MHERST - University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach Bruiser Flint talked about the importance of chemistry and team unity as his team begins the 1999-2000 season.

To achieve that, he better hope that the American League Championship Series ends in a hurry as his ranks fall on separate sides of the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry.

The playful trash talk was plentiful among the men's team at Tuesday's media day. Members of the women's team, too, voiced strong opinions.

While Winston Smith wore his New York Yankees hat to media day Tuesday, his Bostonian teammates were backing the Olde Towne Team.

"Winston is all about the Yanks," Bay Stater Mike Babul said. "If Pedro is all right to go, the Red Sox will be all right."

South Boston product Jonathan DePina backed his teammate.

"Everybody is talking about a Subway series, but you know the Yankees ain't doing nothing," DePina said. "The Red Sox have a good chance."

"I always root for the home teams. I like the Red Sox. We tease Bulb a lot," said Everett native Shannon Crooks, using the team's nickname for Smith. "The Red Sox won (the season series) 8-4. They got a lot of heart. I think they can do it."

Newcomer Eric Williams has jumped into the fray on Smith's side.

"I told them the only thing Boston has is the Boston tea party," Williams said.

"These are my Yankees," said Smith pointing to his hat. "We're going to do it up."

UMass assistant coach Geoff Arnold doubted the Summit, N.J., native's loyalty to the Pinstripers.

"I tell you what," Arnold said. "If the Yankees lose and the Mets win, he'd have a Mets hat on ... a traditional New York fan. He lives closer to Philly than he does to New York."

"I live 25 minutes away from New York," Smith protested.

"Yeah, Staten Island," Arnold said, laughing. "Ain't no team in Staten Island.

If the Red Sox can deliver the upset, South Boston's Monty Mack promised that Yankee fans will hear about it.

"If the Red Sox come through," Mack said. "A lot of people will be having some hard times."

The UMass women's team isn't exempt from the jawing back and forth, either.

"It's going to be a very big battle," said senior Jaywana Bradley, a native of the Bronx. "I have a jersey, I have a jacket, I have sandals. Yes, I will be flaunting it. Boston doesn't stand a chance. They beat us in the regular season so we're going to win the postseason."

Her roommate, Tonia Thomas, is a native of the Lone Star State and a Texas Rangers fan.

"We've been eliminated," Thomas said, wiping an imaginary tear from beneath her eye. "When that was going on Jaywana was a little unbearable to live with."

It wasn't hard for Thomas to choose her postseason team.

"I might be rooting for Boston, but New York - never," she said emphatically.

Freshman center Micah Brand of New York took the low road out of the argument.

"I hate baseball," he said. "It's a horrible sport that never should have been invented."