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UMass Basketball: In-Depth Look at Rising Junior Guard Luwane Pipkins

By Bryan Mauro

Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images
Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 8: Luwane Pipkins #2 of the Massachusetts Minutemen celebrates after hitting a three pointer against the George Mason Patriots in the first half during the second round of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 8: Luwane Pipkins #2 of the Massachusetts Minutemen celebrates after hitting a three pointer against the George Mason Patriots in the first half during the second round of the Atlantic 10 Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 8, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Why You Should Know Pipkins

The junior guard is one of the better all-around players in the conference as well as the country. Pipkins is not unheralded in the media or in the Atlantic 10 conference. He probably does not get the respect he deserves, but the junior is looking to change that this year. The guard is going to have the best supporting cast he has ever had in his tenure at UMass. The Minutemen have built the program with high-profile transfers to go along with stars Pipkins and center Rashaan Holloway.

Pipkins is an elite scorer and should improve this year off his previous season in which he averaged just over 21 points per game. He was awarded the Atlantic 10 most improved player award last year, after increasing his per game scoring average by 11 points per game. The guard was also rewarded for his season with a second-team All-Conference nod. Pipkins will easily slide onto the first team this year, especially if he continues his high level of play.

The junior guard is an exciting player, because of his ability to score. He has already placed his name in the UMass record books, last year in a game against LaSalle, the guard scored a UMass record 44 points. He followed that up with a 38-point performance against VCU in which he made 8 three-point baskets. The guard was an incredibly efficient scorer in all phases.

With his scoring prowess and the team that McCall has been able to assemble around him, that should take a little pressure off Pipkins to feel like he must score a ton of points. The pressure if there ever was any never seemed to bother the guard, as he looks comfortable scoring from any area of the floor.

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