2025-26 Season

[m626t]

Looks like they need a disclaimer printed on their tix, to warn epileptics.

[MikeUMA]

With tonight's loss, we've slipped to 6-7 and into sole possession of 7th place. Buffalo is a half-game back at 5-7. They're off this weekend.

We still have work to do to clinch a spot for Cleveland.

Our remaining schedule and the opponent's current MAC record:
2/17, H, Miami (12-0)
2/21, H, Buffalo (5-7). This one could be important in who qualifies for Cleveland.
2/24, A, Ball State (3-8). Ball already beat us once.
2/28, A, Bowling Green (6-6), also potentially important.
3/3, H, Ohio (7-6), also important.

Work to do.

[Juice Stand]

Standings update after the Saturday games have been played:

We remain in 7th place. We are 1 game back of the 3-way-tie 4th place teams: Bowling Green, Ohio, Toledo. We get rematches with BG and Ohio, and own the Toledo tiebreaker. Below the cut line is 9th place Central Michigan. We're 1.5 up on them with the tiebreaker in hand, and then it's a 2-2.5 game lead on the rest.

The Miami game is huge because of the opponent and excitement of a ranked undefeated team, but it's also big for jumping up in the standings. Win that and we have a shot at 4th or 5th.

[69MG]

I hope we can beat Miami, but let's assume that doesn't happen. We are now 6-8 and have to go 3-1 in our last 4 to get to 9-9. We might be able to sneak in at 8-10, but the real goal is to finish 6th or better.

Why? Because there is Akron and Miami, and there is everyone else. You don't want to face either of them in the first round. Get a win under your belt and face one of them in the second round on a neutral court.

We play Buffalo and Ohio at home and we play Ball State and BGU on the road. 3-1 is doable, but it won't be easy. Let's just beat Miami and go from there.

[doubledribble]

I hope we can beat Miami, but let's assume that doesn't happen. We are now 6-8 and have to go 3-1 in our last 4 to get to 9-9. We might be able to sneak in at 8-10, but the real goal is to finish 6th or better.

Why? Because there is Akron and Miami, and there is everyone else. You don't want to face either of them in the first round. Get a win under your belt and face one of them in the second round on a neutral court.

We play Buffalo and Ohio at home and we play Ball State and BGU on the road. 3-1 is doable, but it won't be easy. Let's just beat Miami and go from there.

Sounds good to me! We almost beat them on their home court

[Juice Stand]

...the real goal is to finish 6th or better.

Why? Because there is Akron and Miami, and there is everyone else. You don't want to face either of them in the first round...

I'll add Kent St to this. Like I said above, we're only one game back of 4/5th place. If we can finish strong and grab the 4/5 spot, we can avoid Kent St in the 1st round as well. Delrecco Gillespie is one of the two or three best players in the conference, and what I remember from that early game against them is that he was every bit as advertised (18 pt, 20reb), and they had another wide body down there that kept Leo off his game (Rob Whaley, 6'7", 289 lbs). I've noticed that Leo's offensive struggles don't necessarily come against more talented players, it happens against bigger, stronger, heavier players that he can't move around and is forced to shoot from a step or two farther away. And that's what Kent St is able to do.

[69MG]

I agree, 4th or 5th would be ideal but that would take some luck in having other games fall right for us. We might be able to beat Kent if our outside shooting is OK. Banks was 1/10 in that game (1/5 from 3) and DHS was 5/18. Leo fouled out and DHS was playing with 4 fouls. I think we are a better team now than we were back then, although we had just come off wins over BC and FSU.

[MikeUMA]

Tuesday night MACtion is complete, and UM remains in 7th place in the standings.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... _/group/14

Important game this weekend as UM (6-8) hosts 8th place Buffalo (5-8). Buffalo is 1 game ahead of DNQ territory, with CMU and NIU tied for 9th at 4-9.

I think it's fair to say that no one wants to be the 8 and have to play Miami again. Akron is still right on Miami's heels, but the two are done in direct matchups this season.

On a separate note, UM coaches and broadcasters have kept saying how close we've been in some of these games. Yeah, we've had some close losses, but we've also had very narrow wins. Of our 6 MAC wins, they've only been by a total of 23 / average of 3.8 points.

[Juice Stand]

Tuesday night MACtion is complete, and UM remains in 7th place in the standings.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... _/group/14

Important game this weekend as UM (6-8) hosts 8th place Buffalo (5-8). Buffalo is 1 game ahead of DNQ territory, with CMU and NIU tied for 9th at 4-9.

Yeah, I'll be there and I'll be rooting like crazy for them to win and improve their place in the standings, but I need to find a way to tune Frank out. Matt McCall lost a lot of basketball games, but Frank loses a lot of games and has managed to also suck the joy out of the experience. It's hard not to pay attention to a toddler having a meltdown, but I need to find a way to do it and just enjoy the game. Thank you for coming to my therapy session.

[eldonabe]

Tuesday night MACtion is complete, and UM remains in 7th place in the standings.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... _/group/14

Important game this weekend as UM (6-8) hosts 8th place Buffalo (5-8). Buffalo is 1 game ahead of DNQ territory, with CMU and NIU tied for 9th at 4-9.

Yeah, I'll be there and I'll be rooting like crazy for them to win and improve their place in the standings, but I need to find a way to tune Frank out. Matt McCall lost a lot of basketball games, but Frank loses a lot of games and has managed to also suck the joy out of the experience. It's hard not to pay attention to a toddler having a meltdown, but I need to find a way to do it and just enjoy the game. Thank you for coming to my therapy session.

Frank has acted like that his entire career.

I cannot remember where I saw it but it was when he was at K-State. There was a story written about him and the title of it was "Frank Martin is a Maniac". When he was hired, I was a little surprised how few people here knew (or at least acknowledged) the guy was crazy. He can get away with that stuff when he is winning, but it is generally embarrassing - especially when when you reel off one shitty year after another.



I was unable to listen to the post game show, can anyone summarize? Who did Frank blame this one on (besides himself of course)?

[Uminuteman]

I didn't hear it, but I will guess that is was someone else's fault that they lost.

[Juice Stand]

...He can get away with that stuff when he is winning, but it is generally embarrassing - especially when when you reel off one shitty year after another.

I was unable to listen to the post game show, can anyone summarize? Who did Frank blame this one on (besides himself of course)?

That's just it. He hasn't shown that he can win here at UMass. I was totally on board for the "tough love", and at first the antics were amusing, but it's clearly just verbal abuse and lack of accountability from him that has become unbearable. Add to the fact that it's usually in an empty arena and you can hear every word of him airing players out, and when coupled with the losing it's unacceptable.

Post game show? He did not blame himself one iota. Took no responsibility, as is his MO. Travis Steele coached circles around him tonight*. Frenier asked him about Placide, who had a career game, and instead of saying how proud he was of the way he prepares and how he capitalized on his opportunity, he just said that he doesn't defend. He also stated generally how the whole team stinks and doesn't defend. Isn't he the head coach tasked with teaching this stuff? Is none of this his fault year after year? This is someone that preaches accountability and "being a man's man", but he whines and complains like a toddler and blames everyone but himself.

Ok, I'm done ranting about Frank.....at least for today.

*I had a chance to chat with Steele pregame and he was really nice. I'm rooting for his team to go undefeated the rest of the way...until the MAC tournament and see if we can be a 2-bid league.

[eldonabe]

...He can get away with that stuff when he is winning, but it is generally embarrassing - especially when when you reel off one shitty year after another.

I was unable to listen to the post game show, can anyone summarize? Who did Frank blame this one on (besides himself of course)?

That's just it. He hasn't shown that he can win here at UMass. I was totally on board for the "tough love", and at first the antics were amusing, but it's clearly just verbal abuse and lack of accountability from him that has become unbearable. Add to the fact that it's usually in an empty arena and you can hear every word of him airing players out, and when coupled with the losing it's unacceptable.

Post game show? He did not blame himself one iota. Took no responsibility, as is his MO. Travis Steele coached circles around him tonight*. Frenier asked him about Placide, who had a career game, and instead of saying how proud he was of the way he prepares and how he capitalized on his opportunity, he just said that he doesn't defend. He also stated generally how the whole team stinks and doesn't defend. Isn't he the head coach tasked with teaching this stuff? Is none of this his fault year after year? This is someone that preaches accountability and "being a man's man", but he whines and complains like a toddler and blames everyone but himself.

Ok, I'm done ranting about Frank.....at least for today.

*I had a chance to chat with Steele pregame and he was really nice. I'm rooting for his team to go undefeated the rest of the way...until the MAC tournament and see if we can be a 2-bid league.

That all sounds about right. I too hope Miami runs the table. It's a great story for them and the conference. If they get dinged in the tourney, I hope it is not until the final otherwise they will get phucked in seeding in an at large position with that dreaded 13 or 14 seed. If they can get all the way to the conference final, they will probably get a 10 or 11.

[MikeUMA]

Tuesday night MACtion is complete, and UM remains in 7th place in the standings.
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... _/group/14

Speaking of standings, the MAC made an image of what the tourney bracket would look like if the season had ended last night.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ae235Dy4N/

[Juice Stand]

...If they get dinged in the tourney, I hope it is not until the final otherwise they will get phucked in seeding in an at large position with that dreaded 13 or 14 seed. If they can get all the way to the conference final, they will probably get a 10 or 11.

FWIW, Bart Torvik has them estimated as an 11.2 seed with a 35% chance of making it, and Akron as an 11.8 seed with a 39% chance of making it. The MAC is not the A10, but this is an exciting conference season with some real intrigue heading into Cleveland. I just wish we were part of that conversation...