The Massachusetts Minutemen broke the century mark in Monday’s game against the Quinnipiac Bobcats, winning 102-81. This offensive performance was headed by guard Rahsool Diggins and forward Matt Cross. Riggins had 22 points which is a career high. Cross also scored 19 points of his own.
Through all of this, Diggins and Cross both emphasized that neither of them were the hero of the game. They attributed good ball movement to this win.
“Seeing everybody like you said multiple guys with double digits is just good overall because those are the teams that win that have multiple guys in double digits, everyone’s touching the ball,” Cross said after the game.
Cross and Diggins also talked about how the competitiveness of practice is what prepares them to put out that level of performance in the game.
“We don’t call fouls in practice,” said Cross. “So we’re used to physicality. So [in] the game, getting in the paint just feels a little bit easier sometimes.”
Both teams traded three pointers early on, with guard Jaylen Ndjigue hitting two to start out the game. It stayed relatively even up until the 12 minute mark in the first half, where UMass began to pull away.
The Bobcats were led in scoring by forward Amarri Tice and guard Matt Balanc, who both did the majority of their damage in the first half when the game was more competitive.
They also did a good job in limiting the impact of Minutemen forward Josh Cohen who was held to 11 points after his great game against UAlbany to start the season.
The freshmen were shown appreciation by Coach Martin after the game: “Our freshmen bailed us out,” he said. “I mean, they made some great plays to give us a lead in the first half and then in the second half, I thought we played better more to the things that we’re trying to get done offensively.”
Ndjigue and guard Marqui Worthy were the notable freshmen from this game, stacking up a combined 21 points. Worthy scored on some improbable plays and Ndjigue made the play of the game, stealing the ball and taking it to the rim but readjusting himself in mid-air to get around the on-rushing defender on a weak sided finish.
The Minutemen look to extend their win streak to three against Harvard on Friday. UMass has looked very good offensively so far this season, this game being the first in Coach Martin’s tenure that they have scored 100 or more points in a game.
