• Season: 2023-24
• Date: Thursday, March 14, 2024
• Opponent: VCU
• Start Time: 2:00 PM ET
• Site: Barclays Center, Brooklyn NY
• Special Event: Atlantic 10 Tournament, Quarterfinal. Seeds: UMass 4, VCU 5
• Television: USA
• Stream: USA, NBC Sports app
• Radio: WEEI (105.5 FM), WCRN (830 AM), WMUA (91.1 FM)
• Spread: UMass +1.5¹⁾
• UM injury report: All players dressed

• Result: VCU 73, UMass 59
• Attendance: 6817 (afternoon double-header)

• Game notes: UM
• Daily Hampshire Gazette: Minutemen to meet VCU, (seeking) first Atlantic 10 semifinal berth since 2013
• Mass. Daily Collegian: UMass men’s hoops to face VCU in A-10 quarterfinals
• Berkshire Eagle: UMass ready to face VCU in the Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinals

See the UMassHoops.com Message Board thread for pre-game and post-game discussion.

Massachusetts Comeback Falls Short In Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals
From UMass Athletics, 3/14/2024

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Massachusetts (20-11, 11-7 Atlantic 10) dropped a 73-59 decision to VCU (21-12, 11-7 A-10) at the Barclays Center on Thursday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The loss caps what otherwise was a season of tremendous growth for the program, as the Minutemen secured their first 20-win season since 2013-14 and first top-four seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship since 2007-08.

The fourth-seeded Minutemen put together a furious second-half comeback to cut what was once a 17-point lead to a two-possession game on a Rahsool Diggins three at the 4:24 mark but could not get any closer as the fifth-seeded Rams pulled away at the finish.

Diggins had a game-high 21 points on 7-for-16 shooting (4-for-10 on threes), while Josh Cohen added 14 points. Matt Cross finished with seven points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds for UMass.

The Rams were led by Zeb Jackson, who scored 17 points. VCU shot 50% from the field and was 23-for-30 from the free throw line.

Breaking Down The Action

• On the game's first possession, Jayden Ndjigue pulled down an offensive board and went back up for the first points of the day.
• In his first post touch, Cohen converted a three-point play to put UMass up 5-0 at 18:02.
• After VCU went on a 7-0 run, Matt Cross hit a corner three at 14:23 to regain the UMass lead.
• Cohen scored a tough step-through layup at the 8:17 mark to bring UMass within four.
• Cross gave the Minutemen some momentum with an emphatic putback dunk with 7:45 left in the first half.
• Ndjigue scored his second basket of the afternoon off an assist from Cross at 6:48.
• After checking in for the first time, Marqui Worthy attacked the rim for his first points at 2:40.
• In a foul-heavy first half, UMass was 10-for-14 from the line and went into halftime trailing 42-25.
• In the Minutemen's first possession of the second half, Ndjigue grabbed two offensive rebounds which led to a Rahsool Diggins three.
• Diggins scored the next five points to bring UMass within 12 at 16:06.
• Ndjigue continued to make plays when needed most, as the freshman hit a corner three at 14:46.
• A Diggins fast-break layup at 14:10 cut the VCU lead to 11 and forced a Rams timeout.
• A Cohen layup at 12:52 got UMass within single digits to cap a 7-0 run.
• Diggins cut the lead to 52-44 with a reverse layup in transition at 10:46.
• Diggins continued with the hot hand, sinking his third three in the second half to make it 54-47.
• After VCU went on a 7-2 run, Keon Thompson hit a corner three to get UMass back within ten.
• Diggins added another three to make it a two-possession game at 4:24.

New Kids On The Block

• Cohen led the newcomers with 14 points, going 3-of-5 from the field and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Cohen also added six rebounds and a team-high two steals.
• Ndjigue finished out his freshman season with another all-around performance, grabbing seven rebounds to go along with eight points and a pair of blocks in 29 minutes.
• Guards Jaylen Curry and Marqui Worthy both came off the bench and scored crucial baskets for UMass.

Numbers To Know

• 4: Rahsool Diggins knocked down four three-pointers for the third consecutive game.
• 5: Matt Cross dished out a team-high five assists.
• 8: Cross also finished with a game-high eight rebounds.
• 21: Diggins had a game-high 21 points, 20 of which came in the second half.
• 24: Josh Cohen finished the contest with 14 points for his 24th game in double figures.

Year Two Under Coach Martin

• Massachusetts Head Coach, Frank Martin now holds a 35-27 record leading the Minutemen.
• Martin now sits with a 323-228 collegiate career record.

Series History: The Minutemen now hold an 4-10 record against the Rams dropping the 14th matchup between the two programs.

Bamisile, Jackson propel Rams past UMass, into A-10 Semis
From VCU Athletics, 3/14/2024

The short story: Senior guard Joe Bamisile scored a team-high 18 points and VCU held UMass scoreless the final 4:24 to fend off a Minuteman rally and advance to the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Semifinals Thursday at Barclays Center.

OPENING TIP

• Bamisile connected on 4-of-6 from 3-point range and finished 6-of-9 from the field overall
• VCU senior guard Zeb Jackson registered 17 points, four rebounds and five assists. Fellow senior guard Max Shulga dished out a team-high seven assists
• Freshman forward Michael Belle and sophomore forward Tobi Lawal each added seven points and six rebounds on 3-of-4 shooting for the Black and Gold
• UMass was led by Rashool Diggins who had 21 points

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU shot 50 percent (22-of-44) from the field and 23-of-30 from the free throw line. The Rams held the Minutemen to just 35 percent (19-of-54) shooting from the floor and 29 percent (7-of-24) from deep
• VCU led 20-16 with 7:45 left in the first half before going on a 18-5 run capped off by a Lawal dunk. The Rams took a 42-25 lead into the break. The Rams held the Minutemen to 7-of-28 shooting in the first half, including 1-of-9 from three
• UMass was 14-of-19 from the free throw line
• VCU had a 15-7 advantage in points off turnovers, efficiently capitalizing on just nine Minutemen turnovers
• The Rams had their lead cut to 65-59 with 4:24 left in the game before clamping down on defense. VCU ended the game on an 8-0 scoring run sparked by a Bamisile layup to end the game
• UMass outscored VCU 19-8 to begin the second half behind Diggins' scoring outburst to cut the Ram's lead to 54-47 with 9:46 remaining
• UMass would only get as close as six points for the remainder of the game

NOTABLE

• VCU advanced to the Atlantic 10 Semifinals for the second consecutive season
• The Rams will be playing in the A-10 Semifinals for the eighth time in 11 chances since they joined the league prior to the 2012-13 season
• VCU improved to 20-8 all-time in A-10 Tournament play with Thursday's win

NEXT UP: Fifth-seeded VCU will face ninth-seed Saint Joseph's at 1 p.m. on Saturday on CBS Sports Network. The Rams and Hawks have met once this season, a 73-69 VCU victory Feb. 25 at the Siegel Center.

Other recaps:

• Associated Press: Bamisile Scores 18 Off The Bench, VCU Defeats UMass 73-59 in A10 Quarterfinals
• DHG: First-half hole too big to overcome as Minutemen end season with 73-59 loss to VCU in Atlantic 10 quarterfinals
• DHG: Second half rally against VCU a microcosm of the season as Minutemen never threw in the towel
• MDC: UMass falls to VCU in A-10 quarterfinals
• MDC: Diggins’ 21-point performance not enough in UMass’ loss to VCU
• BE: Fourth-seeded UMass men fall to No. 5 VCU in Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinal
• Richmond Times Dispatch: VCU hoops rides early momentum to season-defining win over UMass, advances to A-10 semifinal

Notes about UM's stats:

• 59 points was the lowest on the season (previous average 78.1 per game)
• .352 FG%, 2nd lowest (prev avg .454)
• 18 pts in the paint, lowest (prev avg 37.9)
• Cohen 5 FGAs, fewest in last 6 weeks (half his avg)
• 26 total rebounds, lowest
• 15 defensive rebs, lowest

• Photo gallery
• Post-game pressers: VCU, UM
• Highlight pack from A10
• UM video clips: Diggins for 3, Diggins Euro-step
• VCU video clips: Kuany finishes the break, Jackson alone for 3, Bamisile 3, Jackson breakaway, Third-chance points, Fermin and-one, Bamisile breakaway
• WMUA Sports episode recapping the game

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