The Massachusetts men’s basketball team’s shooting woes have been apparent in its last three games, all of which ended in losses. Against George Washington on Saturday night, nothing changed, and a combination of poor shooting and defensive mistakes led to a 74-52 loss.
The Minutemen (11-17, 6-9 Atlantic 10) shot 33.9 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from three against the Revolutionaries (18-10, 7-8 A-10). This is the fourth straight time UMass shot under 40 percent as low offensive production has become a theme over the last two weeks for head coach Frank Martin’s squad.
“Our spirit to play and compete was a lot better today than it was going into the last game but we can’t go [8-of-29] from the field in the first half and expect to win games against anybody, let alone in league play,” Martin said. “…And then eventually our spirit just broke and our defense just let us down.”
The 52 points is the second-lowest point total by the Minutemen this season, and it comes just days after their worst offensive showing against VCU this past Wednesday.
At tipoff, this game did not seem like it was going to turn out the way it did. With a fast-paced start, it was an evenly matched battle between both teams as they traded baskets.
The first three-point attempt for UMass by Rahsool Diggins sank through the net, which helped the team hold a four-point lead at the 12-minute mark of the first half. However, a quick score by Dayan Nessah for George Washington opened the floodgates for a major momentum shift in the Revolutionaries’ favor.
George Washington pulled out a 19-4 run that spanned over eight minutes to put them up 29-18 with only a few minutes left until halftime. During this run, the Revolutionaries made seven shots, including four three-pointers. Christian Jones netted two of those three-pointers on back-to-back plays.
While George Washington excelled, the Minutemen stalled out. UMass had eight missed shots from the field during the run with its only points coming from a Marqui Worthy two-point jumper and Malek Abdelgowad at the free throw line.
This run set the Minutemen behind by double-digits, but they closed the gap slightly to only be down eight at the half. However, the offensive success of the Revolutionaries carried over as George Washington began the second half on a 14-4 run.
With still no signs of a revamped UMass offense and defensive struggles, the Revolutionaries sealed the game and left the Minutemen in the dust.
Despite its shooting struggles, three UMass players notched double-digit scoring games. Diggins, Daniel Hankins-Sanford and Worthy all netted 12 points. Hankins-Sanford added a team-high 11 rebounds to grab his sixth double-double of the season.
Besides those three, no other Minuteman scored more than four points. Daniel Rivera went 0-of-5 from the field and scored just one point in a season-low 17 minutes played.
UMass was without point guard Jaylen Curry for its third straight game, and with the sophomore missing from the lineup, it has resulted in a steep decline in the team’s scoring and offensive efficiency.
“[Point guard is] the one spot on the floor we are the thinnest at from a depth standpoint, but it is what it is, that’s part of life,” Martin said on Curry’s absence. “Right now we’re down our point guard but we got other guys who care, that are trying.”
On the other side of the court, George Washington also had three players score in double figures. Jones led his team with 17 points, Rafael Castro scored 13 and picked up 11 boards and Trey Autry netted 12.
The Minutemen now hold the 12th seed in the A-10 standings. Looking ahead, UMass will return to Amherst to host Rhode Island on Saturday, March 1 with tipoff set for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
“Our feelings are hurt right now,” Martin said. “Us having a week off here between games, getting away from each other, I think will be a good thing for our team right now because we got guys that care and our feelings are hurt because two weeks ago, we were in a real good spot and here we are on a four-game losing streak. You can’t get in your feelings and when you get in your feelings, nothing good happens.”
Samantha Sands can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @samantha_sands_.
