Paradise turned to purgatory on Saturday for the Massachusetts men’s basketball team as it lost its second consecutive game at the Paradise Jam. Matched up in the losers’ bracket against Green Bay on Saturday, UMass (3-3) suffered a remarkably stagnant first half offensively before gaining some life in the second, but was out-executed down the stretch for a 79-75 loss. “We knew coming [to the Paradise Jam] that the level of competition was going to go up,” head coach Frank Martin said. “There’s a reason why in the second half [against] Central Connecticut State I was so aggravated, because I knew what was coming once we got here with the levels of teams that we’re playing against.” With just over a minute left, the Minutemen cut their deficit to one with a pair of Marcus Banks Jr. free throws. Needing only a single stop to regain possession and a chance to take a late lead, UMass settled down in its defense and watched as Phoenix (2-5) guard Justin Allen slung a pass to a cutting C. J. O’Hara. The sophomore coasted to the rim and finished emphatically with a dunk as the Green Bay bench went wild. Though the play didn’t fully lose the game for the Minutemen (a missed Banks Jr. three and some Phoenix free throws did that), Martin’s team appeared lifeless when it mattered most, just as it was against Charleston on Friday. The first half was nothing short of embarrassing for UMass, which managed only 25 points in 20 minutes against a Green Bay defense ranked 334th in Div. I going into Saturday’s game. “We obviously didn’t play with enough fight in the first half,” Martin said. “We played a team that’s been [very] close to winning all year, that’s really physical, and sleepwalking in the first half cost us the game.” The Minutemen looked strong the first few plays of the game, a common theme so far this season, with a Banks Jr. three and a Jayden Ndjigue breakaway layup to start. Over the rest of the half, the Minutemen offense devolved into a moribund operation, largely consisting of trying to get Banks Jr. the ball on the perimeter. There was little rim pressure and less versatility exhibited, and UMass trailed the Phoenix by eight at half. After the 5-0 start, only two players scored field goals for the rest of the half Banks Jr. and Danny Carbuccia, with two 3-pointers apiece. The loss was a shock for the Minutemen. Not only had Green Bay gone 0-4 against Div. I opponents so far this year, it played without its leading scorer, junior forward Marcus Hall. Going into the game against UMass, Hall led the Phoenix with 16 points a night, with their second-leading scorer, O’Hara, averaging only 10. 3. O’Hara had 21 on 7-of-11 shooting in the win, and Allen, who averaged only seven, had 27 off the bench. In the second half, the UMass offense recovered and began trading buckets with Green Bay, slowly cutting into the lead. Leonardo Bettiol came alive in the paint, spinning off defenders and delivering down low for a 19-point second half after just two in the first. Carbuccia also provided a major spark with his downhill scoring and facilitating. The freshman point guard repeatedly made the right reads, generated paint touches and provided a reliable hand on a night when the Minutemen desperately needed it. Carbuccia had a career-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with a game-high five assists. While UMass attempted to claw its way back into the game, it couldn’t stop fouling, allowing the Phoenix to shoot 35 free throws, of which they made 28. Late in the game, when the Minutemen offense seemed to be clicking, they repeatedly sent Green Bay to the free throw line to cushion their lead. Bettiol, UMass’ leading scorer, fouled out on a reach-in with just under three minutes left. The Minutemen will try to get back in the winning column against Oregon State. That game will tip off on Monday, Nov. 24 at 1 p. m., and will be available to watch on ESPN+.
https://dailycollegian.com/2025/11/umass-comes-up-short-against-green-bay/
UMass comes up short against Green Bay
