AMHERST — For the second straight game, when things got tight for the UMass men’s basketball team, Donte Clark took over.
The junior scored 24 of the Minutemen’s 38 second-half points and made big play after big play as UMass held off Harvard, 70-66, Saturday at the Mullins Center.
“We’re happy to come away with a win today against a team where every year it seems to come down to the last two minutes,” UMass coach Derek Kellogg said.
The Minutemen survived some scary moments late. They led 65-57 with 1 minute, 17 seconds left, but two Seth Towns free throws started a Crimson surge. After Luwane Pipkins missed two free throws, Corey Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 58 seconds left to make it 65-62.
Free throw woes continued as C.J. Anderson missed a pair for UMass. The teams traded turnovers before Clark fouled Towns, who made two more bringing Harvard within 65-64 with 18 seconds left.
Harvard quickly fouled Clark, who made the first free throw. With his best free-throw shooter on the line, Kellogg chose to put the rest of his team back on defense rather than contest a potential rebound.
But Clark, who was 11-for-11 at that point, missed left. But he realized it before anyone else and took off toward the baseline almost immediately and beat Robert Baker to the rebound and was fouled.
“I took off like I was in a track meet,” Clark said. “I knew it was going left. I just went and got it.”
This time Clark made both with 11 seconds left to make it 68-64 essentially sealing the win. He finished with 18 of UMass’ last 22 points.
“It’s a Harvard mistake,” Crimson coach Tommy Amaker said of Clark’s offensive rebound. “There’s no excuse for that. Give Clark the credit for recognizing the opportunity to make that winning play.”
There was never a talent question with Clark. Since his freshman year, he always showed star potential. But he wasn’t always consistent. He helped carry UMass late in the win over Holy Cross and did all the heavy lifting Saturday.
“He looks more mature out there, almost like it’s his team to a certain extent,” Kellogg said. “He made big plays at Holy Cross and he made big plays today. I’m anticipating he’s going to have to make big plays in about 15 more games the way these games are all going in college basketball.”
Harvard led 54-50 after a Siyani Chambers 3-pointer with 6:55 left, but Clark, who finished with 29 points, put the Minutemen on his shoulders. After cutting the deficit to one with a 3-pointer, Clark had the ball again with the shot clock running down in front of the UMass bench. Despite a hand in his face, the junior guard drained a 3-pointer that brought a nervous crowd of 3,320 fans to life.
“I just put it up. It was a prayer and it went in,” Clark said. “I don’t mind being in that spot. When I’m feeling it I feel like I can pretty much do anything out there.”
The two 3s started a solo 8-0 run for Clark that put the Minutemen ahead for good at 58-54 with 3:15 left.
“He made some tough shots,” Amaker said. “He’s a really good offensive player. He was the one that was carrying their team and we couldn’t defend him.”
After a Robert Baker dunk, Clark hit another 3-pointer that put UMass up 61-56 with 2:30 left. Before that neither team had led by more than four in the half as the game featured 13 ties.
UMass (4-1) won despite shooting 6-for-25 from 3-point range (2-for-17 by everyone but Clark). The Minutemen were outrebounded 43-31. They counteracted that by forcing 19 turnovers while committing just 12.
Towns led Harvard (1-3) with 17 points and six rebounds, while Henry Welsh had 12 points and eight rebounds. In his first start, Zach Lewis added 10 points for UMass
“They’re a good team,” Lewis said. “We knew it was going to be a battle. I was really excited to be about there. I’m glad we came away with a win.”
UMass hosts Wagner Wednesday at 7 p.m.