After the Massachusetts basketball team lost in the first round of its final Atlantic 10 Tournament, eight players (at time of writing) entered the transfer portal. This group combined to make up approximately 53 percent of UMass’ scoring in 2024-25. Here’s a look at who the Minutemen will be losing as they transition to the Mid-American Conference next year.
Jaylen Curry | Guard
Potentially the biggest offseason need for UMass will be a new starting point guard. Curry started all 29 games that he played in for the Minutemen in his second season in Amherst and was the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.3 points per game.
Missing a few games due to injury throughout the season, it was evident how much UMass relied on the Charlotte native’s ability on both ends of the floor. The sophomore played 30.4 minutes per game and led the team in assists per game (3.9), three-point percentage (34.6) and steals per game (1.2).
After making the A-10 All-Rookie Team as a freshman, Curry continued his development and became a huge piece for the Minutemen in 2024-25. Facilitating the offense for UMass, Curry showed out in four different 20+ point performances.
Marqui Worthy | Guard
When Curry did miss a few games, Worthy was the next man up, getting three starts this season in 31 games played. The sophomore served as the sixth man for the Minutemen throughout the rest of the year, playing 18.2 minutes per game in his second season at UMass.
Worthy averaged 5.8 points per game, scoring in double figures in seven games, including an 18-point performance in a win over Dayton. He struggled to stay consistent throughout the season but provided a spark off the bench on multiple occasions.
Malek Abdelgowad | Forward/Center
After stints at South Plains Community College and Murray State, Abdelgowad spent his senior season with the Minutemen starting in 21 of 27 appearances. The Cairo, Egypt native played 13.8 minutes per game for UMass as part of a rotation of big-man options.
Abdelgowad began his year with a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double, but only reached double figures in either stat three more times each. The senior had a 26-point, 14-rebound performance against UMass Boston in December, highlighting an up-and-down season.
Shahid Muhammad | Forward/Center
As another member of UMass’ big man rotation, Muhammad appeared in 31 games, starting in three. In 12.5 minutes, he averaged 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds.
Muhammad made his presence known in the paint on the defensive end, leading the Minutemen in blocks per game with 1.5. The junior had seven games with seven or more rejections, but none came in the back third of the season.
Nate Guerengomba | Guard
As one of just three freshmen who saw playing time for UMass, Guerengomba scored 2.6 points in 10.8 minutes a night. The Washington, DC native struggled with his efficiency, shooting 25.7 percent from the field and 17.1 percent from behind the arc.
Akil Watson | Forward
Coming to the Minutemen from Arizona State, Watson played in 23 games over the course of the season, averaging 3.6 points and two rebounds. The sophomore scored 14 points against New Hampshire in the season opener, but didn’t crack double figures again. He also missed a chunk of games at the end of the season due to injury.
Amadou Doumbia | Forward/Center
Doumbia played in 15 games for UMass in his freshman year, averaging 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per game.
Lewis Walker | Forward
Walker spent this past year within the Minutemen program, but did not see any playing time. The redshirt season will give him up to four years of eligibility at his next stop.
Mike Maynard can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter/X @mikecmaynard.
