Two Program Records Fall As Minutemen Down Central Michigan 95-89

AMHERST, Mass. -- Massachusetts men's basketball (15-9, 6-6 MAC) claimed a 95-89 win against Central Michigan (7-16, 3-8 MAC) on Tuesday night on the back of a 55 point second half and multiple Minutemen records. The game will be remembered for the three point shooting performances by UMass' Marcus Banks Jr. (10-for-15) and Central Michigan's Logan McIntire (12-for-16).

Banks Jr., finished with a career high 37 points going 12-of-17 from the field with 10 three pointers and five steals. Banks Jr.'s 10 three pointers set a program record.

Danny Carbuccia dished out 17 assists for UMass, setting a program record and were the most since Chaz Williams on Dec. 7, 2013, against BYU. Carbuccia's assists tied for second most assists in a Division I men's game this season and marked the most by a D-I freshman since TyTy Washington also totaled 17 assists against Georgia on Jan. 8, 2022.

Leonardo Bettiol recorded 22 points going 8-for-11 from the field with five rebounds and two assists. Daniel Hankins-Sanford contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals over the evening.

The Chippewas were led by McIntire who had a career high 40 points, going 14-of-19 from the field, including 12 three pointers. The senior posted four rebounds, three assists and a steal. McIntire set a program record for three pointers in a game at CMU.

How It Happened

Central Michigan opened the scoring with a triple from Logan McIntire less than a minute into the game.
A pair of three pointers from Banks Jr. highlighted a 9-2 run over two minutes to give the Minutemen the lead.
Tamario Adley opened a Chippewas 10-2 run to tie the game 18-18 with 12:37 on the clock.
The Minutemen retook the lead off a Hankins-Sanford jumper.
After trading baskets, a Banks Jr. fastbreak layup extended the Massachusetts lead, 38-33 with 4:00 left on the clock.
Central Michigan engineered a 14-2 run to close out the first half with a 47-40 advantage.
Out of the locker room, triples from Hankins-Sanford and Banks Jr. highlighted a 12-7 run for a 56-52 scoreboard.
Back-to-back three pointers from Banks Jr. pulled the Minutemen within one with 14:06 left in the game.
The teams exchanged baskets, with McIntire's eleventh basket from the arc giving the Chippewas a 74-65 lead.
Off a timeout, Banks Jr. highlighted a 15-2 run to give Massachusetts 80-78 with 4:46 left in regulation.
Freethrows from Bettiol, Ndjigue, Hankins-Sanford and Banks Jr. in the final minutes gave the Minutemen a 95-89 victory.

Numbers To Know

2: Two Minutemen set program records – Banks Jr. (three pointers) and Carbuccia (assists).
2: Two Minutemen set career high records – Banks Jr. (Points and Three Pointers) and Carbuccia (Assists).
3: Three Minutemen recorded double-digit points on the night – Banks Jr. (37), Bettiol (22) and Hankins-Sanford (19).
12: The Minutemen grabbed 12 steals.
11: Massachusetts drilled 11 threes over the evening.
17: Carbuccia dished out a career high 17 assists.
40: The Minutemen recorded 40 points in the paint.

Up Next

The Minutemen head south to Conway, South Carolina and take on Coastal Carolina as part of the MAC-SBC challenge at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7.
The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with live updates and links available at umassathletics.com or @UMassMBB on X (Twitter).

Scoreboard