MHERST - Matt Glass is the fifth member of the University of Massachusetts men's basketball recruiting class of November 2006 to leave the program.

The 6-foot-7 forward from Underhill Center, Vt., confirmed Tuesday that he plans to continue his college career elsewhere, but did not comment further because he was heading into class.

UMass coach Derek Kellogg said he and Glass are parting on good terms.

"He and I have a great relationship," Kellogg said. "Academically, socially and basketball-wise he was looking for something a little different.

"He said that this was what he wanted to do, I said #How can I help you?'" Kellogg added. "Anybody that would call me, I'd tell them he'd be a great fit."

Glass' role was inconsistent during his two seasons in Amherst. He was used at times as both an undersized big man and as a spot-up 3-point shooter on the wing.

In both years his minutes fluctuated wildly. At times Glass saw considerable playing time, while at others he seemed like a forgotten player on the bench. He started nine games as a sophomore, averaging 13.1 minutes and 3.4 points per game.

His last two games were representative of the inconsistency of his career. He had 13 points in 22 minutes and set a screen that freed Chris Lowe for the game-winning basket in the Minutemen's final regular-season game at Rhode Island, but was scoreless in five minutes in the Minutemen's Atlantic 10 Tournament loss to Duquesne.

Glass will sit out for the 2009-10 season and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Kellogg said that Glass might look to transfer to an Ivy League school. Glass, who did a postgraduate year at Northfield Mount Hermon, was recruited by Ivy League schools .

"When we talked, he talked about potentially going to the Ivy League, but that's not etched in stone," Kellogg said. "He thought that would be a good fit for himself."

Former UMass coach Travis Ford signed seven players in the fall of 2006. Only Gary Correia and Matt Hill remain, and Hill had a season-ending Achilles injury in November. That is the second major Achilles injury of Hill's career, and his ability to return to Division I basketball is uncertain.

Marcus Matthews opted to go to prep school and never enrolled at UMass. Max Groebe (Cornell) and Papa Lo (Bryant) each decided to transfer after one season, while Trey Lang left the team after his freshman season and is no longer playing Division I basketball.

RETURN TO ATLANTIC CITY OFFICIAL - The Atlantic 10 officially announced Tuesday that its conference tournament will remain at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City through 2012.

"The decision to return to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City provides a great opportunity to grow our marquee event and truly brand the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championship," commissioner Bernadette McGlade said in a statement released by the conference. "The facility is well-suited for this championship, Atlantic City is a historic seashore resort, and the city has welcomed the Atlantic 10 and committed to host three more great years."

George Washington athletic director Jack Kvancz, who is the chair of the conference's athletic directors, echoed the commissioner.

"Atlantic City has proven to be a great setting for our student-athletes and fans of the Atlantic 10," Kvancz said in a statement. "It is a great destination place and I look forward to the championship returning there for the next three years."

Beginning next year, the league's first-round games will be played at campus sites. In 2010, they will be on Tuesday March 9.

The remainder of the tournament will be pushed back one day. The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games will be held at Boardwalk Hall from March 11 to 13. The league's championship game will now air on CBS.

Matt Vautour can be reached at [email protected]. For more UMass coverage, including a UMass sports blog, go to http://www.gazettenet.com/category/sports/umass-sports