIME OUT

Massachusetts defeated Kent State, 66-56, on a Saturday afternoon tilt at Mullins Center. The Minutewomen used a strong finish and two players with double-digit rebounds to secure a gritty victory.
Junior center Chinenye Odenigbo and senior Lilly Ferguson each had 10 rebounds in the contest, with Odenigbo securing her first career double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Megan Olbrys chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds, narrowling securing her third straight double-double.
Yahmani McKayle tallied the most points for the Minutewomen with 17 points. McKayle also had seven assists and a steal.
The Minutwomen held Kent State to just 25.8 percent from the field, the second-lowest field goal percentage for the Gold Flashes this season. The total is also the lowest the Minutewomen have allowed this season.

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 16.6 assists per game, good for second in the MAC and 38th in the country.
The team ranks best in the MAC in turnovers per game (15.2). The Minutewomen also rank second in assists/turnover ratio (1.09), scoring defense (60.7), third in blocks per game (3.6) and fourth in steals per game (10.0).

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 stay to the road for a matchup with the Zips in Akron, Ohio on March 4.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with links and live updates available at umassathletics.com or @UMassWBB on X (Twitter)

Scoreboard

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Leah Bullard

Lilly Ferguson

Ayanna Franks

Anya George

Eva Hannon

Yahmani McKayle

Chinenye Odenigbo

Megan Olbrys

Aiyanna Perkins

Brooke Pulpi