The Massachusetts women’s basketball team snapped its two-game winning streak with a 75-70 loss against Holy Cross. UMass (2-3) did not make a 3-pointer during a game for the first time since March 19, 2021.
“We got to knock one of them down, [0-of-7] is certainly not good enough,” head coach Mike Leflar said. “Our game plan is always to get the ball inside early and play a little bit inside-out, but there needs to be balanced scoring.”
On the flip side, the Crusaders (3-2) shot lights out from beyond the arc, sporting a hefty 44 percent success rate. Three separate shooters connected on at least half of the 3-pointers that they attempted.
To compensate for the poor shooting performance, the Minutewomen pounded the ball inside, scoring a season-high 44 points in the paint. Leflar’s offensive attack was well-balanced, as four different UMass players scored double-digit points. Megan Olbrys led the team in scoring for the second consecutive contest, finishing with 14 points and eight rebounds.
Stefanie Kulesza claimed the first double-double of the season for the Minutewomen. The senior did most of her work in the opening two quarters, amassing 10 points and six rebounds. While Kulesza did not make a field goal in the second half, she converted all four of her free throws and grew her rebound total to 10.
“I think [Kulesza] has shown some bounce back the last week or so at practice, so I’m really excited to see her trending in a great direction,” Leflar said. “Feeling good about her game individually but also feeling good about what this team can be. I was excited to see her get double-digit rebounds and I think that was really telling for her, get some post-ups, get to the free throw line, all important things for her.”
Aleah Sorrentino set a new UMass career-high with an 11-point performance. Sorrentino knocked down a few important shots to keep her team in the game. She was one of only two Minutewomen to post a positive plus-minus.
While only playing 13 minutes, Lilly Ferguson finished with a team-high 10 plus-minus, leaving a positive impact on the game whenever she touched the floor. Ferguson hustled to scoop up a loose ball with under one minute to play in the first quarter, enacted an elegant euro step and rolled in the ensuing layup.
“I think [Ferguson] is comfortable with the role or the position she is playing this year, which is nice,” Leflar said. “She gives max effort every day … On a night like tonight, [Ferguson] did a nice job in her minutes and I was really proud of her minutes. Thought she made some really nice hustle plays and made a difference when she was in there.”
In its effort to work the ball inside, UMass continuously drew fouls and earned trips to the charity stripe. The Minutewomen attempted 27 free throws but were only able to convert on 20 of them, good for 74 percent. Kulesza and Allie Palmieri led the team with six made free throws each. Palmieri’s makes were especially needed, as the normally consistent 3-point shooter went 0-of-4 from deep.
“I want us to be aggressive individually, I said that pregame,” Leflar said. “It led to free throws and I think it also led to us not sharing it enough. But if we can get to the line that many times, obviously I don’t anticipate going [scoreless] from three, there’s some good signs.”
Outside of the long-range shooting discrepancy, Holy Cross made its mark in transition, as the Crusaders scored nearly one-third (23) of their points on the run. Holy Cross pushed the ball down the floor with a high tempo all night, leading to many easy buckets when UMass did not find its defensive shape in time.
The Minutewomen will close out their five-game homestand with a second straight Patriot League opponent in the 5-1 Army Black Knights. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m.
“[Army] is going to be hard-nosed,” Leflar said. “They’re enough like Holy Cross that it excites me, it should excite the team. Because let’s get right back at it and see if we can improve and see what we’re made of.”
Cameron Pellegrino can be reached at [email protected].
