UMass found itself on the brink of another frustrating loss last Saturday at the Mullins Center. After trailing for much of the game, and struggling to contain Rhode Island’s scorching three-point shooting, the Minutemen flipped the script in the final minutes. A late-game surge led to a thrilling 91-88 victory.
The win, which snapped a three-game losing streak, was fueled by dominant guard play, with Jaylen Curry and Rahsool Diggins leading the way on both ends of the floor. Curry, in particular, was the spark UMass desperately needed, providing clutch scoring and relentless defense that turned the momentum in the second half.
Rhode Island had all the answers early. The Rams opened the game firing from deep, knocking down five three-pointers in the first seven minutes of action and shooting 63 percent from beyond the arc.
Despite a strong start from Curry, who nailed a pair of smooth midrange jumpers to start the night, UMass struggled to keep pace with Rhode Island’s perimeter onslaught.
The Rams’ duo of David Green and Jamarques Lawrence was nearly unstoppable in the first half, combining for 31 points on 7-of-9 shooting from three. Each time UMass cut into the deficit, Rhode Island had a response.
By halftime, Rhode Island led 56-47, controlling the tempo and keeping the Minutemen scrambling on defense.
But UMass refused to fold. Coming out of the break, Curry wasted no time making his presence felt, drilling a three on the opening possession to signal the Minutemen were not done yet.
Diggins followed with a three of his own at the 16:20 mark, and suddenly the energy inside the Mullins Center began to shift.
After another quick scoring burst by Rhode Island, Curry answered again, burying another deep shot to cut the deficit to just two points. UMass, which had struggled defensively for much of the game, tightened up, forcing a shot-clock violation which sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Moments later, Daniel Hankins-Sanford drilled back-to-back threes, giving UMass its first lead of the game with seven minutes to play. Hankins-Sanford was elite on the defensive end of the floor, grabbing 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double on the year.
The game’s final stretch was a high-intensity, back-and-forth battle. Green, who had torched UMass all night, hit his seventh three-pointer to keep Rhode Island in the fight. However, every time the Rams threatened, the Minutemen had an answer.
Hankins-Sanford converted a tough layup inside, and after another defensive stand, Diggins scored on a strong drive to the hoop to extend the lead to four.
With just over a minute remaining, Green struck again, draining his eighth three-pointer of the night to tie the game. Diggins, who had been instrumental in the comeback, took control once more, weaving his way into the lane and finishing through contact to put the Minutemen ahead.
Rhode Island had one last opportunity to even the score, but Green’s contested three from the wing came up short. Forced to foul, the Rams sent Diggins to the free-throw line where he calmly knocked down both attempts, sealing the Minutemen’s dramatic comeback victory.
UMass head coach Frank Martin believes his team had to change the energy in the locker room, and did just that on Saturday.
“I thought our spirit today was really good, I thought there was a lot of positive energy,” Martin said. “I thought we had guys on the court that were communicating, enthusiastic, and give them credit, they started making shots.”
Curry finished with a stellar all-around performance, anchoring the perimeter defense while providing crucial scoring down the stretch. Diggins and Hankins-Sanford delivered in the clutch, helping UMass overcome one of the most explosive three-point shooting performances they had faced all season.
For the Minutemen, the win was a much-needed momentum boost as they continue their push toward the end of the regular season. UMass struggled through a rough stretch of conference play. They found the ability to close out a tight game, which will be essential during the A-10 tournament, which starts on Mar. 10.
