Brian Tedder, CollegianNEW YORK – In addition to losing in the finals of the National Invitation Tournament, the Massachusetts men’s basketball team could also lose its coach. Rumors of UMass coach Travis Ford moving on to the same position at Louisiana State have intensified as the Minutemen made their NIT run.
But immediately after his team’s loss to Ohio State, Ford categorically denied any and all rumors about his future.
“We made great strides in UMass basketball this year and I’m looking forward to coaching them,” Ford said of his players. “I’ve heard everything that you guys have been hearing, and it’s been interesting. It makes me question things – I haven’t talked to anybody.”
Ford also acknowledged that the thought of upgrading jobs has not yet crossed his mind.
“I haven’t even thought about it,” Ford said. “But no one has called at this point.”
The coach also didn’t believe that the discussion of his personal future affected his team’s performance, based on the Minutemen’s first-half performance.
“No way – we were up five at halftime,” he said.
Building on success
Ford hopes that the Minutemen’s success this season will translate into more fan support next year.
“I hope that the fans are excited and that they will come out and support this basketball team next season,” Ford said. “We really appreciate having all of the fans here at the [Madison Square] Garden.”
Ford knows the extra exposure will create pressure to maintain the success of 2007-08 without the three seniors the team will lose to graduation.
“We need to build on this, but it’s not going to be easy,” Ford said. “We have some great players leaving with some with some great players returning.”
Free-throw shooting
In major college basketball games, free-throw shooting can be the difference between winning and losing. Though the Minutemen shot 67 percent collectively this season from the line, UMass had made more foul shots (582) than Ohio State attempted (470) coming into the game.
During the first half, the Maroon and White connected on all six of its attempts. In the second, the Minutemen made 3-of-5, shooting 81 percent overall.
However, no missed free throw was costlier than senior forward Gary Forbes’ failed conversion on the front end of a one-and-one with 1:30 remaining. Though Etienne Brower rebounded the missed shot, the Minutemen failed to score on the possession, and, more significantly, could not cut into OSU’s seven-point lead.
Battle on the glass
UMass has not won too many games this season strictly from its rebounding. Though Ohio State ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten in rebounding differential, it was unclear if the Minutemen could outrebound a team that plays in a much more physical league.
UMass outrebounded the Buckeyes 49-37, but 30 of those rebounds came on the offensive glass. Though, that discrepancy helped mask the Minutemen’s poor shooting performance of 35 percent.
In the first half, it appeared that UMass was going to ride its physical play inside to its first NIT Championship. But Kosta Koufos took control of the frontcourt for the Buckeyes during the final 20 minutes.
Once Milligan left the game with 12 minutes left after collecting his fourth foul, the Buckeyes further asserted itself in the front court and gradually improved the rebounding differential.
In rare territory
Despite the loss to Ohio State, UMass finished its season with a 25-11 record, registering its highest win total since the 1995-96 season – when the Minutemen made it all the way to the NCAA Final Four.
UMass has accomplished a 25-win season five times dating back to the team’s inception back in 1899.
Live and die
All season the 3-point shot has been the staple of the Minutemen. If they hit them, they usually win. Against Ohio State, only Ricky Harris hit them when they mattered most, and UMass fell in large part because of it.
Brower hit three 3-pointers, but two of them came after OSU had essentially sealed it.
Other than Harris’s 7-of-13 performance, the Minutemen went 5-of-20 from beyond the arc. Forbes missed all but one of his eight tries.
Meanwhile, OSU hit more than half (10) of its 19 attempts. Evan Turner was a perfect 3-of-3; he hadn’t made a 3-pointer since Feb. 29 – a span of nine games. Jamar Butler also made three, and four others hit one.
Michael King and Eli Rosenswaike can be reached at [email protected].
