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game19701228_fairfield

December 28, 1970 - Fairfield vs. UMass

  • Season: 1970-71
  • Date: Monday, December 28, 1970
  • Opponent: Fairfield
  • Start Time: 9:00 PM ET
  • Site: Memorial Field House, Springfield College, Springfield MA
  • Special Event: Basketball Hall of Fame Holiday Festival Tournament
  • Result: UMass 95, Fairfield 82
  • Attendance: 2,600 (sellout)

Preview

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Some Big Games In Store For UMass: Tourney, BU And PC
By Fred Rosenthal, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian Staff Reporter, December 23, 1970

Although most UMass intercollegiate teams will be inactive for the next five weeks or so, the Redman basketball squad will play either four or five games, one of which looms very important.

The UMass cagers will be one of the eight entrees in the First Annual Hall of Fame Holiday Basketball Tournament to be held in Springfield next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (Dec. 28th, 29th and 30th).

Tournament bracket illustration from The Collegian

In the first round, or day, they will face Fairfield University. Should UMass defeat the Stags, it will play at least two more games in the tourney, moving into the semi-final round on day two, and the championship round or the consolation round (to decide the third and fourth place teams) on the 30th., or third day.

If the Redmen lose to Fairfield, they'll play again, against one of the other three first-round losers. Should they lose again here, they will be eliminated. However, should they win, they will be given a shot at fifth place in the final tourney standings.

This is a double elimination tourney. The champion will have to have won all three of its games, the runnerup will be 2-1, the third place team will also be 2-1, the fourth place team will be 1-2, the fifth place team 2-1, the sixth place team 1-2, and the seventh and eighth place teams both 0-2. The latter two teams will be the only ones to play just two games. A tourney table on how the winners can progress to the title game can be found elsewhere on this page.

After the Hall of Fame affair, the Redmen take time off for exams, but during intercession they have a tough contest against Boston University away on Jan. 21 and what could be a super game (the one that looms very important) versus Providence College at Providence on Jan. 23.

Provided UMass plays in three tournament bits, it will have had five more games under its belt before returning to the Cage, and its home fandom, for a tussle with Fordham on Jan. 27.

The following is a round-up of the teams UMass will have to encounter in the next few weeks, including Fairfield, BU and PC.

FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY: The Redmen's opening round opponent in the Springfield classic, the Stags have a 1-3 record which they will take with them when they face UMass. The three Fairfield losses have been to strong opponents Boston College 59-56, Providence 84-54, and St. Joseph's College 89-67. Top Stags include 6'6 senior Mark Frazer, the captain, and 6'2 sophomore George Groom. The coach of Fairfield is Fred Barakat, in his first year.

THE OTHER SEVEN TEAMS IN THE HALL OF FAME TOURNEY: Colgate University, Long Island University, Springfield College (which UMass defeated last year 82-76, and one which the Redmen play on Feb. 16), St. Michael's College, Valparaiso University and American International College (which UMass has already beaten this season, 93-40, on Dec. 18).

BOSTON UNIVERSITY: Here is a team the Redmen really outpointed last winter, 103-68, at the Cage. BU's record is presently 1-3 as it has really missed the play of graduates Jim Hayes and Marty Schoepfer. All of the Terrier returnees are non-double-figure scorers, they being Bob McNamara, Rich Taylor and Tom Taylor. BU has a couple of fine sophs in Jim Garvin, a 6’7 guy who averaged 20 rebounds as a freshman, and Vic Gathers, a 5'10 guard. Boston U. was expected to get off to a slow start, but its talent should push it towards improvement over the second half. The Terriers will be tough on their home floor. BU is coached by Charles Luce, in his fifth year.

PROVIDENCE COLLEGE: Here's the big game, against the team that may hold the number one ranking in New England when the Redmen arrive at Alumni Hall to face these potent Friars. Still the number one basketball name in N.E., PC hit bad times for a couple of years, but the Friars appear to be back to their old form, one that saw them consistently win over 20 games a year and receive invitations to post-season tournaments. Back from last campaign's 14-11 PC unit are these names, Jim Larranaga, Ray Johnson, Vic Collucci, Don Lewis and Gary Wilkins. Each of these five averaged in double figures a year ago, with Larranaga’s 16.3 leading the pack. Add to these veterans a group of promising sophomores up from a 21-3 frosh squad. They are Ernie DiGregorio, Fran Costello, Nehru King and Charlie Crawford. Currently PC's mark is 5-1. DiGregorio is currently the top Friar scorer with a 16.8 average. Providence is coached by Dave Gavitt, in his second year.

To say the least, these four or five games represent an important segment of the season for the 7-0 Redmen as they look to repeat last year's rise to the top of the N.E. college basketball circle. Out of all the games though, that Providence tilt should be really something.

Recap

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Redmen Are Best In Hall Of Fame, Upping Mark To 10-0
UMass Nabs Holiday Tourney
By John Sullivan, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian Sports Editor, 1/27/1971 (first publication after winter break)

SPRINGFIELD - While UMass basketball opponents Providence College and Holy Cross were competing in the ECAC Holiday Festival Tournament in New York City's Madison Square Garden with the likes of South Carolina, Western Kentucky, St. John's and Manhattan, the Redman hoopsters found themselves in the eight-team field of the First Annual Basketball Hall of Fame Holiday Festival Tournament in the Springfield College Memorial Field House with the likes of Long Island University, Valpariso, and St. Michael's.

UMass entered the tourney with a 7-0 slate and exited in 10-0 style, copping the crown after defeating Fairfield University 95-82 on Dec. 28, St. Michael's College 94-59 in a semi-final game on Dec. 29, and Colgate University 79-67 in the championship game on Dec. 30.

The Redmen were the favorited throughout the three-day affair; in fact the tournament was moulded around UMass and its superb junior forward Julius Erving. Neither did the team nor Erving let anyone down, as the 6'6 Redman co-captain swept most valuable player honors.

UMass picked up two spots on the all-tournament squad. One went to Erving, the other to his co-captain counterpart, senior Ken Mathias, who played very strongly.

The Jack Leaman-coached contingent did not play the kind of basketball in the Hall of Fame tourney as it is capable of playing, but the Redmen did put forth a solid-enough effort to win the thing.

Three men were scoring standouts for UMass at Springfield, as Erving's tourney average was 30.7, Mathias' average was 17.7, and junior guard John Betancourt tallied an average of 13 points for the three tilts. Juniors Mike Pagliara and Rich Vogeley owned 8.7 tourney scoring marks, while Chris Coffin, another junior, chipped in at 4.7.

Rebounding was a two-man affair for the Redman cause with Erving averaging a high 25.3 and Mathias a solid 12.3. Both Erving's scoring and rebounding marks were holiday highs among all the players in the tournament fold.

UMass' margin of winning was an evan 20 points, as the Redmen outscored Fairfield, St. Mike's and Colgate at an average of 89.3 to 69.3. From the floor, the Redmen's shooting percentage was 45.1 for the three days as compared to their opponents' 33.4. From the foul line UMass was 65.1, but its opponents were slightly worse at 63.5.

Outside of Erving and Mathias, who earned the two positions on the all-tourney team, LIU's 6'8 junior Walter Jones was a selectee as were Colgate seniors Nick Scaccia and Don Ward. Not a single guard won an all-tourney berth. Scaccia and Ward, at 6'6 and 6'4, are both forwards, as are 6'7 Mathias and Erving.

The following is a game-by-game wrap-up of the Hall of Fame tournament:

Mass. Daily Collegian photo

DEC. 28 – UMASS vs. FAIRFIELD: Although UMass went on to win this game 95-82, there was much doubt right before the contest that the final spread would be 13 points or even that the Redmen would win.

The reason for that doubt was an ailing Erving. It was learned just prior to gametime that the junior was being hampered by a pesky flu bug, and it showed when he took warmups with the team. He just went through the motions and looked very sluggish in doing so. Erving even took to the bench while his teammates were still warming up. His being below-par physically appeared to affect the entire squad, as the entire pregame drills were run in listless fashion.

But the Redmen had enough of something to jump out of an early 7-0 lead in the first two and a half minutes. They would never lose the lead for the remainder of the contest. With about nine minutes to go to the half UMass was comfortably in front, 23-10.

By halftime the score favored the Redmen, 43-26. Erving's play didn't suffer a great deal, as his stats at intermission were 11 points and 14 rebounds. For UMass, Mathias and Betancourt had 11 and ten first half points respectively.

In the second half Erving played even better, although the Stags of Fairfield were able to make a run at the Redmen very late in the game. Seven minutes into the half UMass was on top of a 20-point, 59-39, lead and could afford to coast.

Over the next eight minutes the Redmen had only lost three points of that lead and had a Stag by the horns, 81-64, with just over five minutes to play. At this point Fairfield made its move, slicing the lead to eight points, 84-76, in a matter of two minutes time.

However, UMass responded by outscoring the Stags 11-6 the rest of the way for the final 95-82 count.

The game was marred by too many quick whistles; 54 personal fould were called. The Redman record climed to 8-0; Fairfield's dropped to 1-4.

In other first round games, St. Mike's defeated Springfield, 92-72, to move into the semis against UMass. Colgate nipped American International College 88-86, setting itself up for a semi-final match against LIU, which swept by Valparaiso, 73-52.

Box Score

John Betancourt looks for an option downcourt. Mass Daily Collegian photo.
UMASSFGMFTMPts
Erving10828
Betancourt7519
Pagliara2610
Coffin215
Mathias7317
Austin000
Vogeley5616
TOTALS332995
FAIRFIELDFGMFTMPts
Brown339
Frazer4311
Groom7115
Kelly6416
Romano2913
Bowen4210
Barnes124
Duffy204
O'Donnell000
Foley000
TOTALS292482
game19701228_fairfield.txt · Last modified: 2021/01/02 14:47 by mikeuma