# 1997–98 UMass Minutemen basketball team

The 1997–98 UMass Minutemen basketball team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst during the 1997–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Minutemen, led by second year head coach Bruiser Flint, played their home games at William D. Mullins Memorial Center and are members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. They finished the season 21–11, 12–4 in A-10 play to finish in third place.

## Roster

| Number | Name | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown |
| 3 | Charlton Clarke | Guard | 6–3 | 215 | Junior | Bronx, New York |
| 4 | Lari Ketner | Center | 6–10 | 268 | Junior | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 5 | Monty Mack | Guard | 6–3 | 193 | Sophomore | South Boston, Massachusetts |
| 10 | Jonathan DePina | Guard | 5–9 | 175 | Freshman | South Boston, Massachusetts |
| 12 | Ross Burns | Guard | 6–3 | 180 | Junior | Greenfield, Massachusetts |
| 13 | Rafael Cruz | Guard | 6–2 | 185 | Freshman | Arecibo, Puerto Rico |
| 14 | Andy Maclay | Guard | 6–4 | 195 | Junior | Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania |
| 20 | Winston Smith | Forward | 6–5 | 218 | Sophomore | Summit, New Jersey |
| 22 | Chris Kirkland | Forward | 6–6 | 206 | Sophomore | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 23 | Mike Babul | Forward | 6–6 | 204 | Sophomore | North Attleboro, Massachusetts |
| 25 | Ronnell Blizzard | Forward | 6–8 | 218 | Freshman | Waterbury, Connecticut |
| 34 | Tyrone Weeks | Forward | 6–7 | 258 | Senior | Philadelphia, PA |
| 40 | Ajmal Basit | Center/Forward | 6–9 | 248 | Sophomore | Brooklyn, New York |

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| 11/22/1997* | | at No. 13 Fresno State | L 64–82 | 0–1 | Selland Arena (10,220) Fresno, California |
| 11/26/1997* | | vs. SW Louisiana Great Alaska Shootout | W 80–64 | 1–1 | Sullivan Arena (–) Anchorage, Alaska |
| 11/28/1997* | | vs. No. 6 Purdue Great Alaska Shootout | L 69–82 | 1–2 | Sullivan Arena (8,700) Anchorage, Alaska |
| 11/29/1997* | | vs. Seton Hall Great Alaska Shootout | W 73–60 | 2–2 | Sullivan Arena (8,700) Anchorage, Alaska |
| 12/02/1997* | | College of Charleston | W 52–40 | 3–2 | Mullins Center (7,536) Amherst, Massachusetts |
| 12/06/1997* | | Marshall | W 61–59 | 4–2 | Mullins Center (7,107) Amherst, MA |
| 12/10/1997* | | at No. 3 Kansas | L 71–73 | 4–3 | Allen Fieldhouse (16,300) Lawrence, Kansas |
| 12/14/1997* | | vs. Boston College Commonwealth Classic | W 65–57 | 5–3 | Fleet Center (9,218) Boston, Massachusetts |
| 12/20/1997* | | vs. Colorado Las Vegas Shootout | W 79–68 | 6–3 | Thomas & Mack Center (5,000) Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 12/23/1997* | | at No. 11 Connecticut U-Game | L 55–72 | 6–4 | Hartford Civic Center (10,797) Hartford, Connecticut |
| 12/27/1997* | | vs. Cincinnati Gatorade Rock 'n Roll Shootout | L 66–74 $^{OT}$ | 6–5 | Gund Arena (12,324) Cleveland, Ohio |
| 01/3/1998 | | at Saint Joseph's | W 72–66 | 7–5 (1–0) | Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse (3,200) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 01/06/1998 | | at Fordham | W 73–55 | 8–5 (2–0) | Rose Hill Gymnasium (2,217) The Bronx, New York |
| 01/10/1998 | | George Washington | W 79–48 | 9–5 (3–0) | Mullins Center (9,493) Amherst, MA |
| 01/15/1998* | | vs. Charlotte A-10/Conference USA Challenge | W 68–62 $^{OT}$ | 10–5 | Providence Civic Center (3,925) Providence, Rhode Island |
| 01/17/1997 | | Fordham | W 62–46 | 11–5 (4–0) | Mullins Center (7,110) Amherst, MA |
| 01/19/1998 | | St. Bonaventure | W 62–50 | 12–5 (5–0) | Mullins Center (7,363) Amherst, MA |
| 01/22/1998* | | at Davidson | W 82–66 | 13–5 | Belk Arena (4,417) Davidson, North Carolina |
| 01/24/1998 | | at Virginia Tech | W 68–59 | 14–5 (6–0) | Cassell Coliseum (7,811) Blacksburg, Virginia |
| 01/29/1998 | | at No. 21 Rhode Island | W 74–57 | 15–5 (7–0) | Providence Civic Center (12,412) Providence, RI |
| 02/01/1998 | | Dayton | W 85–69 | 16–5 (8–0) | Mullins Center (9,493) Amherst, MA |
| 02/03/1998 | No. 23 | Temple | L 47–61 | 16–6 (8–1) | Mullins Center (9,493) Amherst, MA |
| 02/08/1998 | No. 23 | at No. 21 Xavier | W 73–62 | 17–6 (9–1) | Cincinnati Gardens (10,100) Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 02/10/1998 | No. 20 | at Duquesne | W 74–68 | 18–6 (10–1) | Palumbo Center (5,507) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 02/14/1998 | No. 20 | La Salle | W 81–71 | 19–6 (11–1) | Mullins Center (8,412) Amherst, MA |
| 02/18/1998 | No. 18 | Rhode Island | W 85–77 $^{2OT}$ | 19–7 (11–2) | Mullins Center (9,493) Amherst, MA |
| 02/21/1998 | No. 18 | Saint Joseph's | W 82–79 $^{OT}$ | 20–7 (12–2) | Mullins Center (9,493) Amherst, MA |
| 02/25/1998 | No. 20 | St. Bonaventure | L 70–72 $^{2OT}$ | 20–8 (12–3) | Reilly Center (6,000) Olean, New York |
| 03/01/1998 | No. 20 | at No. 24 Temple | L 66–74 | 20–9 (12–4) | Apollo of Temple (10,021) Philadelphia, PA |
| 1998 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament ||||||
| 03/04/1998 | (E3) | vs. (W6) Virginia Tech 1st Round | W 64–58 | 21–9 | CoreStates Spectrum (6,204) Philadelphia, PA |
| 03/05/1998 | (E3) | vs. (W2) George Washington Quarterfinal | L 83–88 | 21–10 | CoreStates Spectrum (7,545) Philadelphia, PA |
| 1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament ||||||
| 03/13/1998* | (7 SE) | vs. (10 SE) Saint Louis First Round | L 46–51 | 21–11 | Georgia Dome (17,474) Atlanta, Georgia |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. ||||||