AMHERST – The University of Massachusetts men’s basketball team (6-3) posted a dominating 80-60 win against UMass Lowell (3-7) on Saturday afternoon at the Mullins Center.
The Minutemen were led by Jayden Ndjigue with 15 points, going 5-for-8 from the field and perfect from the charity stripe (5-for-5). The junior recorded six rebounds, four assists, and also added five steals.
Ndjigue became the first Minutemen to swipe five steals in a game since Jaylen Curry against Northeastern (12/18/24).
Marcus Banks Jr. led the team in 17 points, adding three rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Leonardo Bettiol scored 13 points, going 3-for-3 from the free throw line, with six rebounds, an assist, and a block.
K’Jei Parker and Daniel Hankins-Sanford each contributed 12 points.
The Riverhawks were led by Darrel Yepdo, who matched the game-high 17 points, going 6-of-11 from the field and recording four rebounds and two assists.
Breaking Down the Action
- After an early tie, six points from Daniel Hankins-Sanford gave the Minutemen a 14-11 lead.
- Yepdo’s three-pointer gave UMass Lowell its first lead of the afternoon.
- The teams traded baskets, and then back-to-back buckets from Parker, including a three, gave the Minutemen a 24-22 lead with 6:45 left in the half.
- Ndjigue’s spin move opened a 6-0 run over nearly two minutes to extend the Massachusetts lead.
- Banks Jr.’s three-pointer engineered a 7-0 run in less than a minute to take a 42-32 advantage into the halftime break.
- The Riverhawks opened the second half with a pair of baskets from Yepdo to cut their deficit to six.
- Off of a Hankins-Sanford’s block, Banks Jr.’s fast break layup brought the lead back to double-digits.
- After exchanging baskets, Dimitri Clerc’s dunk capped a 7-1 Massachusetts run over two minutes.
- Ndjigue tallied five straight points, converting an and-one and adding two from the charity stripe for a 64-45 scoreline.
- Bettiol and Banks Jr. combined for seven points with 3:46 left on the clock to extend the Massachusetts lead.
- For the remaining minutes, the Riverhawks outscored the Minutemen, 9-4, but the Maroon and White took an 80-60 victory.
Numbers To Know
- 5: Five Minutemen reached double figures: Banks Jr. (17), Ndjigue (15), Bettiol (13), Hankins-Sanford (12), and Parker (12).
- 5: Ndjigue tabbed five steals over the afternoon.
- 10: Hankins-Sanford and Parker put up 10 points apiece in the first half.
- 13: Combined, the Minutemen recorded 13 steals.
- 19: Massachusetts scored 19 points off turnovers.
- 39: The Maroon and White grabbed 39 rebounds over the afternoon.
- 48: The Minutemen recorded 48 points in the paint.
Series History
- With the result, Massachusetts now holds an 11-4 record against the Riverhawks all-time.
- Massachusetts is now 6-3 on the season and 53-50 with Coach Martin at the helm.
Up Next
- The Minutemen face Boston College at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in the Hall of Fame Classic at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
- Tickets are available through the MassMutual Center.
