| Massachusetts Minutemen Basketball | |
| Current: | 2023–24 UMass Minutemen basketball team |
| University: | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
| Conference: | Atlantic 10 |
| Location: | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| Coach: | Frank Martin |
| Tenure: | 3rd |
| Arena: | William D. Mullins Memorial Center |
| Capacity: | 9,493 |
| Nickname: | Minutemen |
| Studentsection: | The Militia |
| H Body: | 881c1c |
| H Pattern B: | _thinsidesonwhite |
| H Shorts: | 881c1c |
| H Pattern S: | _blanksides2 |
| A Body: | 881c1c |
| A Pattern B: | _thinwhitesides |
| A Shorts: | 881c1c |
| A Pattern S: | _whitesides |
| Ncaafinalfour: | 1996* |
| Ncaaeliteeight: | 1995, 1996* |
| Ncaasweetsixteen: | 1992, 1995, 1996* |
| Ncaaroundof32: | 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996* |
| Ncaatourneys: | 1962, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996*, 1997, 1998, 2014 |
| Conference Tournament: | 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 |
| Conference Season: | 1962, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2007 *Vacated by NCAA |
The UMass Minutemen basketball team represents the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, Massachusetts, in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. They play their home games in the William D. Mullins Memorial Center. The Minutemen currently compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Beginning in the 2025–26 season, the team will play as a member of the Mid-American Conference.[1]
The men's basketball program has a history of over 100 years. The Minutemen, as they have been called since 1972, celebrated their 100th season in 2008–09.[2] Though the program's first game was played on January 10, 1900, there were several years in which no team was assembled.The program's first coach was Harold M. Gore, who in 11 seasons compiled a record of 85–53 (.616 win percentage), highlighted by a 12–2 season in 1925–26. In 1933–34, Massachusetts was the only undefeated team in men's college basketball, going 12–0. For the 1948–49 season, Massachusetts joined the Yankee Conference to mark the first time they participated in conference play. UMass would go on to be 10-time champions of the Yankee Conference.
The 1960s and 1970s were prosperous for the program. The 1961–62 team went 15–9 and participated in the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. They would go on to win 4 Yankee Conference titles in the 1960s, and played in the NIT at the end of the 1969–70 season. Though not a nationally recognized name, the program's coach with the most wins was Jack Leaman.[3] Leaman guided Massachusetts to 217 wins, and coached players including Julius Erving, Al Skinner, Rick Pitino and Tom McLaughlin. The program compiled a record of 142–103 (.580) in the 1960s. The 1969–70 team featured Julius Erving. In his first game with the varsity team, a 90–85 win over Providence College, Erving scored 27 points and grabbed 28 rebounds.
In the first eight seasons of the 1970s, the Redmen/Minutemen compiled a record of 152–65 (.700). They won 5 Yankee Conference titles, and played in 5 NITs (the Yankee Conference did not have an NCAA tournament automatic bid). The early 1970s teams featured players such as Erving, Al Skinner, and Rick Pitino. Jack Leaman, who coached the team for 13 seasons, hung it up after the 1978–79 season, with a record of 217–126 (.632). Though Leaman's last season as coach of the men's team was 1978–79, he remained a key part of the UMass Athletic Department until he died in 2004.[4]
The Minutemen fell on hard times in the late 1970s and 1980s, but would rebound under the direction of rookie coach John Calipari, perhaps the school's most recognizable coach, who took the head coaching job in 1988.[5] Calipari took over a program that was on a streak of 10-straight losing seasons and had not been to the NCAA tournament since 1962. Calipari led UMass to the NIT in his second season as head coach. In his fourth season, UMass won both the A-10 regular season and tournament championships. Over the next few seasons, Calipari took the team to new heights and frequent #1 rankings in the AP weekly poll. In 1996, the Minutemen reached the Final Four for the first time. After the 1995–96 season, Calipari left UMass for the NBA as the new head coach of the New Jersey Nets. The 1990s were the defining decade for UMass basketball. Calipari helped the Minutemen become A-10 Tournament Champs five consecutive times (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996), and appeared in the NCAA tournament seven times, including two appearances in the Elite Eight (1995, 1996) and a Final Four appearance (1996), the only appearance ever for the Minutemen. However, NCAA sanctions stripped the Minutemen of their 1996 NCAA tournament victories. The sanctions, based on star Marcus Camby admitting he took money, clothes, and jewelry from an agent during the season, removed the Final Four from the record books. Additionally, 45% of tournament revenue had to be returned to the NCAA. Camby reimbursed the school for the $151,617 in lost revenue.After Calipari resigned in 1996, his associate Bruiser Flint coached from 1996–2001, and Steve Lappas coached from 2001–2005.
In 2005, Travis Ford replaced Lappas. Though the Minutemen struggled with a 13–15 record in Ford's first season of 2005–06, he quickly improved the team in the next two seasons. In 2006–07, the Minutemen were co-champions of the Atlantic 10 (along with Xavier), reached the second round of the NIT, and finished with a record of 24–9. In 2007–08, the Minutemen reached the NIT championship game where they lost to Ohio State 92–85 and finished with a record of 25–11. Following the 2007–08 season, his third with the Minutemen, he left to take the head coaching vacancy at Oklahoma State.
On April 23, 2008, former Minutemen player Derek Kellogg returned to Amherst and became the 21st coach of the program.[6] In 2011–12 the Minutemen appeared in the NIT after a successful season with a 22–11 record, reaching the semifinals, where they lost to Stanford. The Minutemen were again invited to the NIT in following the 2012–13.
The 2013–14 season was a success as the Minutemen qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in 16 years. The team started off the season 10–0 and then 16–1, while reaching as high as #13 in the AP poll, and #12 in the Coaches poll.[7] However, the Minutemen, a #6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, were defeated in their first game against #11 seeded Tennessee.
In the 2014–15 season, the Minutemen regressed, finishing with a 17–15 overall record, and an eighth place finish in conference. The team also had sub-.500 seasons in each of the next two, and Kellogg was fired on March 9, 2017.[8]
Shortly after Kellogg was fired, the school announced that Winthrop head coach Pat Kelsey had been hired as the new head coach at UMass.[9] However, shortly before the press conference to announce his hiring, Kelsey announced he would not accept the position.[10] On March 31, the school announced they had hired Chattanooga head coach Matt McCall.[11]
McCall's five-year tenure at the school was not successful, and he was fired just before the end of the 2022 season.[12] His overall record at UMass finished at 61-82, and the team failed to advance past the conference tournament's quarterfinal round in each of the five seasons.
UMass announced it had hired former University of South Carolina head coach Frank Martin on March 25, 2022.[13] In Martin's first season at the helm, the Minutemen finished 15-16 with a 6-12 mark in conference play, but the team improved in his second, finishing with a 20-11 overall record, and a fourth place conference finish at 11-7.
Through 2024, Massachusetts and the Rhode Island Rams have played over 160 times, and at least once a year every year since 1950. The Atlantic 10 regularly pairs UMass and URI in a home-and-home series each season.
Starting in 1995, Massachusetts and Boston College played annually for the Commonwealth Cup, in the "Commonwealth Classic". Following the 2011–2012 season (in which UMass defeated the Eagles 82–46 in Chestnut Hill), Boston College discontinued the series in part due to changes to the ACC conference schedule and canceled their return trip to Amherst in late 2012.
UMass and Temple had an intense rivalry in the 1990s, during which time the schools were coached by John Calipari and John Chaney. The two coaches had to be restrained from each other during a 3-overtime game in 1990.[14] After a game in 1994, Chaney charged at Calipari during a post-game press conference, and in front of reporters and television cameras, threatened to kill Calipari.[15]
From 1996 to 2005, Massachusetts and Connecticut played in the "Mass Mutual U-Game", a reference to the two schools' nicknames, UMass and UConn, respectively. UConn won nine of the ten games. UMass won the 2004 game, in which the Huskies were the defending national champions.
| UMass Minutemen History | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Head coach | Overall | Conf. | Postseason | Notes | |
| Independent | ||||||
| 1925–26 | Kid Gore | 12–2 | ||||
| Mel Taube 1933–1936 | ||||||
| 1933–34 | Mel Taube | 12-0 | ||||
| 1934-35 | Mel Taube | 6-6 | ||||
| 1935-36 | Mel Taube | 2-12 | ||||
| Yankee Conference | ||||||
| Lorin Ball 1946–1952 | ||||||
| 1946–47 | Walter Hargesheheimer (0–7)Lorin Ball (4–5) | 4–12 | ||||
| 1947–48 | Lorin Ball | 2–14 | ||||
| 1948–49 | Lorin Ball | 6–12 | ||||
| 1949–50 | Lorin Ball | 8–11 | ||||
| 1950–51 | Lorin Ball | 6–15 | ||||
| 1951–52 | Lorin Ball | 4–17 | ||||
| Lorin Ball: 26–74 | ||||||
| Robert Curran 1952–1959 | ||||||
| 1952–53 | Robert Curran | 4–15 | ||||
| 1953–54 | Robert Curran | 13–9 | ||||
| 1954–55 | Robert Curran | 10–14 | ||||
| 1955–56 | Robert Curran | 17–6 | ||||
| 1956–57 | Robert Curran | 13–11 | ||||
| 1957–58 | Robert Curran | 13–12 | ||||
| 1958–59 | Robert Curran | 11–13 | ||||
| Robert Curran: 81–80 | ||||||
| Matt Zunic 1959–1963 | ||||||
| 1959–60 | Matt Zunic | 14–10 | ||||
| 1960–61 | Matt Zunic | 16–10 | ||||
| 1961–62 | Matt Zunic | 15–9 | 8–2 | NCAA first round | Yankee Regular season Champions | |
| 1962–63 | Matt Zunic | 12–12 | 6–4 | |||
| Matt Zunik 57–41 | ||||||
| Johnny Orr 1963–1966 | ||||||
| 1963–64 | Johnny Orr | 15–9 | 5–5 | |||
| 1964–65 | Johnny Orr | 13–11 | 8–2 | |||
| 1965–66 | Johnny Orr | 11–13 | 5–5 | |||
| Johnny Orr 39–33 | ||||||
| Jack Leaman 1966–1979 | ||||||
| 1966–67 | Jack Leaman | 11–14 | 7–3 | |||
| 1967–68 | Jack Leaman | 14–11 | 8–2 | Yankee Regular season Champions | ||
| 1968–69 | Jack Leaman | 17–7 | 9–1 | Yankee Regular season Champions | ||
| 1969–70 | Jack Leaman | 18–7 | 8–2 | NIT first round | Yankee Regular season Champions | |
| 1970–71 | Jack Leaman | 23–4 | 10–0 | NIT first round | Yankee Regular season Champions | |
| 1971–72 | Jack Leaman | 14–12 | 6–4 | |||
| 1972–73 | Jack Leaman | 20–7 | 10–2 | NIT second round | Yankee Regular season Champions | |
| 1973–74 | Jack Leaman | 21–5 | 11–1 | NIT first round | Yankee Regular season Champions | |
| 1974–75 | Jack Leaman | 18–8 | 10–2 | NIT first round | Yankee Regular season Champions | |
| 1975–76 | Jack Leaman | 21–6 | 11–1 | Yankee Regular season Champions | ||
| 1976–77 | Jack Leaman | 20–11 | 3–4 | |||
| Eastern Collegiate Basketball League | ||||||
| 1977–78 | Jack Leaman | 15–12 | 5–5 | |||
| Eastern Athletic Association | ||||||
| 1978–79 | Jack Leaman | 5–22 | 0–10 | |||
| Jack Leaman: 217–126 | ||||||
| Ray Wilson 1979–1981 | ||||||
| 1979–80 | Ray Wilson | 2–24 | 0–10 | |||
| 1980–81 | Ray Wilson | 3–24 | 0–13 | |||
| Ray Wilson: 5–48 | ||||||
| Tom McLaughlin 1981–1982 | ||||||
| 1981–82 | Tom McLaughlin | 7–20 | 3–11 | |||
| Atlantic 10 Conference | ||||||
| 1982–83 | Tom McLaughlin | 9–20 | 4–10 | |||
| Tom McLaughlin: 16–40 | ||||||
| Ron Gerlufsen 1983–1988 | ||||||
| 1983–84 | Ron Gerlufsen | 12–17 | 6–12 | |||
| 1984–85 | Ron Gerlufsen | 13–15 | 9–9 | |||
| 1985–86 | Ron Gerlufsen | 9–19 | 6–12 | |||
| 1986–87 | Ron Gerlufsen | 11–16 | 7–11 | |||
| 1987–88 | Ron Gerlufsen | 10–17 | 5–13 | |||
| Ron Gerlufsen 55–84 | ||||||
| John Calipari 1988–1996 | ||||||
| 1988–89 | John Calipari | 10–18 | 5–13 | |||
| 1989–90 | John Calipari | 17–14 | 10–8 | NIT first round | ||
| 1990–91 | John Calipari | 20–13 | 10–8 | NIT Fourth Place | ||
| 1991–92 | John Calipari | 30–5 | 13–3 | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | A-10 Regular season and Tournament champions | |
| 1992–93 | John Calipari | 24–7 | 11–3 | NCAA second round | A-10 Regular season and Tournament champions | |
| 1993–94 | John Calipari | 28–7 | 14–2 | NCAA second round | A-10 Regular season and Tournament champions | |
| 1994–95 | John Calipari | 29–5 | 13–3 | NCAA Elite Eight | A-10 Regular season and Tournament champions | |
| 1995–96 | John Calipari | 35–2 | 15–1 | NCAA Final Four | A-10 Regular season and Tournament champions | |
| John Calipari 193–71 | ||||||
| Bruiser Flint 1996–2001 | ||||||
| 1996–97 | Bruiser Flint | 19–14 | 11–5 | |||
| 1997–98 | Bruiser Flint | 21–11 | 12–4 | NCAA tournament first round | ||
| 1998–99 | Bruiser Flint | 14–16 | 9–7 | |||
| 1999–2000 | Bruiser Flint | 17–16 | 9–7 | NIT first round | ||
| 2000–01 | Bruiser Flint | 15–15 | 11–5 | |||
| Bruiser Flint 86–72 | ||||||
| Steve Lappas 2001–2005 | ||||||
| 2001–02 | Steve Lappas | 13–16 | 6–10 | |||
| 2002–03 | Steve Lappas | 11–18 | 6–10 | |||
| 2003–04 | Steve Lappas | 10–19 | 4–12 | |||
| 2004–05 | Steve Lappas | 16–12 | 9–7 | |||
| Steve Lappas 50–65 | ||||||
| Travis Ford 2005–2008 | ||||||
| 2005–06 | Travis Ford | 13–15 | 8–8 | |||
| Travis Ford | 24–9 | 13–3 | NIT second round | |||
| Travis Ford | 25–11 | 10–6 | NIT Final | |||
| Travis Ford 62–35 | ||||||
| Derek Kellogg 2008–2017 | ||||||
| Derek Kellogg | 12–18 | 7–9 | ||||
| Derek Kellogg | 12–20 | 5–11 | ||||
| 2010–11 | Derek Kellogg | 15–15 | 7–9 | |||
| 2011–12 | Derek Kellogg | 25–12 | 9–7 | NIT semifinal | ||
| 2012–13 | Derek Kellogg | 21–12 | 9–7 | NIT first round | ||
| 2013–14 | Derek Kellogg | 24–9 | 10–6 | NCAA first round | ||
| 2014–15 | Derek Kellogg | 17–15 | 10–8 | |||
| 2015–16 | Derek Kellogg | 14–18 | 6–12 | |||
| 2016–17 | Derek Kellogg | 15–18 | 4–14 | |||
| Derek Kellogg 155–137 | ||||||
| 2017–18 | Matt McCall | 13–20 | 5–13 | |||
| 2018–19 | Matt McCall | 11–21 | 4–14 | |||
| 2019–20 | Matt McCall | 14–17 | 8–10 | |||
| 2020–21 | Matt McCall | 8–7 | 6–4 | |||
| 2021–22 | Matt McCall | 15–17 | 7–11 | |||
| Matt McCall 61–82 | ||||||
| 2022–23 | Frank Martin | 15-16 | 6-12 | |||
| 2023–24 | Frank Martin | 20-11 | 11-7 | |||
| Frank Martin 11–6 | ||||||
| Overall Record: 1349–1219 |
The Minutemen have appeared in the NCAA tournament nine times. Their combined record is 11–9. Their 1996 victories have been vacated by the NCAA thus their official tournament record is 7–8.
| First Round | NYU | L 50–70 | |||
| 3 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | W 85–58 W 77–71 L 77–87 | |||
| 3 | First Round Second Round | W 54–50 L 56–71 | |||
| 2 | First Round Second Round | W 78–60 L 87–95 | |||
| 2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | W 68–51 W 75–53 W 76–51 L 54–68 | |||
| 1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | W 92–70 W 79–74 W 79–63 W 86–62 L 74–81 | |||
| 11 | First Round | L 57–65 | |||
| 7 | First Round | L 46–51 | |||
| 6 | Second Round | L 67–86 |
The Minutemen have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 13 times. Their combined record is 13–14.
| First Round | Marquette | L 55–62 | ||
| First Round | North Carolina | L 49–90 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinals | Missouri North Carolina | W 78–71 L 63–73 | ||
| First Round | Jacksonville | L 69–73OT | ||
| First Round | Manhattan | L 51–68 | ||
| First Round Quarterfinals | Seton Hall Villanova | W 86–85 L 71–81 | ||
| First Round | Maryland | L 81–91 | ||
| First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals 3rd Place Game | La Salle Fordham Siena Stanford Colorado | W 93–90 W 78–74 W 82–80 L 71–78 L 91–98 | ||
| First Round | Siena | L 65–66 | ||
| First Round Second Round | Alabama West Virginia | W 89–87 L 77–90 | ||
| First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Stephen F. Austin Akron Syracuse Florida Ohio State | W 80–60 W 68–63 W 81–77 W 78–66 L 85–92 | ||
| First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Mississippi State Seton Hall Drexel Stanford | W 101–962OT W 77–67 W 72–70 L 74–84 | ||
| First Round | Stony Brook | L 58–71 |
Several Massachusetts alumni have gone on to play in the NBA:
See main article: List of NCAA men's basketball retired numbers. Five former players and one coach have had their names hung on banners in the rafters of the Mullins Center.
| UMass Minutemen retired numbers | |||||||||||
| width=40px style="" | No. | width=150px style="" | Player | width=40px style="" | Player | width=100px style="" | Career | width=px style="" | Yr. ret. | width=px style="" | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1991–95 | 2004 | [17] | ||||||||
| 21 | 1993–96 | 2013 | [18] [19] | ||||||||
| 30 | 1971–1974 | 2003[20] | |||||||||
| 32 | George Burke | 1954–1956 | [21] [22] | ||||||||
| 1968–1971 | 1988 | ||||||||||
| – | John Calipari | Coach | 1988–1996 | 2015 | [23] |
Many former members of the basketball program have been elected into the school's Hall of Fame.[24] Class years listed in parentheses.
The Hall is officially named "The George 'Trigger' Burke UMass Athletic Hall of Fame" in recognition of Burke's generous support of UMass Athletics and student scholarships.