UMass Holds Off Eastern Michigan
The Minutemen moved up to 6th in the MAC.
UMass held off Eastern Michigan down the stretch to secure a 70-67 win Saturday night at the Mullins Center, closing out a tense final four minutes with timely baskets and free throws.
The Minutemen improved to 14-9 overall and 5-6 in MAC play, earning their third win in the last four games. Eastern Michigan fell to 9-13 and 3-7 in conference action.
UMass led for much of the night before the Eagles briefly moved in front midway through the second half. From there, the Minutemen responded with execution on both ends, reclaiming the lead and never giving it back.
UMass moved up to sixth place in the MAC Standings. The Top 8 qualify for the conference tournament in March.
Graduate student Leonardo Bettiol delivered another steady performance, posting his fifth double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds while adding a team-high three steals. Jayden Ndjigue followed with a career-high 19 points, shooting 5-for-8 from the floor and 9-for-10 at the free throw line. Ndjigue also chipped in four assists. Danny Carbuccia led the Minutemen with six assists.
Eastern Michigan placed four players in double figures, led by Gregory Lawson II with 20 points. Mohammad Habhab added 15 points and a team-best nine rebounds, while Addison Patterson and Jon Sanders II finished with 10 points apiece.
UMass set the tone early, jumping out to a 9-2 lead behind four quick points from Bettiol. A Marcus Banks Jr. three-pointer extended the advantage to 20-11 at the 13:04 mark, and the Minutemen maintained control through the first half. Jayden Ndjigue broke a 22-22 tie with a pair of free throws midway through the period, and K’Jei Parker closed the half at the line to send UMass into the break with a 38-30 lead.
The Minutemen continued to answer in the second half whenever Eastern Michigan threatened. Ndjigue scored four of UMass’ first seven points after halftime, and Bettiol knocked down consecutive baskets to keep UMass in front at 50-46 with 11:28 to play.
Eastern Michigan tied the game at 55-55 on free throws from Jon Sanders II with 6:55 remaining, then briefly grabbed the lead moments later. Bettiol responded with a three-point play at the 5:04 mark to swing momentum back to the Minutemen.
Down the stretch, Ndjigue delivered two driving layups in the final two minutes, and Daniel Hankins-Sanford punctuated the night with a dunk off a Carbuccia assist with 38 seconds left. Banks Jr. and Parker sealed the outcome at the free throw line in the final seconds.
UMass finished with a narrow 30-28 rebounding edge and shot 71.4 percent from the free throw line, converting 25 of 35 attempts.
What’s next: UMass remains home to open February, hosting Central Michigan on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Mullins Center, with coverage available on ESPN+.
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This is the kind of gritty win that builds tournament confidance. Bettiol and Ndjigue combining for 39 points shows real depth beyond just one star player. The fact that they responded after Eastern Michigan grabbed the lead shows mental toughness that'll matter in March. One thing that stands out tho is going 25 for 35 at the line is solid, but those missed 10 free throws could realy bite you in a tighter game down the road.