EMU Provides UMass Another Opportunity
The Minutemen have climbed the MAC Standings over the past two weeks and have another chance to do so on Saturday night in Amherst.
UMass returns to the Mullins Center on Saturday night looking to turn narrow margins into wins.
The Minutemen host Eastern Michigan at 6 p.m. in Amherst, with the game streaming on ESPN+. The matchup comes just four days after UMass dropped an 86-84 decision at unbeaten and 24th-ranked Miami-Ohio, another entry in what has been a long list of close finishes in MAC play.
Saturday offers both a chance to get back home and an opportunity for payback.
Most importantly for the Minutemen is the opportunity to continue climbing the MAC standings as they seek a spot in the conference tournament in March. The top 8 teams in the league qualify. The Minutemen are currently in that eighth spot (virtual tie with Ball State) after winning four of their last six league games.
Eastern Michigan handed UMass an 80-74 loss on Dec. 30 in Ypsilanti, snapping what had been a Minuteman edge in the brief series history between the programs. Daniel Hankins-Sanford led UMass with 18 points and 11 rebounds in that game, while Marcus Banks Jr. and K’Jei Parker scored 14 points apiece. The Eagles countered with double-doubles from Carlos Hart and Addison Patterson, with Hart posting a game-high 23 points.
Head coach Frank Martin said the first meeting followed a familiar script for his team this season.
“We had a lead. We were controlling the game,” Martin told Jay Burnham on this week’s episode of Just Being Frank. “Our defense let us down late in the game. Very physical game. They protected their home court and at the end we just couldn’t get enough stops to win.”
The theme carried into Tuesday’s loss at Miami-Ohio, where UMass again had chances late but came up short. Graduate forward Leonardo Bettiol was dominant inside, posting 22 points and a career-best 16 rebounds, while Banks added 18 points and Hankins-Sanford chipped in 16. Danny Carbuccia finished with six assists as UMass stayed within one possession throughout the final minutes.
Despite a 4-6 MAC record, UMass has been competitive nearly every night. Ten conference games have been decided by a combined 38 points, with seven of those settled by three points or less.
“These close games, of course you have to score,” Martin said. “But you have to get stops. You have to figure out a way to come up with that rebound, come up with that play that negates a possession because whoever has the empty possession usually loses these close games and unfortunately for us, we’re not getting enough stops.”
The Minutemen rank first in the MAC in opponent three-point defense at 29.5 percent and second in rebounding margin at plus-5.9, numbers that underscore how thin the line has been between wins and losses.
Offensively, UMass features four players averaging double-figures, led by Bettiol at 17.3 points per game. Bettiol also ranks first in the MAC in field-goal percentage at 60.6 percent and sits fourth in rebounding.
Banks follows at 16.3 points per game and leads the league in three-point attempts, while ranking near the top in makes, percentage and threes per game. Carbuccia continues to steady the offense, ranking second in the MAC and among the national leaders with 6.0 assists per game and a 3.20 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Eastern Michigan enters Saturday at 9-12 overall and 3-6 in the MAC, coming off a 100-65 loss at Central Michigan. Mohammad Habhab anchors the Eagles, averaging 14.3 points and a MAC-best 8.1 rebounds per game. Martin noted that Eastern Michigan is not the same team UMass saw in December, citing roster changes that have altered the Eagles’ rotation, but said the physical nature of the matchup remains constant.
UMass has won three of four all-time meetings with Eastern Michigan, including back-to-back wins during a home-and-home series in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. Saturday night provides a chance to reclaim that edge and, more importantly, turn another close game into a conference win.
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Really solid breakdown here. The pattren with UMass struggling to close out late possessions is interesting because the stats show they're actualy excellent defensively overall (29.5% opp 3PT). Seems like its more of a clutch execution issue than a scheme problem, which is kinda tougher to fix mid-season but also more fixable with just a few key stops.