UMass Basketball Moves to 7-0

I often mention my favorite teams in other sports as part of a baseball post every now and then, but I thought I would give my alma mater some special love today and give them a post to themselves.

After beating host Quinnipiac last night, the UMass basketball team has improved to 7-0 on the season. It’s their best start since yours truly was a freshman in '95-'96.

While their schedule hasn’t been great shakes so far, though they did beat New Mexico St. and TCU pretty handily in Springfield, they have improved tremendously under third-year coach Derek Kellogg. They have done a complete 180-degree turn from what I saw last year to what I have seen so far this year.

This team plays defense now; albeit not great, but much better than the two previous years, and has some nice slashers who can get to the rim in senior Anthony Gurley, and sophomores Javorn Farrell and Sampson Carter.

Kellogg has shown improvement as a coach as well. He has proven he can recruit with some of the players he has brought in and will bring in (Jordan Laguerre is a legit shooting guard, who has killed against top competition), but the question has been can he be a successful head coach? He hasn’t gotten all the way there yet as evidence by some of the lapses UMass has had during games recently, but he is getting there.

I will say I am very concerned with Terrell Vinson. He was Kellogg’s prized recruit two years ago and now as a sophomore, he looks completely lost out there. If this team is going to take the next step, then he needs to pull his head out of his rear.

UMass will get tested on Saturday when they play a Boston College team that just laid the smackdown on Indiana last night. If UMass can win that game at the TD Garden in Boston, there is a very good chance they could be 12-1 or even 13-0 heading into conference play.

UMass most likely won’t be a tournament team this year as I think they are a year or two away, but if this team continues on this path and if transfer Jesse “The takeover” Morgan, who will be eligible in the second half of the year, is everything I have read about, this team will cause havoc in the A-10 and be a very tough out this season.

Great job so far DK and the rest of the UMass team. Keep up the solid play!