UMass HC Frank Martin Not Pleased With Lack Of Physicality
Minutemen head coach Frank Martin continues to challenge his squad to play tougher.
UMass head coach Frank Martin didn’t mince words after his team’s 80-74 loss to Eastern Michigan on Tuesday night, pointing to defensive breakdowns, foul discipline and a lack of engagement as deciding factors.
Martin said the issues began with how UMass handled physicality from the opening tip.
“We don’t handle physicality,” he said. “We don’t defend. Our guards were bad defensively. They’ve got big guards and just drove our guards. Our guards wouldn’t defend and then our centers were zero in the middle of the zone.”
The result, Martin said, was a constant parade to the foul line.
“You put somebody on the line 40 times, you’ve got no chance to win,” he said.
“Defensively, we were bad. We were not very good defensively.”
Martin said winning on the road requires either consistent defense or elite shot-making, and UMass provided neither.
“It’s hard to win on the road unless you shoot the cover off the ball,” he said. “And we didn’t shoot. We didn’t shoot it well and the game got really, really physical in the second half and we couldn’t score.”
Foul trouble remains a recurring issue, one Martin said has little to do with toughness.
“We foul every game,” he said. “We commit the worst fouls in the history of mankind. They’re not physical fouls. They’re all bad fouls. Somehow, some way, we’ve got to figure that part out.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s home game against Bowling Green, Martin said the focus must be on how his team responds when facing size and strength.
“Every time we play a physical, big, strong team, we struggle defensively,” he said. “That has to change.”
Despite the frustration, Martin said his belief in the group remains intact.
“We’ve got a good group of guys,” he said. “I like the guys. I’m disappointed in some of the guys and their lack of desire to engage in this game today on the road. Disappointed in that. But we’ve got to figure out a way to get home and figure out a way to get our first conference win.”
Martin also pointed to production, or the lack of it, from his starters.
“We got nothing out of Jayden (Ndjigue). We got nothing out of Leo (Bettiol). When your starters don’t give you anything, it’s really hard to win. The guys that are starters are starters for a reason. They have to play that way.”
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