When the Massachusetts men’s basketball team lost to Patriot League kin Holy Cross on Dec. 4, that sometimes-dire feeling of reality began its slither toward the collective mind of UMass hoop nation.
For the first time, Steve Lappas didn’t win. It was quite shocking.
He found a way to beat Oregon, 62-58, at the Springfield Civic Center back on Nov. 27. And he pulled out a 69-62 victory just four days later at North Carolina State, deep in college basketball’s triangle of supremacy.
But fall to the Crusaders, inside the Mullins Center? That thought wasn’t orbiting the wits of anyone around here.
After news of the Minutemen’s win in Raleigh, N.C. hit the Valley, Lappas could have easily prevailed in any Western Mass. mayoral election.
But after the 67-56 lapse versus Holy Cross, everything didn’t seem as certain.
Three of UMass’ next four halves of basketball affirmed that caution. Barring their wild second half comeback against Boston College that fell just two points short, the Minutemen forced us to deal with the reality of roller coaster shooting percentages. Scoring only 21 points in the first half against BC and following with 57 in the second stanza, the Maroon and White began its uncomfortable ride of unpredictability.
In its 69-59 loss to UConn four days later, UMass shot 23-of-70 from the floor, including a horrid 1-of-18 from behind the 3-point line.
The Minutemen won its next two games over meager Central Conn. State and Maine squads, but still didn’t show any signs of returning to the type of team they were back in late November and early December.
Marshall, St. Joseph’s, Ohio State, Fordham and Richmond were all quick to exploit that, topping the Minutemen by a combined 66 points in a five-game stretch. In the St. Joseph’s game, the Hawks went 1-for-15 from 3-point land, managed 16 turnovers and still beat UMass by 25 points in a record setting 63-38 final. The losing output was the Minutemen’s worst ever in Mullins Center history.
Before the five straight losses, UMass still had a probable shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Some people say it’s not fair to look ahead, but really. What else is this about? Year in and year out, it’s all about finding a way into the field of the never-apt 64.
And the way things started out for the Minutemen, predicting a tourney bid started to look like a respectable hypothesis. But as several teams prove every season, UMass isn’t all it was made out to be. Here’s why.
– Lappas is a rookie in Amherst. Only two of his players (Kyle Wilson, Brennan Martin) are his recruits. It’s tough implementing a new system with players that weren’t handpicked to be a part of it.
– The perimeter consists one only one senior, Shannon Crooks. Wilson, Anthony Anderson, and Raheim Lamb are all in their Division I hoop premier, and in a game now dominated by guards, they must be near perfect almost every night to thrive at this level.
– A clutch shooter has yet to evolve. Wilson is the most likely
candidate and has shown many signs of becoming that guy, but he’s still a 18-year-old freshman and his confidence level still isn’t where it needs to be to become a go-to-guy down the stretch. The new offense entails that a shooter be present. And Anderson and Crooks can’t be asked to each connect on three treys a game. Their game is better from inside the arc.
– Kitwana Rhymer and Micah Brand have disappeared. In the first four games, the two big guys dominated. Lappas could depend on Rhymer for game-changing defense and Brand always seemed ready to contribute in the clutch. But things are different now. Rhymer’s knee still might be hurting from his injury in mid-December, but an excuse can’t be found for Brand. His numbers aren’t horrible, but he is yet to build on his success in the early goings.
All of this isn’t saying that UMass doesn’t have a chance to make a run come Atlantic 10 tourney time and sneak its way into the post season. Because the Minutemen have shown that it can play some pretty good ball. In its 63-53 streak-breaking win over Temple on Jan. 19, UMass connected 11 times from behind the arc and controlled things for the entire 40 minutes.
But remember, after that loss the Owls were a mere 6-10.
It’s the phrase fans hate to hear, but it’s true. The Minutemen are rebuilding. If they make something happen in the conference, then it’s an added bonus. Right now, it’s a step-by-step, deal with bumps in the road process. And they are headed in the right direction. The kids Lappas is bringing in next year can play. Plus, Anderson, Wilson and Lamb will all be a year older.
So, if you can wait. Then wait, it’ll be worth it. But if you can’t, don’t give up all your hope. After starting last season 2-9, UMass somehow found its way to the A-10 finals.
And that was with Bruiser at the helm.
