http://www.bbstate.com/games/2015-01-17/URI-MASS
KenPom gives UMass a 1 point edge in a 65-64 game.
Game is televised by NBC Sports Network
Native's write-up:
On Saturday 17-Jan-2015, the University of Massachusetts Minutemen will host their long-time basketball rivals, the University of Rhode Island Rams, at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass.
Tip-off is at 2:30pm.
The game will be televised nationally on the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), and will be radio broadcast locally in southern New England on B101.
Derek Kellogg is the Head Coach of UMass M-BB. His staff this year includes Andy Allison ((Youngstown State ‘00, seventh year at UMass) who was promoted to assistant coach, replacing Marlon “Smoke” Williamson, who left for Pittsburgh at the end of last season. The two other assistant coaches are Adam Ginsberg (Buffalo '97, tenth year at UMass) and Shyrone Chatman (Memphis '02, seventh year at UMass). Tom Doherty (Dowling '92) is still the assistant to the head coach, but this season is also the director of basketball operations as well. Lou Roe (Massachusetts '13) is the assistant director of operations and Matt Vogel (Massachusetts '09) is now the operations coordinator. If on Saturday you start wondering which of the guys in suits on the UMass bench is Derek Kellogg, he is the one with the slicked-back dark hair.
Kellogg himself in his seventh year as a coach at his alma mater. (Massachusetts ’95); his win-loss record as the UMass head coach going in to Saturday's match up with Rhody is 118-94.
Kellogg is a local product. A Springfield native and former Minuteman point guard, he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant and part-time radio broadcaster at UMass during the 1996-97 season.
Derek Kellogg was named the 21st head coach in University of Massachusetts men’s basketball history, on April 23, 2008. The 1995 UMass graduate returned to his alma mater to take his first head coaching job after having served as an assistant coach for 12 years, the last eight at the University of Memphis under former UMass head coach John Calipari.
Over the past several years, it has definitely seemed that Derek Kellogg has had the UMass men’s basketball program headed in the right direction: three-consecutive 20-win seasons, and three-consecutive postseason tournaments.
Last season was an especially good season for the Minutemen, who finished with a 24-9 record (10-6 in the Atlantic -10). After having gone to the NIT for the previous two years, the Minutemen last year went to the Big Dance as a 6-seed.
However, gone from last season's NCAA lineup are Chaz Williams, Raphiael Putney and Sampson Carter. Perhaps not surprising, this season's UMass squad has not had the same level of success as did last year's: the Minutemen record so far this season is 9-8 (2-2 in the A-10 play).This year's UMass roster (with likely starters) is as follows:Code: Select all
11/14/14 vs. Siena W, 95-87 11/16/14 vs. Boston College W, 71-62 Boston, Mass 11/18/14 vs. Manhattan W, 77-68 (OT) 11/22/14 vs. Notre Dame L, 81-68 Uncasville, Conn. 11/23/14 vs. Florida State W, 75-69 Uncasville, Conn. 11/26/14 vs. Northeastern W, 79-54 11/29/14 at Harvard L, 75-73 12/02/14 at LSU L, 82-60 12/07/14 vs. Florida Gulf Coast L, 84-75 Springfield, Mass. 12/13/14 vs. Canisius W, 75-58 12/20/14 at Providence L, 85-65 12/23/14 at BYU L, 77-71 (OT) 12/30/14 vs. Iona W, 87-82 01/03/15 vs. St. Bonaventure L, 69-55 01/07/15 at La Salle W, 71-65 01/11/15 at George Mason W, 66-62 01/14/15 vs. Davidson L, 71-63Coach Kellogg typically cycles through his roster at a quick rate. In the game against LaSalle, every healthy scholarship UMass player had checked into the game within the first five minutes; by the game’s end, every member of the Minutemen played at least 11 minutes.
- Jabarie Hinds (5-11 185) Junior point guard from Mount Vernon, NY. The West Virginia transfer is easily the fastest player on the floor for UMass. His points tend to come from driving to the basket for layups or from free throws. He started earlier in the season, but now comes off the bench as the sixth man. He had 11 points in the road win over George Mason.
- Trey Davis (6-0 185) Junior guard from East Dallas, Texas. In the game against Iona, he scored 25 points (10-for-11 from the floor) and added seven assists. Against A-10 opponent George Mason, he had 14 points, including two free throws with nine seconds left.
- Derrick Gordon (6-3 205) Junior guard from Plainfield, N.J. Returning starter, last year was his first year at UMass, having transfered from Western Kentucky. Against Iona, he was 7-of-15 on field goals and 5-for-6 from the free throw line for 19 points. He is usually the one asked to defend the top scoring guard on the other team, so on Saturday expect to see him be the one to get the assignment to cover EC.
- Donte Clark (6-4 180) Freshman guard from Charlotte, North Carolina. He prepped at Hargrave Military Academy. He started for the first time against LaSalle, and has been starting since.
- Mike Wojewodzic (6-4 215) Junior guard from Boston, out of Boston Latin HS. He is a walk-on who dresses for home games and travels to nearby road games.
- C.J. Anderson (6-5 175) Freshman guard from Memphis. A natural shooting guard, Anderson fills the role of point guard, when Trey Davis and Jabarie Hinds are both on the bench. Anderson played 28 minutes off the bench in the win at LaSalle.
- Demetrius Dyson (6-5 200) Sophomore guard from Covington, Tenn. He is a good three point shooter, especially against weak defenses. Against Davidson, Demetrius Dyson came off the bench to score 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting (2-of-3 from behind the 3-point line).
- Zach Coleman (6-7 200) Redshirt freshman forward from Dallas, Texas. A well rounded player, Coleman in the LaSalle game went 2-for-3 on 3-pointers and finished with six points.
- Seth Berger (6-7 210) Sophomore forward from the Seattle area; he played his high school ball at Ballard HS.
- Zach Turcotte (6-7 210) sophomore forward from Boxford, Mass. Known as a great player, athlete, and teammate while playing high school ball at Masconomet Regional HS. This season for UMass, he is a walk-on who has played only one minute, during the 13-Dec-2014 contest versus Canisius.
- Maxie Esho (6-8 215) Senior forward from Upper Marlboro, Maryland; he prepped at Lee Academy (Maine). A dunker and a leaper, Esho performs best when the game is fluid and he has space on offense. When he is performing well, he is an offensive catalyst for the Minutemen this season. Esho himself is the high scorer for UMass, averaging 13 ppg. He had 11 rebounds and 8 points in Wednesday's loss to Davidoson on Wednesday.
- Tyler Bergantino (6-9 250) Junior center from Springhill, Florida. The young man from Florida has game experience, as his job is to spell starting center Cady Lalanne, who has been known to have his own share of foul trouble. Bergantino has shown steady improvement this season.
- Cady Lalanne (6-10 253) Senior center from Orlando, Florida; he prepped at Oak Ridge. Returning starter and preseason All-Atlantic 10 pick. The strong inside presence for UMass, he will be a challenge for Rhody. The big man can also drain treys when left unguarded outside. Lalanne had 10 points and 14 rebounds in the win over George Mason. He had 17 points and 13 rebounds in the Wednesday night loss to Davidson.
The Minutemen are long and they are athletic. They use an up-tempo offensive style and full-court pressure defense, with much of their offense coming from their defense.
UMass excels in games that feature more possessions and less time setting up in the half court. Conversely, the Minutemen are capable of executing poorly in their halfcourt offense, resulting in the occasional long period of not scoring.
Look -- URI may be entering the Mullins Center on Saturday with a better resume than UMass, but I fully expect this to be a close game, especially if the Rams give the Minutemen space to operate in a transition-based game. That being said, I also look for Rhody to come out on top in this weekend matchup between two longtime regional rivals.
GO RHODY!
