The 2024-25 season for the Massachusetts women’s basketball team seemed to be over after a loss to Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10 tournament, but a Women’s National Invitation Tournament bid prolonged the season. In the opening round of the competition, Yahmani McKayle registered a triple-double, just the third ever in the team’s history.
UMass (17-14, 11-7 A-10) drew Stonehill in the first round of the 48-team competition. After a tight start to the matchup, McKayle took over in each and every facet of the game. She finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a performance that has been cemented in the record books forever. McKayle is the first freshman in program history to be in double-digits in all three of the aforementioned categories.
“I thought from jump, and even the last couple of practices, [McKayle’s] done a great job in transition continuing to become a better and better player,” head coach Mike Leflar said. “Her decision making tonight was really really great, having a feel and controlling the tempo and controlling the pace, it helps us obviously get the lead and get people easy baskets. I’m really proud of that.”
McKayle joins Sam Breen and Jennifer Butler as the only Minutewomen to hit the milestone. Breen, one of the best players in school history, posted 11 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists on Dec. 31, 2022 against St. Bonaventure. Butler hit the mark over two decades prior in extremely rare fashion. She scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but her third category was steals. Butler nabbed 10 steals in the very first game of the 2000 season, a 64-48 win against Charlotte. All three instances happened inside the Mullins Center.
“I think that just shows how much this program leaves legacies,” McKayle said. “To be up there with [Breen and Butler], hopefully, that would mean everything to me. UMass became a home to me and is a home to me, and the fact that I did it here is what I’m most proud of.”
McKayle wreaked havoc against the Skyhawks (17-16, 12-5 Northeast) all night long. It was not one of her best shooting nights, as she shot 2-for-9 from 3-point range, but she managed to do a little of everything. The most improbable aspect is a player of her size getting on the end of 10 rebounds. At 5-foot-6, McKayle averages 2.8 rebounds per game, so grabbing 10 was out of the ordinary. UMass’ domination on the boards gave her ample opportunities, as the team outrebounded Stonehill 62-20 for the game.
Assists is where McKayle is most comfortable, leading the team with 107 total assists, which is 13 more than any of her teammates. Despite this, the victory over the Skyhawks was her first time hitting 10 assists in a game. Her previous career-high was eight, a mark she reached in two consecutive February contests near the end of the regular season.
“As for the triple-double as a freshman, really, honestly well deserved,” Leflar said. “Because I know how much she cares, how much work she puts in. She’s a baller, and I was really excited for her to get it done [Thursday].”
Triple-doubles are no average feat in women’s college basketball. Not only is this just the third time it has happened in UMass’ history, but it has also only allowed three of its kind. Two of those came during a two-week span in 2022. Saint Louis’ Julia Martinez and Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles both hit the requirements against the Minutewomen in March 2022. The first triple-double UMass ever conceded was to Merrimack’s Denia Davis-Stewart in Nov. 2019, who blocked 12 shots en route to the achievement.
The Minutewomen advanced to the second round of the WNIT with the commanding win. They will visit Buffalo on Sunday, March 23. The Bulls are 25-7 and will be a formidable opponent. The winner of the contest scheduled for 2 p.m. will advance to play the winner of Southern Indiana versus Campbell.
Cameron Pellegrino can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @cam_pellegrino.
