• Season: 1995-96
• Date: Friday, November 17, 1995
• Opponent: Converse All-Stars
• Start Time: 7:00 PM ET
• Site: Mullins Center
• Special Event: Exhibition
• Television: none
• Radio: ?

• Result: Converse All-Stars 94, UMass (#7) 89
• Attendance: ?

Kellogg comes home with rival Brunson
By Justin C. Smith, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian Staff, November 17, 1995

Tonight's exhibition match-up between the Massachusetts men's basketball team and the Converse All-Stars will feature some familiar faces for the fans. They spent four years cheering one, and four years jeering the other.

UMass alum Derek Kellogg spent his entire college career as a guard for the Minutemen. Kellogg was a part of all four Atlantic 10 Championship teams and was named to three straight A-10 All-Academic teams.

Rick Brunson, a Salem native and three-year starter at Temple, will be in the back court for the Converse squad.

Kellogg and Brunson had spent their entire college careers as arch-rivals, both point guards in the volatile Temple-Massachusetts rivalry.

This will be the No. 7 ranked Minutemen's second and final tune up for the regular season, which will begin Nov. 28 at the Palace of Auburn Hills when they take on pre-season No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats in the Great Eight Tournament.

UMass' first exhibition game was a 105-75 thrashing of the Russian based Dinamo team Nov. 7. The winning margin wasn't indicative of the way the Minutemen played in the contest since UMass uncharacteristically made an abundance of turnovers.

Bright spots for the Minutemen included the play of Carmelo Travieso who reigned in 18 points as he shot 7-for-15 from the field including four from three-point land.

Marcus Camby scored a team high 24 points against Dinamo and Dana Dingle contributed 17 to the UMass cause.

UM falls to Converse All-Stars
By Justin C. Smith, The Massachusetts Daily Collegian Staff, November 20, 1995

The reason they play exhibition games is so that this doesn't happen during the regular season.

The Massachusetts men's basketball team committed 20 turnovers in its second sloppy outing so far this season. The first team the Minutemen encountered was not of high quality and UMass won on pure talent, as opposed to playing as a well-oiled machine.

The final score was 94-89 in favor of the Converse All-Stars, but in some aspects it wasn't even that close.

“We've got a ways to go,” said UMass coach John Calipari. “We built this program on an aggressive way of playing basketball. We only did that for the last six to seven minutes.”

UMass trailed by as many as 13 at some points in the contest, the last being with 5:19 left on the final field goal for Converse, as the Minutemen fouled the All-Stars for the duration of the game.

Once again, it was center Marcus Camby who led the way for UMass with 31 points and 14 rebounds. The only other Minutemen to reach double figures in points were Dana Dingle and Tyrone Weeks, who contributed 10 apiece.

“Tyrone and Inus Norville gave us what they could,” Calipari added. “But we are a long way from home.

“They say we're a top 10 team. I've coached top 10 teams and we could be a top 10 team,” Calipari said. “But guys on the team have to fill roles and do what they have to do.”

On this night they were far from the No. 7 ranking that has been bestowed upon them in the polls, shooting an atrocious 34 percent from the field and an equally bad 3-for-8 from the free throw line.

One of the bright spots appeared to be the play of freshman Charlton Clarke. Clarke was able to play 22 minutes despite his recent knee injury.

“My knee feels alright,” Clarke said. “It's not 100 percent yet, though.

“I was so-so for my first game. I got really hyped up. I can play much better. I made a lot of freshman errors. Cal said I would only play 15 minutes but I got a lot of opportunities. My knee wasn't bothering me so it wasn't on my mind.”

In the extended playing time, the freshman collected seven points and dished out two assists while collecting five fouls. His aggressiveness on the court was a positive but at times it caused him problems as well.

“A lot of people will say that Charlton was aggressive and that it's good,” Calipari said. “But he only shot 2-for-11 from the field and made some mistakes on defense.”

The Minutemen were better shooting from the field in the second half at 55 percent, a lot of which came on Camby dunks. He brought the crowd to its feet early in the second half with a jam that seemed to start from the third row of seats on the right wing.

Although the junior had a good game statistically, he realizes that his team is in some trouble if they do not pick up their play.

“We were the same team as last week,” Camby said. “A lot of guys didn't show up including myself.”

One of Camby's inside partners, Norville, also had a good game, hitting three of four shots while grabbing three offensive boards. Senior co-captain Donta Bright also was solid on the glass, grabbing nine boards.

The game also marked the return of former Minutemen Derek Kellogg, who hit three trifectas and finished with 13 points.

UMass had lost just once in the William D. Mullins Center prior to Friday night's preseason tilt. The other defeat was to George Washington this past Valentine's Day.

The next time the Minutemen take the court it will be the real thing, as they will tangle with No. 1 ranked Kentucky at the Great Eight shootout on Nov. 28 in the Palace of Auburn Hills.