As the Massachusetts men’s basketball team nears the end of the first month of Atlantic 10 play, it seems to have found an offensive rhythm that it lacked during the non-conference schedule.
This offensive success has been orchestrated by a handful of players who have stepped up their game in recent weeks. Of those players, Jaylen Curry is one who has taken a major step forward in his sophomore year, as he transitioned into the point guard role in the starting five.
Curry has scored in double figures in back-to-back games and has been a driving factor in UMass’ (9-11, 4-3 A-10) offensive flow in recent weeks. UMass secured its third straight A-10 victory on the back of his consistent scoring.
“Just really working on my game,” Curry said. “Early morning, early night … just building my confidence back up, especially coming from the struggle and the slumps that I had the last four or five games. I just want to build my confidence back up and just keep playing how I’m playing.”
Against George Washington, Curry netted 19 points on 7-for-15 shooting, which was tied for the team high. However, his most impactful moments came in the first half, where he scored 15 of his total tally.
After a slow start for UMass, Curry was the spark of the offense as he scored the first bucket of the night for the Minutemen and continued to run the table in the first half.
The sophomore engineered a 6-0 run by himself that started with a made turnaround jumper. After a series of missed shots by both teams, Curry stepped back for a contested 3-point shot. As the ball went in, Curry was fouled by the Revolutionaries (13-6, 2-4 A-10), which led to a successful four-point play.
From there, the Minutemen played with a new level of intensity that concluded with a Curry two-point shot as the halftime buzzer sounded. Although he was held to only four points in the second half, Curry dished out five assists during that stretch and was still an integral part of the UMass offense.
In the Minutemen’s last game against La Salle, the sophomore was the leading scorer with 22 points paired with seven assists and zero turnovers.
The last two games against George Washington and the Explorers have been solidified as top performances by Curry. Among all improvements the sophomore has made this season, Curry has recently showcased his decision making skills as one of his top qualities.
When he has the ball, it is more than likely that the play will lead to points for the Minutemen rather than a negative play. Whether it’s taking the contested shot or finding an open teammate, Curry’s vision and quick thinking skills on the court are what sets him apart from other players.
“There’s a big difference [between] being a guy that shoots the ball in high school to being a college point guard,” head coach Frank Martin said. “[Curry’s] starting to comprehend and he’s defending and he’s active and he’s running our offense. He’s getting guys where they belong and then he’s a good player. So now what happens is because he’s doing those things, he feels better, so now the ball is starting to go in for him.”
As his role has expanded in his second year for UMass, it has shown the most in the assists category. The sophomore averages 4.2 assists a game and has 83 total so far this season as he leads the team in both statistics.
On the A-10 side of things, Curry is ranked sixth in assists and second in assist/turnover ratio at 3.0.
Curry’s ability to get to the hoop and generate scoring plays makes him a very versatile player on the court and a tough player to guard for anyone in the conference. When the sophomore finds his flow, he has proven to make huge impacts for the Minutemen and the team’s overall success.
With a week-long rest ahead of UMass’ matchup against Rhode Island, Curry keeping up this momentum will be crucial as the Minutemen look to keep building on their current win streak.
Samantha Sands can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @samantha_sands_.