AMHERST – UMass’ oldest players, graduate students Rich Kelly and Trent Buttrick, were freshmen and sophomores in high schools the last time the Minutemen beat George Washington on the basketball floor.

UMass (10-11, 3-6 Atlantic 10) has lost eight straight games against the Colonials dating back to Feb.15, 2014. The losing streak began in the conference tournament quarterfinals that year. The Minutemen will host George Washington at 7 p.m. Wednesday (NESN) aiming to break it.

“We definitely have a little more motivation because it gives you something else to play for,” said UMass guard Noah Fernandes, who returned from a concussion in Saturday’s win over Rhode Island.

No players or coaches from that team are still in Amherst. Matt McCall was an assistant at Florida. But they still bear the weight of that streak and can draw motivation from wanting to end it.

“We want our names in the books,” UMass guard T.J. Weeks Jr. said. 

It’s been a while since the Minutemen last had an opportunity. UMass hasn’t even played George Washington (8-13, 4-5) since Jan. 18, 2020, when the Colonials blew the Minutemen out in the Mullins Center, 75-51.

“Last time they came in here, it was ugly,” UMass coach Matt McCall said.

UMass was supposed to face the Colonials in Washington D.C. last season, but the Capitol insurrection forced a curfew and canceled the game.

“That was something I don’t think any of us will ever forget being a part of that were here last year,” McCall said.

This year’s Colonials are the No. 8 team in the Atlantic 10. They’ve won two of their last three games and put a massive scare into league-leading Davidson the last time out Saturday in a five-point home loss.

Guard James Bishop is one of three players tied for the league lead in scoring at 17.7 points per game. He partners with Joe Bamisile (15 points per game) for a lethal backcourt duo.

“You’ve got to try and limit as many catches as you possibly can with those guys,” McCall said. “There’s a lot of five-out motion and constantly cutting and moving. You just can’t have them both have it going at the same time.”

The Minutemen won’t depend on one person to stop either. It will be a team effort requiring communication.

“Everyone’s going to have to be locked in on the scope and what our objectives are on the defensive end,” Fernandes said. “What shots we want them to take, where we want to force them when we switch and stuff like that.”

In games Bishop and Bamisile haven’t popped off, George Washington’s supporting cast hasn’t picked up the slack. The Colonials are 13th out of 14 teams in the A-10 scoring just 66.2 points per game. They pair that with the league’s No. 12 defense (71.9 points per game). They’re also 11th in the league in shooting field goals (42.3 percent) and defending their opponents (44.3).

“They’re ahead of us in the standings. I don’t look at it as a trap game,” McCall said. “It’s an opportunity for us to go out and compete, and we need to play well. It’s an important game because it’s the next game.”

Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.