UMass To Open MAC Play
The UMass men's basketball team will make its MAC debut at home on Saturday.
The UMass men’s basketball team will host Kent State in its Mid-American Conference opener Saturday as the Minutemen look to build on their strong stretch to begin the 2025–26 season.
UMass (8-3) will arrive at the Mullins Center riding recent momentum and preparing for an early test against the Golden Flashes (9–2).
UMass has been consistent through November and early December, posting a winning mark that includes road and neutral-site success while averaging roughly 80.3 points per game. The Minutemen are currently riding a five-game winning streak, including victories over Oregon State, Boston College and Florida State.
That offensive production will be challenged by a Kent State team that has played at a fast pace and scored efficiently, averaging more than 96 points per game with contributions coming from multiple spots in the lineup.
“They’re good,” Martin said during a conference call with reporters earlier this week. “Rob Senderoff has been there a long time and his teams play hard as heck defensively. They have balance offensively and they know who they are.”
Kent State’s attack is built around discipline and versatility rather than just perimeter shooting. Senior forward Delrecco Gillespie leads the Golden Flashes in scoring and Martin emphasized that Kent State’s offensive identity starts inside.
“They don’t just spread you out and shoot threes,” Martin said. “They want to get the ball in the paint first. They post up, they play inside-out and they don’t turn it over.”
For UMass, balance and defensive execution will be essential.
The Minutemen have shown they can compete with high-tempo teams, including in the recent wins over BC and Florida State, but conference play should bring a different level of intensity.
Kent State enters the matchup with an experienced roster that knows its system well, something Martin pointed to as a challenge early in league play.
“His leading scorer has been with him for three years,” Martin said. “They’ve got guards that are back, a transfer power forward and, like us, some guys in their first year learning how to help the team win.”
Saturday’s game represents more than just a conference opener for UMass.
It’s an early measuring stick in a new league and an opportunity to establish habits that will matter as the calendar turns toward January.
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