• Season: 1932
• Date: Saturday, January 9, 1932
• Opponent: Amherst
• Start Time: ?
• Site: Physical Education Building / "The Cage"
• Special Event: Season opener and first game in the Cage

• Result: Mass. State College 17, Amherst 12

Remember, We're Hosts
The Massachusetts Collegian, January 7, 1932

When the 1932 varsity basketball season opens Saturday evening in the new cage, the student body of Massachusetts State College will be the host to large and varied groups of guests. The largest group of our guests will be composed of Amherst College men who, undoubtedly, will be quite as excited as State students after the start of the game. Remember the Amherst team and the officials of the game are our guests also and not merely incumbents upon the Maroon Key. There will also be a number of friends of the college who aided quite materially in the construction of the new State gym, folks who have had little or no previous direct contact with this college and, of course, will be viewing the encounter with a critical eye, especially from the standpoint of student attitude.

We do not want you to be hypocritical, just keep sane and be real sports. Remember that our guests are capable of clever performances and commend them accordingly. Remember that the referees pronounce the final judgement in spite of the high esteem in which most of us harbor our own ability as a judge of basketball procedure.

Have enthusiasm – plenty of it – but remember!

M.S.C. Student Activities tickets will be accepted for admission to basketball games at the North Side entrance to the Cage only. A cement walk leads from the street past the Women's Pool entrance to this Cage entrance.

Please do not present your student ticket for admission at other entrances.

Curry S. Hicks

State Quintet Trounces Amherst 17-12 in Opener
First Game in New Building Brings Maroon and White Town Championship
The Massachusetts Collegian, January 7, 1932

Photo as appeared in The Collegian, Feb. 3 1932

Performing before one of the quietest crowds ever assembled at any basketball contest in the past few years, the Massachusetts State College basketball team christened the new floor and dedicated the cage when it managed to turn aside the mild attack of a mediocre quintet from the other end of town, the score registering 17-12 when the whistle announced the end of the game. Strategic cunning in handling the ball gave to Fletcher, State's center, the unquestioned status of being the outstanding man in the game, while Bush's bounding energy propelled him hither and yon thus making his play very spectacular. For the opposition, Gregg and George Reynolds proved to be the mainsprings in the Amherst attack while the defense of the entire team showed itself to be quite spotty.

In the first half, the State basketeers, urged forward by the half-hearted yells power to a 11-2 lead at the close of the first period. Each team had the attitude of not taking the other very seriously, although the Massachusetts score does not corroborate this statement. At any rate Fletcher thrilled the spectators with two smooth follow-ins made possible by long, flexible arms, while Bush, Houran and Lojko contributed two points each. Captain DePasqua of the Purple, snared his teams only score in this period when he stood just short of the middle of the floor and swished the net with a fine, arching shot.

The ten minutes following the beginning of the second half saw the complete domination of the Amherst basketeers over the State Pilgrims who vainly attempted to stem the tide which threatened to engulf the State quintet. In these few minutes, Gregg, Reynolds, Van Nostrand and Merchant ran up ten points between them to give their club a one-point lead. Then Fletcher entered the contest replacing Fawcett at center and proceeded to swing the count to the opposite side for he dropped two baskets from the floor through the rim to add to Bush's tally and to complete the score.

Editorial Points
The Massachusetts Collegian, January 7, 1932

To pat you on the back – we appreciated your conduct last Saturday night. Don't be hypocritical. There are more games coming so keep up the good sportsmanship.

Referee: Feldman, Umpire: Roberts, Time: 20-minute periods.