Last night, the Quinnipiac men’s basketball team (2-5 overall, 0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) snapped their five-game losing streak with a 68-66 win over the UMass Minutemen (3-4 overall, 0-0 Atlantic 10).
UMass sophomore guard Luwane Pipkins got the first points of the game just 16 seconds in. However, the Bobcats continued to respond to any type of Minutemen surge. Quinnipiac senior forward Chase Daniels had a solid first half, as he was on both ends of the court. The local Meriden, Connecticut native finished the first 20 minutes leading the Bobcats with 13 points, 5-for-7 on field goals, two turnovers and two blocks. UMass senior guard C.J. Anderson, the game’s leading scorer, converted on a four-point play, as he hit a three-pointer while also drawing a foul and then made his free throw.
The Bobcats ended the final minutes of the first half on a scoring run. Bobcat graduate guard Isaiah Washington’s three-pointer and successful foul shots contributed to their halftime lead by a score of 38-29. Washington finished the night leading the Bobcats in free throws (6-for-7), points (14), and assists (two).
“I really felt like we had incredible growth tonight, whether won or lost,” Dunleavy said. “I think everyone had become more comfortable with that we’re doing at this point.”
The second half began with back-and-forth field goals by both teams, but Quinnipiac went at least five straight possessions without any points. This allowed the Minutemen to sneak up on the Bobcats and cut the deficit to four points just four minutes in. The Bobcats responded again to UMass with the help of sophomore guard Aaron Robinson, who tallied five straight points for Quinnipiac. This theme continued all throughout the game though, as UMass did not stop competing in this game and cut down several eight-point plus leads for the Bobcats. In the end, the difference-maker was UMass didn’t get over the obstacle of getting a multi-point lead for any chunk of time. The largest lead for the Minutemen arrived on their first three points of the game just 16 seconds in.
“I asked coach what I needed to do to contribute for the team,” Washington said. “It was to continue to score, drive to the basket and help out defensively too.”
At the end of the game, it came down to who had the last possession, and who capitalized on their opportunities. Quinnipiac senior guard Cameron Young notched two significant free throws in the final minute, which allowed the Bobcats to withstand a UMass field goal by junior center Rashaan Holloway. This Minutemen tally made it a two-point game with six seconds left. Quinnipiac was able to in-bound the ball, run out the clock and preserve the victory over UMass on their home court.
The statistics of the game were fairly even in field goals and three-pointers. However, Quinnipiac finished the evening going 22-for-27 on free throws, which contributed to their win. UMass only went 3-for-5 on free throws.
“I’m very proud of where we’re going with this team,” Dunleavy said. “I think we’re improving with many parts of our game and it showed tonight.”
Men’s basketball aims to keep their momentum going as they begin a five-game road trip, beginning with a matchup against the Lafayette Leopards on Saturday at 2 p.m.
