UMass Hosting Central Michigan In Another MAC Tilt
The Minutemen have reeled five league wins in their last seven chances.
UMass is back at the Mullins Center tonight with conference positioning very much in focus when the Minutemen host Central Michigan at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
With just over a month left in the regular season, every result carries weight in the MAC race. UMass enters the night at 5-6 in MAC play, sitting sixth in the current standings. The top eight teams qualify for the MAC Tournament in March, making games against teams in the bottom half of the league especially critical as the margin tightens.
Central Michigan comes to Amherst at 3-7 in conference play, currently outside the top eight, but riding momentum after a weekend win.
UMass is coming off a 70-67 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday, a result that pushed the Minutemen back above .500 at home in league play and reinforced how thin the margins have been all season. UMass’ 11 MAC games have been decided by a combined 41 points, with eight of those coming down to three points or fewer.
Leonardo Bettiol continues to anchor the Minutemen on both ends.
The graduate forward recorded his fifth double-double of the season against Eastern Michigan with 20 points and 10 rebounds, adding three steals. Bettiol ranks among the league leaders in both scoring and rebounding and enters the week shooting over 60 percent from the field, best in the MAC.
Jayden Ndjigue delivered his best offensive night of the season on Saturday, finishing with a career-high 19 points while going 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Danny Carbuccia added six assists and remains one of the most efficient playmakers in the league, ranking near the top nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio in conference games.
Central Michigan arrives in Amherst after a 62-59 win over Bowling Green. The Chippewas are 7-15 overall under first-year head coach Andy Bronkema. Forward Nathan Claerbaut leads the way, averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, ranking 11th in the conference on the glass.
Defensively, UMass has been one of the most consistent teams in the league.
The Minutemen are holding opponents to 29.2 percent shooting from three-point range, best in the MAC and among the top teams nationally. UMass also ranks near the top of the conference in rebounding margin and assists per game, numbers that have helped keep them competitive in nearly every league outing.
Tuesday’s matchup represents another opportunity for UMass to solidify its place inside the MAC’s top eight and create separation from the pack chasing the final tournament spots. With the standings compressed and nearly every game swinging postseason positioning, the urgency continues to rise.
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Impressive defensive consistency from UMass holding MAC opponents to 29% from three. That stat alone keeps them in every game when the offense stalls. Bettiol's 60% shooting is effcient, but what stood out is eight games decided by three or less means the margins are razor thin. Thats the type of grind that either builds tournament toughness or wears a team down.