2016-17 UMass Basketball: Kellogg's Last Stand

Jed Zeppelin

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Working from home today so getting my first look at this year's squad. They're 9-3, though I can't speak to the quality of their schedule thus far. Looking pretty good at Georgia State today. Aside from the occasional bout of poor decision-making, they've been in control. Very long and active on D, and the big guy Holloway uses his considerable body well to carve out space. Pipkins can shoot it. Dejon Jarreau is a really impressive freshman. Long and lean, very smooth operator, good passer who looks just as comfortable using the dribble drive to find an open man or attack the rim himself.

I'm dismayed to find the college game is still dominated by the almighty whistle anytime a player is breathed on a bit too hard.
 

amfox1

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Working from home today so getting my first look at this year's squad. They're 9-3, though I can't speak to the quality of their schedule thus far.
UMass is 3-3 against RPI Top 100 opponents and 7-0 against RPI sub-100 opponents. So, basically UMass did what they needed to do in their pre-conference schedule - win the games they should win and split the rest.

A-10 has seven teams in the RPI Top 100, including UMass and seven teams below RPI 100. UMass has nine games against each set of conference teams. If they can win four of the former and six of the latter, they will go into the tournament at 20-11, 10-8 and have a chance for post-season play.
 

RedSoxFan

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What a disappointing season. Great recruiting class and yet tied for last place in the A10. I have absolutely zero confidence in Kellogg's coaching abilities. If this team can rattle off some wins and end the year on a positive note, maybe give him 1 more year with this class but otherwise I'm perfectly fine with blowing it up. I'd love to get Schmidt from St Bonaventure.
 

gmogmo

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They should absolutely fire Kellog, I guess the only fear is that a portion of the freshman class leaves, but at this point do you have any confidence in his ability to coach them to a tournament berth during their stay in Amherst?
 

RedSoxFan

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Blown out by 30 at Duquesne tonight. Unacceptable. No question now that this program needs to move on from Kellogg at the end of the season. If the freshmen leave so be it. Just really need someone who can coach and develop players. The Champions Center should be a good enough recruiting tool on its own.
 

Vinho Tinto

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155-137 overall record. But he scheduled very weak out of league teams. 67-83 in the league. One NCAA appearance where they were one and done. He made enough money at UMass that he doesn't need to take a job he doesn't want ever again.
 

E5 Yaz

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AP, via The Republican

A woman is alleging in a lawsuit that University of Massachusetts basketball staff members intimidated her in an effort to keep her quiet about potentially damaging information about the team and staff.

Ayanna Hickman says Assistant Coach Lou Roe and two other staffers imprisoned her by preventing her from leaving a room where they spoke to her in 2013. She previously dated Roe.

The suit says Roe had told Hickman about the use of banned substances by team members, domestic violence by staff members and quashing of potential criminal complaints against unidentified team members.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18894794/woman-says-umass-minutemen-basketball-staff-members-intimidated-her
 

RedSoxFan

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Bertrand's sources were accurate. Pat Kelsey from Winthrop has been hired as the new head coach.
 

Soxy

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Winthrop alum here. Kelsey is a very good coach and I'm sad to see him leave, but happy for him to take that next step. He did a great job turning around a Winthrop program that had declined after being a perennial NCAA tournament team under Greg Marshall.

Kelsey coached Winthrop to the last four Big South title games. They finally got the W this season and made the big dance for the first time since 2010. Kelsey's teams are uptempo, high scoring, shoot a lot of threes. Runs a modern styled offense. Likes to put shooters all over the floor and is generally willing to sacrifice size for players who can stretch the defense.

He was mentored by former Xavier and Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser, whom he was very close with. Prosser's sudden death hit him hard and he actually had to take a break from coaching to cope with the aftermath. Prosser's son, Mark, was an assistant coach for Kelsey at Winthrop and may end up taking over as head coach.

I know it's cliche, but Kelsey is a process orientated guy who looks at himself just as much as a teacher than as a coach. He'll bring in guys who buy in and he'll get them to play hard. Obviously he was never going to get top talent at a school like Winthrop so he searched high and low for diamonds in the rough. Best example was probably Big South player of the year Keon Johnson. Everyone was focused on the fact that he was only 5' 7". Kelsey realized the kid can flat out play so he went after him. Johnson said he ended up going to Winthrop because Kelsey was the only head coach who personally visited Johnson at his home. Kelsey also successfully recruited a few overseas guys, impressive for a small school like Winthrop.

He should do well for UMass.

Should probably post this, since this is what Kelsey is most famous for:

 

BigA27

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I'm very surprised he would take this job. Winthrop is far more relevant than UMASS.
That sadly may be true, but the A-10 is a far more nationally relevant conference. I figure that an the (I assume) higher pay are the big reasons for this.
 

RedSoxFan

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Appreciate the insight Soxy. Really excited about Kelsey coming here with everything I've seen/read/heard about him. Needed an Xs and Os guy and looks like we got one. The talent is there to compete for an A10 title next season, hoping these players will embrace Kelsey and not transfer.

I'm very surprised he would take this job. Winthrop is far more relevant than UMASS.
Ryan Bamford has done an incredible job selling UMass to coaching candidates. Last year it didn't seem like anyone worth a damn would have any interest in coaching our moribund hockey program and he goes and gets Greg Carvel from St. Lawrence. Similar deal with getting Tory Verdi to come and coach the women's basketball team.
 

RedSoxFan

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Wow, this really sucks. Not sure how they would go back to Joe Dooley or Micah Shrewsberry and say "so yeah you weren't our first choice but still interested?" Might have to start the search completely over.