<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2gxXDC_1H5oKg2V00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2gxXDC_1H5oKg2V00" width="1200" height="800" ></figure>At the Mullins Center on Saturday, the Massachusetts women’s basketball team overwhelmed Central Connecticut State in a 96-48 victory, controlling the game from the opening tipoff. The Minutewomen (2-2) dominated the Blue Devils (0-5), using a 24-6 opening quarter and a 30-point halftime advantage to secure their second win of the season. The team’s defensive pressure propelled the early separation, forcing turnovers and turning those takeaways into scoring opportunities.“[I am] really proud of our team,” head coach Mike Leflar said. “A big goal for us was getting off to a great start, which we talked about yesterday at practice … and then we were able to carry it over into the game, which was terrific.” UMass continued to build its lead in the second quarter, taking advantage of CCSU’s mistakes while spreading the scoring across its lineup. The Minutewomen entered halftime ahead 46-16, leaving the Blue Devils searching for answers on both ends of the court.The performance marked a shift in energy from Wednesday’s loss to Harvard. “That was a big thing that we had talked about after the game: we need to have a lot more energy on the bench and on the floor,” freshman guard Kiki Scott said. “I felt like we came in there, we had a lot of energy and that just brought everybody up … I felt like that’s what really changed from Harvard to today.”Reagan Hurst helped put the game away in the final frame. The redshirt senior knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, finishing with a game-high 20 points and six triples, as the home squad continued to stretch their lead. Hurst shot 7-of-12 from the field and 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, setting a career high in 3-pointers.“That [was] honestly my first three in Mullins today,” Hurst said. “Kudos to my teammates [for] finding me [and] after one, you always start to heat up a little bit.”UMass maintained control after halftime, although CCSU found more offensive success in the third quarter. The Blue Devils scored 14 points in the period after scoring a combined 16 in the first half.Na-Kyah Williams led CCSU with 10 points, five of those coming in the third. Ayanna Franks drove into the paint to find Yahmani McKayle on the perimeter, but the ball rebounded off the rim and directly into the hands of Williams. The 5-foot-3 guard secured a solid fast-break layup, but the two points did little to impact the 34-point deficit. The Minutewomen went 1-for-11 from 3-point range in the third frame but continued to find opportunities inside. Caroline Dotsey converted a putback following a McKayle miss, helping UMass preserve its advantage. The Minutewomen still outscored the Blue Devils with 22 points of their own, 12 of those coming from turnovers.UMass’ offensive production extended well beyond Hurst. Dotsey added 13 points, Jess Ross scored 12 on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting performance, and McKayle and Chinenye Odenigbo each finished with 10. Scott had a notable performance as well, ending the match with 11 assists. With a little over four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Tessa Gladieux poked the ball out of Vanyah Otey’s hands off the defensive rebound, leaving Hurst to collect the ball on the ground. The Tennessee Tech transfer popped the ball up to Scott in the backcourt, who eventually found Hurst on the perimeter for a wide-open three. “I was just looking up,” Scott said. “Once I got the ball, I just turned around and looked to see who was the open man, and I kept finding mostly Reagan.” The Minutewomen’s 96 points marked their highest scoring output since the 2022-23 season. Saturday also marked UMass’ highest point total in a regulation game since Dec. 7, 2017, when it defeated Fisher College 121-38, recording the largest margin of victory in program history. In the win, six Minutewomen reached double figures, and the bench contributed 47 points. “I’m just really impressed [with] everyone getting involved,” Leflar said. “Obviously, everyone saw the strength of our depth today.” UMass returns to the Mullins Center to host Army on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+. Kate Endres can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X at @Kate_e_endres. </div></body>

Block Source: Daily Collegian

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

At the Mullins Center on Saturday, the Massachusetts women’s basketball team overwhelmed Central Connecticut State in a 96-48 victory, controlling the game from the opening tipoff. The Minutewomen (2-2) dominated the Blue Devils (0-5), using a 24-6 opening quarter and a 30-point halftime advantage to secure their second win...

UMass defeats CCSU in 96-48 rout

NewsBreak

At the Mullins Center on Saturday, the Massachusetts women’s basketball team overwhelmed Central Connecticut State in a 96-48 victory, controlling the game

UMass defeats CCSU in 96-48 rout

Comments