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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 13-16;
6-10 in A-10
(4th/East)
Postseason: None. Last NCAA appearance was in 1998.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Anderson 10.0
Rebs: Brand 5.7
Assists: Anderson 3.4
FG: Lamb 43.8%
3pt: Anderson 38.8%
FT: Lamb 75.0%
01-02 Stats:
UMass | A-10
KEY LOSSES
Shannon Crooks | 14.6
Kiwana Rhymer | 8.9 ppg
Jameel Pugh | 5.3 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | An. Anderson | Junior
G | Marcus Cox | Junior
G | Raheim Lamb | Junior
F | Jackie Rogers | Senior
C | Micah Brand | Senior
Player to Watch
Anthony Anderson
Junior Guard
Made a splash in A-10 last season as rookie of the year.
DATE TO REMEMBER
The Minutemen beat NCAA-bound N.C. State last season in Raleigh, and this year they get the chance to boost their own NCAA Tournament dossier with a home date with the Wolfpack, who again should be good.
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MASSACHUSETTS
MINUTEMEN
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The Minutemen might not be any better than last season, when they trudged to a 13-16 mark for only their second losing record since 1988-89, but they ought to be more fun to watch. Junior point guard Anthony Anderson, one of the more entertaining players in the A-10, returns after being named the league's rookie of the year. Senior Jackie Rogers (6.6 ppg in 2000-01), a fabulous athlete at 6-8, is back after sitting out last season. Marcus Cox, a Connecticut transfer, becomes eligible with nice credentials. And finally, there's 6-2 freshman Mike Lasme, who is said to have a 45-inch vertical leap. (We know, we know. But that's what people say.) Only one-half of the team's big man combination is back, but that also means one-half the headache for coach Steve Lappas, who watched Kitwana Rhymer and Micah Brand underachieve at times last season. Without Rhymer to share with, Brand ought to improve on last season's 9.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
The Massachusetts backcourt has some nice pieces. Anderson is a quick rascal who shot 38.8 percent last season from three-point range (though he has to improve on his 45.3-percent foul shooting). Cox must be good ... do you know of many lousy players signed in the past few years by Connecticut? Junior Raheim Lamb, at 6-5, is a lockdown defender. And Lasme, if his vertical leaps is even close to 45 inches, will be an alley-oop threat on the baseline.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
That's the question many have wondered about Brand: Is the guy tough enough? Last season he pulled down just 5.7 rebounds in 28.4 minutes, a ratio that must improve for a 6-11, 243-pound senior. Lappas also would like to get more than the one block per game Brand produced as a junior.
BOTTOM LINE..............................
Lappas lost talent to graduation, especially leading scorer Shannon Crooks (14.6 ppg), but talent returns -- and significant talent was added through recruiting and transfers. Add it up, throw in another year for the Minutemen to learn their second-year coach's offense, and you've got a team that shouldn't post UMass' third losing season in 14 years.
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