Bulldogs, Minutemen Collide Tuesday In NIT Action
Tip at Humphrey Coliseum is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2 with Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes handling the broadcast.
Tuesday's winner faces Seton Hall or Stony Brook at a place, date and time to be determined.
"I thought we had a good practice (Monday) and got refocused," MSU coach Rick Stansbury said. "You look at UMass and the first thing you is notice is how good they are. They play in a very good league, and they are very balanced."
MSU enters the contest sporting a 21-11 ledger following last Thursday's setback to Georgia in the SEC Tournament. The Minutemen are 22-11 after losing to St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic-10 semifinals.
UMass, which is 7-11 all-time against SEC foes, is led in scoring by sophomore guard Chaz Williams' 16.4 clip sophomore forward Raphiael Putney's at 10.3 average.
The Bulldogs, 16-9 all-time against A-10 teams, are paced by Arnett Moultrie and Dee Bost at 15.8 and 15.6 points, respectively. On Monday, the two were tabbed first-team All-SEC by the Associated Press, one week after receiving the same honor from the league coaches.
"It was good to get back on the court again," Bost said. "We've got a bad taste we need to get out of our mouths. We have a lot to prove."
In NIT action, MSU is 7-7 all-time, including a 6-4 ledger with Stansbury at the helm. The Bulldogs last played in the NIT in 2010, beating Jackson State before dropping a 76-74 decision to North Carolina.