WORCESTER — Early on, it looked like UMass might coast. Midway through, the Minutemen appeared to be in danger of an optimism-dousing bad loss. When the final buzzer sounded, UMass escaped Holy Cross with a 68-60 win at the DCU Center on Sunday.
The Minutemen won despite some ugly stats. They turned the ball over 23 times and forced just 13. Teams that play zone, which Holy Cross did throughout, often allow a lot of offensive rebounds, but UMass managed just two and didn’t have a single second chance point.
After two exciting close games against higher level opponents, UMass appeared to think Sunday’s game would be a cakewalk against a Crusader team that lost its first two games by an average of 38 points.
The first six minutes seemed to reinforce that belief, as the Minutemen took a 12-2 lead. But the intensity dropped off, and Holy Cross spent the rest of the half chipping away and drew even at halftime 27-27. The Crusaders carried that momentum out of intermission. Two Karl Charles free throws put the Crusaders up 35-34 with 15:40 remaining, as the UMass portion of a evenly-split crowd of 3,591 got nervous.
After a missed jump shot by Donte Clark, the Crusaders had a chance to stretch their edge, but Anthony Thompson’s 3-point try was off the mark, and Clark grabbed the rebound.
The Minutemen sped the ball up the court to prevent HC from setting up the zone that had rattled UMass all game. Zach Lewis missed a 3 from the left corner but was fouled on the play and made all three free throws to make it 37-35 with 14:57 left.
The Crusaders had chances to answer but missed a layup, the front end of a one-and-one and jump shot before an offensive foul gave UMass the ball.
Luwane Pipkins knocked down a 3-pointer, sparking the Minutemen toward a 10-0 run that gave the visitors a 47-38 lead.
But that cushion proved to be fool’s gold. Holy Cross took advantage of the Minutemen’s 23 turnovers and clawed back to even at 50-50 with 7:00 left, as UMass called timeout.
At that point, UMass’ veterans took over. Clark hit a baseline jumper, and Seth Berger followed with a layup to make it 54-50 with 6:00 left.
Berger grabbed the rebound of Malachi Alexander’s missed 3 and Clark was fouled at the other end.
After the junior made two free throws, Pipkins found Berger wide open on the break for an easy dunk to make it 58-50 with 5:04 left.
Zach Lewis capped the 11-0 stretch with a 3-pointer to clinch the win with 3:56 left.
Five UMass players scored in double figures, and the other five combined for three points total. Clark scored 18 to go with seven rebounds. Berger and Zach Lewis each had 13. Pipkins had 11 points, six assists and four rebounds.
DeJon Jarreau, who had been terrific in UMass’ games Monday and Thursday, struggled. He had just three points, four assists and turned the ball over six times.
Alexander and Anthony Thompson each had 14 for Holy Cross.
Football team falls, 51-9
UMass football coach Mark Whipple believes that when his young team matures and he can add more roster depth, the Minutemen will be more competitive in the second half, but the time is not yet, not now.
BYU took advantage of three third-quarter UMass turnovers to break open a close game and roll to a 51-9 rout Saturday afternoon at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
The Cougars outscored the Minutemen 37-0 in the second half. UMass has now been outscored 215-94 after halftime this season.
UMass trailed just 14-9 at the half, but then a blocked punt, a fumbled kickoff return and an interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter propelled BYU’s win going away.
The game started out promising enough for UMass when the defense came up with the first turnover of the game in the first quarter and the offense didn’t waste the opportunity. Andrew Ford then connected with Bernard Davis on a crossing pattern. He turned it up field and ran past the defense for a 70-yard touchdown.
BYU answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped by an 11-yard run from KJ Hall.
Isaiah Rodgers got the Minutemen back in business with a 51-yard kickoff return and that set up a 44-yard field goal by Logan Laurent that put UMass back on top 9-7 with 12:58 left in the second quarter.
The Cougars took the lead back when Harvey Langi scored on a 5-yard run that sealed the 14-9 halftime advantage.