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Minutemen complete task
By Ron Chimelis, The Springfield Union-News, 12/23/1999

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico — If a team has to play a game like this, it might as well win it and win it big.

That's what the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team accomplished yesterday, rolling to a 102-65 victory over American University of Puerto Rico at the Guerra Sports Complex. From the standpoint of power rankings, the game meant nothing because American (0-7) is not an NCAA member, and not until today's final Puerto Rico Holiday Classic game against Boston College will UMass (6-4) know whether any other value came out of it.

"If we can come out of here with two wins, it will make us feel a lot better going into the Atlantic 10 schedule, and that's coming up soon," said UMass guard Shannon Crooks, who scored a career-high 17 points against what was unquestionably the weakest opponent UMass will face this year.

Monty Mack had 21 points in only 15 minutes, Chris Kirkland scored 14, and Jonathan DePina dished out a career-high nine assists as UMass shot 59.4 percent against the outclassed tournament host.

Today, UMass meets Boston College (7-3) for fifth place at 1:30. Hopes of finishing higher were dashed with Tuesday's 65-63 loss to Southern Illinois, an uninspired performance that caused the Minutemen to look at yesterday's scrimmage-like matchup as a matter of pride, if not serious competition.

The victory is officially credited to the UMass record, but not its power rankings. The Southern Illinois loss left a sagging feeling that makes it easy to forget the Minutemen have won five of their last seven.

"We didn't have to run too much of our offensive stuff out there today, but everybody was serious after the Southern Illinois game," Crooks said. "It was a game we should have won. In this game, at least, the turnovers came on hustle plays."

The outcome was settled almost immediately, with UMass leading 37-16 after 14:30 and 49-29 at halftime. The lead grew to 42 (78-36)), and coach Bruiser Flint used his reserves liberally — the only reason the Minutemen didn't score more than they did in their last 100-point game, a 103-53 blowout of Duquense in 1995.

Now comes Boston College in a rematch of the Dec. 4 Commonwealth Classic that UMass won 74-67. This time, though, the commonwealth is Puerto Rico, not Massachusetts.

Boston College lost to Tulsa in the tournament opener, then edged Illinois-Chicago 67-62 yesterday.

"We're supposed to win a game like today, and by the score we did," Flint said after watching his team reach 100 for the first time in his four-year career. "But I'll take a win like this any time. It might make the kids feel better about themselves because in every game we play, we seem to have to give a top effort or we'll lose."

The effort was there against American, which has allowed 204 points in two Holiday Classic games. Flint is wary of BC, which beat Michigan 89-71 Sunday before coming to this tournament.

"The last thing I wanted was to have to play those guys again, unless it was in the championship game," he said. "(Boston College guard) Troy Bell said before our game that he hoped to see us Thursday. I know they feel they should have beaten us last time, and they're a better team now."

Boston College coach Al Skinner put a different spin on the rematch. "I think they probably feel pretty comfortable about playing us again, because they beat us pretty bad last time," said Skinner, perhaps forgetting that a late BC rally had the Eagles within two points in the final 30 seconds of the first meeting. "We have to raise our game, or the result will be the same."


Walk-ons get moment in main event
UMass notebook
By Ron Chimelis, The Springfield Union-News, 12/23/1999

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico — This game was a walk-on's dream, and Springfield's Darryl Denson took full advantage.

"Coach (Bruiser Flint) always says I have to be ready," the University of Massachusetts men's basketball guard from Central High School said after yesterday's 102-65 Puerto Rico Holiday Classic win over American University of Puerto Rico at the Guerra Sports Complex. Denson played eight minutes, twice as many as he had played in his UMass career, which began last season.

"My real job is not only to get better myself, but to help our other guys get better (in practice)," said Denson, a junior who shot 2 for 5 with five points, which gives him nine for his career. He also had two rebounds and an assist, but his most memorable statistic was probably his two blocked shots, tying Kit Rhymer for yesterday's team lead.

"Darryl played pretty well, and he's just a great kid," said Flint, who inserted Denson into a game for the first time this year. Denson's previous one-minute stint this season came against Boston University, a game Flint sat out as self-imposed punishment for using profanity on his radio show, and assistant Geoff Arnold coached.

The other walk-on guard from Central scored his first UMass points. Senior Dwayne Early, a first-year player, scored two points on free throws in three minutes. Also scoring his first UMass points was JoVann Johnson, a scholarship guard who had five.

HIM AGAIN:

Boston College freshman guard Troy Bell lit up UMass for 29 points in the teams' Dec. 4 meeting, a 74-67 Minutemen victory. He also committed 10 turnovers, but BC seemed to be cutting down its turnovers until this tournament, where the Eagles have made 51 in two games.

UMass guard Shannon Crooks predicts a spirited game. "They're not going to want to go down as the team that lost twice to UMass in one season," Crooks said.

Bell should be ready after playing only 48 minutes in BC's first two Puerto Rico games.

He sat out much of Tuesday's 80-66 loss to Tulsa, when the Eagles never seriously threatened for the lead. Yesterday, the 6-foot-1 freshman picked up two fouls in the first 10 minutes, but still led BC with 17 points in 25 minutes of a 67-62 win over Illinois-Chicago.

Kenny Walls (14), Jonathan Beerbohm (13) and Xavier Singletary (11) were also in double figures for the Eagles.

STAT STUFF:

After missing 15 of his first 19 free throws this season, Crooks has made 12 of his last 15, including all five yesterday . . . With 11 points, freshman center Micah Brand tied his career high, set against Detroit . . . Forward Mike Babul snapped out of a shooting slump with 3-for-3 accuracy - two dunks and a jumper . . . Monty Mack's 21 points gave the guard with 1,180 in his career. He passed Rafer Giles (1,163), and should eclipse Carmelo Travieso (1,186) and John Murphy (1,184) today, leaving him 19th all-time at UMass.

FRIENDLY VISITOR:

Former UMass guard Edgar Padilla has visited with his former team this week. Padilla, who left a pro team in Argentina after the club underwent a coaching change, in planning to play in the Puerto Rican winter league that begins next month.

LITTLE MEANING:

The last time UMass played a team in a game that didn't count toward the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) was Flint's first game. That was a 59-48 win over Division II Chaminade, the host school for the 1996 Maui Invitational. Only games against recognized NCAA Division I teams count toward the RPI.


Rout gives UMass shot at familiar foe
By Mike Shalin, The Boston Herald, 12/23/1999

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico - UMass coach Bruiser Flint met Boston College freshman Troy Bell as the Eagles left the court yesterday and Flint's Minutemen arrived.

``Troy Bell told me, `Hope to see you tomorrow,' '' Flint said after his Minutemen dumped host American University of Puerto Rico, 102-65, to set up today's rematch with Boston College in the fifth-place game of the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic. The Eagles defeated Illinois-Chicago, 67-62, yesterday.

``Without question I think it's going to be very emotional,'' Flint said. ``It's their chance to get back at us and show the first time (Dec. 4) was a fluke. You know they're looking forward to this one. If I was them I'd be feeling good about ourselves.''

Flint wishes, however, the circumstances were different.

``The last thing I wanted to do here was play those guys unless it was for the championship,'' he said, noting BC has improved since UMass posted a 74-67 win at Conte Forum. ``They've had some good wins, they beat Michigan, played a decent game against Tulsa . . . and I know they probably thought they should have gotten us at their place, but we came back.

``The one thing is I'm glad we're not playing in Boston again. My (Boston-area) guys come out and go a little berserk (there).''

Bell scored a career-high 29 points against UMass, but also had 10 turnovers, three upper-body scratches and a rumpled jersey. Shannon Crooks did most of the honors.

``(Bell) thought Shannon was beating him up and then he came here and said, `Wow,' they're not calling anything in these games.

``If I was Troy and had 29 in the first game, I'd be feeling good about playing against us again.''

Flint laughed when he heard BC counterpart (and UMass grad) Al Skinner said UMass (6-4) is playing more consistent basketball than BC (7-3).

``They have a better record than us,'' Flint said.

Monty Mack scored 21, Shannon Crooks had a career-high 17 and Jonathan DePina added nine assists as the Minutemen cruised past the Div. 2 Pirates (0-7).

Mack was 5-of-6 from 3-point range. UMass took control early and breezed to a 49-29 lead. With 13:07 to play, the Minutemen were ahead, 76-36. The largest spread was 92-47 with 5:22 left.

``We both expected to win our first games,'' said Crooks. ``Pretty much, we both came out sleeping in our first game and ended up losing. We're both better teams than that and we end up meeting again. We both want to win, so it's going to be a good matchup.''

Crooks said BC players wished UMass luck as the Eagles left the floor Tuesday.

``That was sportsmanlike,'' he said. ``They're going to be coming at us and we just have to go out there in the same manner.''

UMass had a better effort yesterday, but it was against a terrible team.

``We're supposed to win this game,'' said Flint, who ripped his team publicly after Tuesday's loss to Southern Illinois.


UMass gets easy win, 102-65
By Matt Vautour, The Daily Hampshire Gazette Staff Writer, 12/23/1999

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico - Against winless Division 2 American University of Puerto Rico, anything less than a 30-point blowout win would have looked like a failure for the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team. But the Minutemen left no doubts, as they routed the Pirates 102-65 Wednesday in their second game of the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

It was UMass' first time breaking triple digits since Jan. 24, 1995 against Duquesne.

"We were supposed to win this game by the score we won it by," said UMass coach Bruiser Flint.

The Minutemen will face Boston College in the tournament's fifth-place game at 1:30 p.m. today.

After a disappointing loss to Southern Illinois Tuesday, UMass appeared to be all business despite the low caliber of its opponent.

"Everybody was serious from last night until the game," said sophomore guard Shannon Crooks. "Tuesday we lost a game we should have won. We were disappointed in ourselves. Everybody was about business today. Everybody was ready to get on the right track.

"We had a meeting last night," Crooks continued. "Everybody spoke straight from their heart about what we need to do and how we need to focus. We got a lot out of it."

Every player on the UMass roster got into the game, and with the exception of senior center Anthony Oates, everybody scored. Monty Mack led UMass with 21 points despite playing only 15 minutes. He passed Rafer Giles to continue his climb up the Minuteman career scoring ladder. He now has 1,180 in his career, good for 21st place.

Crooks added a career-high 17, while Chris Kirkland (14) and Micah Brand (11) were also in double figures.

Junior point guard Jonathan DePina had a career-high nine assists along with seven points.

"I thought we played well," Crooks said. "We didn't have to think too hard out there. We just played naturally. We had some turnovers, but they came from trying to be aggressive."

UMass outrebounded the smaller Pirates, 37-28, and forced them into 26 turnovers.

On the strength of several runs, UMass pulled ahead by double figures just over six minutes into the game and built that lead to 49-29 at the half. The Minutemen extended their advantage to as much as 45 points before the Pirates tightened the score when UMass played its reserves.

Flint emptied his bench early, inserting junior Darryl Denson with 8:25 left. The guard from Springfield had career highs in points (five), rebounds (two), and blocked shots (two). Fellow walk-on Dwayne Early hit two free throws for his first collegiate points.

"I just work hard and try to be focused," Denson said. "Coach always says to be ready, because you never know when you're going to get in."

Despite the fact that the host team was playing, few fans showed up to watch. The listed attendance was 500, but only around 100 people actually were on hand. Fan attendance has been low for all the games.


Looking forward to a rematch
By Matt Vautour, The Daily Hampshire Gazette Staff Writer, 12/23/1999

BAYAMON, Puerto Rico - As the two teams passed in the hallway after Boston College's 67-62 win over Illinois-Chicago, and before the University of Massachusetts' 102-65 win over American University of Puerto Rico, BC guard Troy Bell had a message for UMass coach Bruiser Flint.

"Hope to see you tomorrow," the freshman said after leading the Eagles with 17 points.

He'll get his wish. The teams will meet this afternoon in a rematch of the Commonwealth Classic, appropriately in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Since falling to the Minutemen, 74-67, on Dec. 4 at the Conte Forum, the Eagles had won three straight, including an 89-71 win over Michigan Saturday before coming to the island.

The 23 turnovers on an off-night by Bell plagued BC in its first game in Puerto Rico, as it fell, 80-66, to Tulsa. The Eagles led by nine early in the second half Wednesday but had to hang on to beat UIC. They got away with the turnovers this time - they won despite throwing the ball away 28 times.

Boston College coach and former UMass player Al Skinner is looking forward to the rematch with the Minutemen.

"It's an opportunity to play them again. We knew it was a possibility," he said. "I think they feel pretty comfortable against us because they beat us pretty good. We have to raise our level of play. If we can improve, we'll give them a better game. It's going to be whichever team can implement their game plan. I think they're playing more consistently than we are. They know how they want to play, they just have to execute."

When Flint saw the Eagles in the tournament field, he hoped the rematch wouldn't occur.

"The last thing I wanted to do was play those guys unless it was for the championship," Flint said. "They've had some good wins. They beat Michigan, and they probably feel that they should have got us at their place. They had us but we came back. I'm glad we're not playing in Boston again, because some of our Boston guys get a little crazy when they go home."

Flint said the Minutemen need to defend Bell better.

"If I were him, I'd look forward to playing us," Flint said. "He had 29 against us last time. We have to do a better job on him."

UMass sophomore guard Shannon Crooks expects the Eagles to be gunning for redemption.

"It's going to be a tough game. We won the first time at their home and those guys are going to be looking for revenge," Crooks said. "We can't underestimate them because we beat them the first time. We're from the same area and they don't want to have two losses to UMass in the same season. It's going to be a real competitive game. They're going to be coming at us, and we have to come at them in the same manner."

UMass (6-4) has won the last six meetings between the two schools, and leads the all-time series, 17-15. BC's last win was an 82-70 victory in the Colonial Classic at the Boston Garden in January of 1979.

UMass hasn't lost to a team from Massachusetts since Dec. 9, 1989, when the Minutemen fell to Northeastern, 79-73.


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Massachusetts Minutemen 102
American Univ.-Puerto Rico Pirates  65
Puerto Rico Holiday Classic, Second Round
at Bayamon PR

MASSACHUSETTS (102)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Kirkland        20   6-6   2-3   3-6  2  1   14
Blizzard        24   1-4   3-4   0-1  1  1    5
Rhymer          14   3-4   1-2   3-8  0  1    7
Mack            15  7-11   2-2   0-4  3  1   21
Depina          31   3-5   1-2   2-3  9  1    7
Oates           14   0-1   0-0   0-1  0  1    0
Johnson         16   2-7   0-1   0-1  0  1    5
Denson           8   2-5   0-1   0-2  1  2    5
Smith            1   1-1   0-0   0-1  0  0    2
Babul           14   3-3   0-0   0-0  1  1    6
Early            3   0-0   2-4   1-1  0  0    2
Crooks          23  5-11   5-5   0-2  3  2   17
Brand           17   5-6   1-2   2-5  0  2   11
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         200 38-64 17-26 11-35 20 14  102
_______________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.594, FT-.654. 3-Point Goals:
9-16, .563 (Blizzard 0-2, Mack 5-6, Depina 0-1,
Johnson 1-1, Denson 1-3, Crooks 2-3). Team
rebounds: 4. Blocked shots: 6 (Rhymer 2, Denson
2, Johnson, Crooks). Turnovers: 18 (Kirkland 4,
Denson 3, Johnson 3, Depina 2, Oates 2, Rhymer 2,
Brand, Early). Steals: 12 (Blizzard 3, Johnson 3,
Kirkland 2, Mack 2, Crooks, Depina).

AU PUERTO RICO (65)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Hernandez       34 10-19   1-1   3-4  1  4   21
Rivera          25   2-4   1-1   2-2  0  1    5
A Rodriguez     28   1-4   1-2   0-5  2  4    3
Jo Rodriguez    23  6-10   0-0   0-2  0  1   14
Je Rodriguez    26   2-6   0-0   1-4  0  2    5
Colon           17   3-5   0-2   0-1  1  3    6
Asencio         17   1-2   0-0   0-0  2  1    2
Rios             6   1-3   0-0   0-1  0  3    2
Ortiz            6   2-2   1-1   0-0  1  0    5
Sierra          18   1-5   0-0   0-5  0  1    2
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         200 29-60   4-7  6-24  7 20   65
_______________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.483, FT-.571. 3-Point Goals:
3-12, .250 (Jo Rodriguez 2-4, Je Rodriguez 1-4,
Colon 0-1, Rios 0-1, Sierra 0-2). Team rebounds:
2. Blocked shots: 2 (Rivera, Je Rodriguez).
Turnovers: 26 (Colon 6, Hernandez 5, Sierra 5, A
Rodriguez 2, Je Rodriguez 2, Jo Rodriguez 2, Rios
2, Asencio, Rivera). Steals: 5 (Asencio 2, Colon,
Je Rodriguez, Rivera).
__________________________________
Massachusetts      49   53  -  102
Au Puerto Rico     29   36  -   65
__________________________________
Technical fouls: None.  A: 500. Officials: .

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