MAC baseball was at its zaniest this week, with UMass walking off BGSU twice in a series sweep, while NIU, Miami and Kent State held firm atop the league.
Check out this week's series standouts and our previews for next week's actions in our latest #MACBats Digest: www.bythebelt.com/mac-baseball...
1. Porkchop
2. Judy
3. Quailman
4. Doug
5. Mr. Dink
We're in the thick of the MAC baseball season, with a big fight at the top of the conference for superiority.
We've recapped every game and standout performer from the week that was for you to stay up to date on your favorite #MACBats team: www.bythebelt.com/mac-baseball...
I read that Moranis pitched an idea way back with the title Spaceballs 3: the search for Spaceballs 2
Always glad to see a local kid come home, that's great. Playing in the Big Ten is no joke, so hopefully that experience elevates him as a MAC player. I also like the 3pt %.
Downside: shot 8-15 on free throws. That has been a glaring issue during Frank's tenure. 53% at the line is no bueno.
Should immediately slot in as a replacement for the departing K'Jei Parker. Shot 41% from 3. I wonder how he grades out defensively, which was where Parker wasn't very strong
Clayton has committed to UMass he announced on Twitter. 6'2" guard from Medford played at Northwestern.
screenshot of Nathan Strauss giving the eyes and flag emoji quote tweeting a transfer portal announcement for Northwestern G Jordan Clayton
ok @nathanpstrauss.bsky.social, what exactly are you trying to do here? Is Jordan Clayton coming to UMass? He's from Medford, formerly the No. 3 player in Mass...
Nice work putting in the "% of team production" sections. I knew we were losing a lot in Bettiol, DHS, Banks, Parker, and Placide, but seeing the numbers it really jumps out. Can't rely on freshmen to come in and take over, so we need to really start working the portal.
I knew he was heading out, but to lose him to Ball St is weak. There's no way they could pay more NIL than UMass. What does that say about our ability to attract quality players?
We have a lot of production to replace, Banks, Bettiol, DHS, Parker. It won't be easy.
Former UMass basketball player has committed to Ball St.
@247hshoops.bsky.social reports that K'Jei Parker is headed to Ball St. The men's basketball situation in Amherst is grim when Ball St is poaching your best players.
I don't follow the NBA closely, but it's incredible what the Celtics did this year. Even if he doesn't win it, Brown should get a ton of MVP votes.
We've had an alternating site series with Harvard for a while. I think that was in Amherst this past season so if it continues it should be at Harvard
We're playing BC at the Garden next season!
@deanwendel.bsky.social posted some non-conference games that UMass has added to the schedule for next season:
Can't get any worse than zero wins, so there's that
With a new power structure in place, Thorr overseeing things and Harasymiak in his second year, can they start to turn a corner?
2 FCS games, so you have to think they need at least 3 wins to build some positive momentum
Tough to keep up with NIL budgets when your coach is getting paid more than twice as much as his conference peers.
With UMass' season over, Frank Martin is back doing what he does best, giving coach-speak soundbite words of wisdom on the media circuit. This guy is great in the offseason, but I need way more from him from Nov-March from an actual basketball perspective.
www.youtube.com/live/6qorOB0...
Everyone knows the best way to build a house is not with a strong foundation, but with a mechanical flying contraption that is in the prototype phase.
Mind boggling that they didn't meet beforehand to game plan a direction for the presser and prep for questions they might have to field.
I agree, and will add Placide to that mix. Frank seemed to not like him and Placide, probably because they were so good at putting the ball in the basket. You're spot on about crunch time too. Games were lost because Carbuccia can't hit FT's. He needs major improvement in that area.
Ugh, so it begins for UMass basketball. K'jei Parker, an elite 3pt and FT shooter this past season is transferring per Tobias Bass of The Athletic.
Lewis Walker redshirted his freshman season at UMass and is back in the transfer portal, presumably looking to transfer up after having a big year for NC A&T. I doubt he wants to come back to play or Frank, but I'd love to see what "Big Jelly" can do considering we never saw him get on the court.
Huge MAC news. CoC is officially hiring John Groce, luring him away from perennial MAC title contender Akron. The MAC just got worse, and the excuses for Frank Martin and UMass have officially run out. With Groce gone and some familiarity with league now, it's time to show results.
Makes the Frank Martin contract look like even more of an albatross at UMass. His salary is more than twice the next highest in the MAC (although it was signed when he was in the A10). If he wants to win he should talk to Bamford about restructuring the deal to allow for more allocated to players.
DEVELOPING:
Akron men's basketball head coach John Groce has emerged as the top option for the College of Charleston vacancy: www.bythebelt.com/reports-akro...
"I got skin in this game, too. This is my shot, right? I've been an FBS coordinator. I've been a successful FCS head coach. I'm an 0-12 FBS head coach. No one's coming after me in three, four years if I don't get this done. So we got a lot of skin in this game."
I loved Joe Harasymiak's closing note at his UMass FB press conference yesterday. He leaned into using this job as a stepping stone. Didn't hide from it. He needs to win if he wants to coach at a higher level. Quote below
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNGH...
What an embarrassment. Story time with Frank. I was hoping there would be tangible news, like staff shakeups, an announcement of maybe a basketball GM, or pie in the sky since Bamford was there, Frank announcing his retirement.
Just the same old song and dance.
