CCSU unable to finish comeback at UMass, but showing great strides two weeks into season

By Connor Wilson (@Conman_815)

AMHERST, Mass. — The beauty at the mid-major level of playing non-conference games in November and December is that it can prepare your team for when the games really start counting in league play.

Sure, the games count toward your stats and record, but in one-bid leagues, all that really matters is conference play into the conference tournament.

Games like Central Connecticut’s 84-77 loss to UMass Sunday afternoon in Amherst show how non-conference games can be impactful and learning opportunities. After picking up the program’s first ever win over a Power 4 school on Tuesday on the road at Boston College, the Blue Devils suffered a bit of a reality check.

“We kind of went away from our offense (in the first half) because they had so many big bodies all over the ball,” head coach Pat Sellers said. “We just kind of flattened everything out.”

The first half on Sunday was complete domination in favor of UMass, as the Minutemen took a 23-point lead into the locker room behind 19 points and five triples from guard K’Jei Parker. After scoring just 28 points over the first 20 minutes, CCSU erupted for 18 points before the first media timeout and made it a game again.

“We have a bunch of guys with high basketball IQ and they decided to go off of ball screens, and for the most part, they did it,” Sellers said. “The second half was a ton better than the first, obviously.” 

One big question mark looming for Sellers this year is who will be the guy who steps up with the game on the line to make a big shot or big play. On Tuesday, it was Darin Smith, Jr. who hit the game winner with less than four seconds to play in Chestnut Hill. On Sunday, he was the focal point of the comeback and had multiple timely baskets to help the Blue Devils claw back in it. The redshirt sophomore finished with 18 points and three triples.

“It’s a new role for him,” Sellers said on Smith’s early season success. “He was like the young puppy for the past two years with all the veterans and now he’s the vet and needs to lead the guys, so he’s trying to find the right way to do it.”

Sellers has had the luxury of guys the past couple of years like Jordan Jones and Devin Haid, who you could trust to go get a bucket when the offense was in a funk or if the team needed some clutch points. With both of them gone, Smith has proven he can play in that role for this year’s squad.

Two of Smith’s teammates joined him in double figures, as Jay Rodgers and Nico Ashley each had 15 points. For Rodgers, it's the first time he’s hit that benchmark since February of 2023, nearly 33 months ago. As for Ashley, it’s his most productive game at the Division I level. The transfer from Lees-McRae College used his length and athleticism to disrupt on the defensive end, and showed ruthlessness on the offensive end with his acrobatic drives.

“Nico Ashley is like a Swiss Army knife for us with his ability to defend all positions and with his athleticism,” Sellers said.

Ashley’s athletic ability to rebound was on full display, with some of his boards coming with his head north of the rim. He only had four boards, but they all felt impactful.

Rebounding as a whole was the main downfall for CCSU in the defeat, as UMass won the battle on the glass by a 44-27 margin, securing 17 offensive rebounds and 22 second chance points. Outside of that, it felt like the Blue Devils matched up well with the Minutemen.

The biggest key in a game like this is to further reveal what your identity will be for league play. One major takeaway is that the Blue Devils need more out of guys like James Jones and Max Frazier. Neither are expected to average double figures, but both are great glue guys that excel at what they’re good at. Jones, known for his rebounding, tied his season low with five on Sunday. Frazier is known for his rim running and shot blocking, but he had just one field goal and no rejections at UMass.

One last note that can be viewed as a positive for Sellers is how his bench stepped up. Including Ashley, CCSU got eight points each from rookie Elijah Parker and well-traveled vet Gabe Spinelli, not to mention that Arkansas transfer Melo Sanchez did not suit up Sunday after scoring a team-best 17 points in the win over Boston College. In most games, it looks like the Blue Devils will go at least 10-deep, a trait not many programs can have nowadays while having success at the same time.

Central Connecticut will be tested once again in its next contest, as the Blue Devils travel to New Jersey for a tilt with Rutgers on Friday night.