UMass Looks To Bounce Back Against Toledo
The Minutemen host Toledo on Tuesday after an embarrassing loss to NIU on Saturday.
UMass returns home Tuesday night for a pivotal MAC test against Toledo, looking to get back the momentum it had earlier this month and snap back from an embarrassing road loss.
The Minutemen (11-8, 2-5 MAC), will tip off against the Rockets (10-8, 4-2) at 6 p.m. at the Mullins Center on ESPN+.
UMass has gone 7-3 at home this season and ranks seventh in the league in scoring at 80.1 points per game, shooting 46.2 percent from the field.
The Mullins Center has been an asset for UMass all season, and the Minutemen will look to leverage that energy against a Toledo team that sits 10-8 overall and 4-2 in conference play. The Rockets have been competitive in MAC action, averaging 82.8 points per game and shooting 47.7 percent from the floor, a slight edge in offensive efficiency compared to what UMass allows.
The Minutemen return to the floor after a 70-68 road loss at Northern Illinois on Saturday.
“We got out-physicaled, outplayed, out-toughed, out-any word that you want to use,” Martin said following the NIU loss. “The word competitive has a reference there. Attention to detail was bad.
“We practiced really, really well the last two days and then we come out and play like this. It’s an embarrassment.”
Martin continued to be frustrated by his team’s defensive effort against the Huskies as he’s been all season.
“We took the lead and then we gave up three straight layups,” he said. “Then, anytime the game gets competitive at the end, all we do is foul. We don’t get stops. We just reach and foul.”
Graduate forward Leonardo Bettiol led the Minutemen with 25 points, going 7-for-12 from the field and 11-of-14 at the free throw line while adding seven rebounds. Guard Marcus Banks Jr. chipped in 16 points, and K’Jei Parker added 15 in a tight MAC matchup.
For the season, balance has been the theme for UMass with four players averaging in double-figures: Bettiol (17.0), Banks Jr. (16.2), Parker (12.0) and forward Daniel Hankins-Sanford (11.5).
Martin said the team needs more from Hankins-Sanford and guard Jayden Ndjigue than it got against NIU.
“(Hankins-Sanford) and Jayden are the two most experienced players in our system. If neither one’s going to give us positive plays, it’s going to be hard to win.”
The Minutemen rank third in the MAC in assists per game (17.7) and third in offensive rebounding in the league (12.2) and first in three-point defensive percentage, holding opponents to just 28.6 percent behind the arc.
Toledo is paced by guard Sonny Wilson, averaging around 17 points and 4.3 assists per game, and forward Leroy Blyden Jr., who has provided consistent scoring over his last 10 outings.
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