The Massachusetts men’s basketball team missed the presence of two of its main contributors in a 73-59 loss to St. Bonaventure on Saturday. Despite a late-game comeback attempt, UMass (11-15, 6-7 Atlantic 10) couldn’t surmount a large second-half deficit.
Jaylen Curry (wrist) and Jayden Ndjigue (illness) both didn’t play in Saturday’s contest for the Minutemen. The two starters’ presences were missed throughout both halves, as the team missed Curry’s shot creation on the offensive end and Ndjigue’s tenacity on both sides of the ball.
Curry’s 12.8 points per game and team-high 96 assists could’ve really helped UMass against the Bonnies (17-9, 6-8 A-10). Without him, the team struggled to generate and make open shots and finished with just 59 points.
With multiple major minute-getters out, Rahsool Diggins was even more of a focal point for St. Bonaventure, who made every shot of his a tough one. The Minutemen’s leading scorer finished with 13 points on the day, shooting 5-of-16 from the field.
“We had too many turnovers without [Curry] on the court,” head coach Frank Martin said. “And so now you make [Diggins] more of your primary ball handler, [and] he becomes easier to guard, because now people can put two on the ball right away.”
UMass turned to Tarique Foster and Marqui Worthy to take on bigger roles on Saturday, as both started and played 37 and 27 minutes, respectively. Despite some inconsistencies throughout, the pair combined for 25 points in what was the first collegiate start for both.
Foster’s large role against the Bonnies came somewhat out of nowhere, after averaging just 6.8 minutes per game heading into Saturday. His 14-point performance was both a team-high on the day and his career-high, and he added on a career-high three steals.
“When you show up and you compete every day, which [Foster] does … Eventually, they’re going to call your number,” Martin said. “I’m really happy that, rather than sulk and pout, he embraced this opportunity. What he did [Saturday] builds confidence in me that I can throw him out there.”
Through the first 10 minutes of the day, the teams battled back and forth with five lead changes. The Minutemen struggled to keep up through the end of the first half however, heading into the break down by 13.
From then on, UMass couldn’t gain much ground, with St. Bonaventure’s lead eventually ballooning up to 20 points. The visitors consistently got open looks on the offensive end and capitalized while playing stifling defense on the other side.
Diggins wasn’t the only Minuteman who struggled to hit shots on a consistent basis, as the team finished just 18-of-51 (35.3 percent) from the floor and 3-of-17 (17.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Bonnies also had success in the paint throughout the contest. St. Bonaventure finished with 37 rebounds compared to just 31 for UMass and had 42 points in the paint, 14 more than the Minutemen.
With other players battling the same illness as Ndjigue and some even throwing up on the sideline during the game, UMass struggled to play to its full potential. Even with the odds stacked against them though, the team never counted themselves out.
“Sometimes we create the adversity, and sometimes adversity falls in our lap,” Martin said. “Regardless, you’ve got to stand up and own it and figure out a way to manage it; to make a positive out of the whole environment.”
The Minutemen battled down the stretch, shrinking a once 20-point lead down to just 10. A strong defensive stretch combined with some missed opportunities by the Bonnies led to hope for UMass and its fans, who eventually just ran out of time for a comeback.
Looking ahead, the Minutemen will try to get healthy and back on track for a mini-road trip over the next week. Their next opportunity for redemption comes against VCU on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Tipoff from the Siegel Center is set for 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
“Guys that figure out a way to play, I respect,” Martin said. “But being sick doesn’t mean we should revert to bad habits. If we don’t have the energy to go block a shot, or get a hard rebound, or the legs to make a shot because we’ve been in bed for three days, I get it. But to play selfishly offensively, not compete defensively … We can’t go backwards.”
Mike Maynard can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter/X @mikecmaynard.
