Busting Brackets
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UMass Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Minutemen

By Stu Luddecke

AMES, IA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Matt McCall of the Chattanooga Mocs coaches from the bench in the first half of play against the Iowa State Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum on November 23, 2015 in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
AMES, IA - NOVEMBER 23: Head coach Matt McCall of the Chattanooga Mocs coaches from the bench in the first half of play against the Iowa State Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum on November 23, 2015 in Ames, Iowa. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 8: The Massachusetts Minutemen mascot dances with the pep band against the George Mason Patriots 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: The Massachusetts Minutemen mascot dances with the pep band against the George Mason Patriots 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) /

Key Reserves

Unlike last year’s Minuteman squad, which had three walk-ons (one borrowed from the football team) seeing significant time or even starting, this year’s team should have no problem going at least 10 deep with their rotation (and yes, of scholarship players). The backcourt is where the Minutemen have the most options, but they’ll have plenty to work within the post as well, especially after the addition of Djery Baptiste, a graduate transfer from Vanderbilt, in December.

As far as the backcourt goes, freshmen Samba Diallo and Tre Wood will both be in the mix for minutes with Clergeot (or Cobb, whichever one isn’t starting) off the bench. Diallo is the most highly-touted of the incoming freshman, and his versatility as a 6’7″ combo-guard makes him an attractive addition to a wide variety of lineups. It’s highly possible that McCall will eventually give him the starting nod in certain matchups, maybe even at the 4 if he wants to play small and fast.

Wood is more of a traditional point guard, and he may already be the quickest player on the roster. He probably won’t see the minutes that Diallo will, mainly because of his inability to play other positions, but he’ll still be extremely valuable for his ability to push the pace and keep the offense alive without Pipkins on the floor.

Sophomores Unique Mclean and Kieran Hayward (transfer from LSU) will both have their numbers called as well, but at this point, it’s unclear how often. Mclean can electrify the crowd with his dunking ability, and his athleticism allows him to rebound over/defend much larger players than himself.

However, he’ll need to be much more consistent shooting the ball if he wants to see meaningful playing time. All signs point to Hayward being a good shooter that can attack the basket, so he’ll likely be McCall’s preferred choice for small forward when Pierre needs a break, but he could also be in the mix for shooting guard minutes in certain lineups as well.

In the post, freshman Sy Chatman, a Minnesota native who chose UMass over UCF, will likely see time relieving both Laurent and Holloway. Until Baptiste arrives in December, the only other option McCall has for big men is Khalea Turner-Morris. KTM is physically strong and has a lot of potential, especially on the glass and on D, but he still has a lot to work on in terms of positioning and learning McCall’s system.

The bottom line: The strength of this UMass’ roster lies in its backcourt and its depth. Look for McCall to use that to his advantage by playing a lot of small-ball and by mixing up his lineups often. Almost everyone on the team can play multiple positions, so it’s difficult to predict how playing time (and even the starting lineup) will shake out. All we can say for sure is that (barring injuries) there will be no shortage of options at each slot.

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