The Massachusetts men’s basketball team struggled to compete with VCU in an 80-51 loss. This is the lowest scoring output for the Minutemen (11-16, 5-8 Atlantic 10) this season, as they continue to struggle with a hobbled roster. This emphatic victory for the Rams (21-5, 11-2 A-10) brings their record to 13-0 at home this season.
“Credit to VCU, they’re playing like a good team does at this time of year,” head coach Frank Martin said. “We had zero answers for [their] discipline, competitiveness, preparation, just completely outclassed in every possible way.”
VCU gained significant separation in the first half with a hot shooting streak. With just under 14 minutes until halftime, UMass trailed by a point when Max Shulga took over for the Rams. The fifth-year senior showed his skills as one of the premier shooters in the A-10 by hitting three straight triples.
That nine-point outburst eclipsed the 1,500-point mark for Shulga’s collegiate career and sparked his teammates to get involved on the offensive end themselves. Christian Fermin dominated in the paint, scoring six straight points down low with a pair of dunks and a putback bucket.
Phillip Russell tacked on another shot from beyond the arc to put the VCU lead at 17 points. Malek Abdelgowad ended his opposition’s run with a fastbreak layup after a steal by Jayden Ndjigue. The Rams’ momentum couldn’t be stopped though, as they went on an 18-6 run in the final six minutes of the half to go up 46-22.
Ndjigue re-entered the starting lineup for the Minutemen after missing the previous game against St. Bonaventure due to illness. The sophomore guard struggled shooting-wise, but still showed off the defensive identity he’s built a reputation for.
The same could not be said for the rest of UMass, as many players looked lethargic defensively and were a step behind VCU at every turn. This same lack of energy was present on the offensive end as well, with the Minutemen shooting just 20-of-62 from the field and 0-of-10 from three-point range. This is the first time UMass hasn’t gotten a three-pointer to fall in a contest since Dec. 17, 2022 against North Texas.
One source of outside shooting that was absent for the Minutemen in this game was Jaylen Curry. Curry has shot over 36 percent from deep since conference play began and has missed the last two games for UMass due to a wrist injury. Marqui Worthy made his second straight start in lieu of Curry’s presence and shot 3-of-10 from the field while missing his only three-point attempt.
“There’s [got to] be a certain desire to compete, that doesn’t get replaced by a player, that is a mindset,” Martin said. “Obviously, I did a really bad job of getting my guys ready to play today.”
Rahsool Diggins has been another consistent source beyond the arc for the Minutemen, also shooting over 36 percent from outside since conference play started. In the last two games, the senior guard has shot a combined 2-of-16 from three while battling illness himself.
Without the typical offensive forces leading UMass, Daniel Rivera took control of the offense. The junior forward scored a team-high 15 points, including a poster-worthy slam that resulted in a technical foul as Rivera stared down the defender he had just dunked over.
The Rams were led by a trio of double-digit scorers in Shulga, Joe Bamisile and Jack Clark. Shulga and Clark were potent from deep range in this game, combining to shoot 10-of-12 on threes.
Bamisile dominated the Minutemen on the interior with his athleticism and skillful finishing, going 6-of-8 from inside. This was more of an unexpected way for the fifth-year senior guard to dominate, as he leads VCU in three-point attempts per game (6.2).
In contrast to their offensive output, the Rams made a statement on the defensive end by recording a season-high 10 blocks. Luke Bamgboye had seven swats to lead the team, a career-high for the 6-foot-10 freshman forward.
Overall, this game was dominated on both ends by VCU and is surely one UMass will quickly try to forget.
The Minutemen will look to snap a three-game losing streak against George Washington on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m. That game will be available to watch on ESPN+. In their previous matchup on Jan. 22, UMass won 74-61 over the Revolutionaries.
Tym Brown can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @tym_brown1.
