BOSTON, MA (December 11, 2024)—The Beacons' men's basketball team will travel to Amherst, Massachusetts, on Saturday, December 14, for a highly anticipated matchup against the Minutemen of UMass Amherst in one of the final non-conference games of the 2024 calendar year.

This matchup marks the first meeting in UMass Boston basketball's 50 years of history. With the Beacons' exceptional play this season, the matchup against the Minutemen will serve as an early Christmas present to the Beacons' faithful and a good benchmark for the squad before they travel to Florida over the holiday break for the Florida Sunshine Shootout tournament. The new and improved Beacons offense has been firing on all cylinders as of late. The additions of Xavier McKenzie ("X")(Lowell, Mass.), first year forward Cameron Perkins (Danbury, Conn.), and the return of senior captain Emanuel Zayas (Hollywood, Fla.) have been pivotal to the early success of the Beacons in the 2024-25 season.
This Season: UMass Boston

• UMass Boston has started the season 5-2, with its most recent victory coming against Little East Conference opponents Eastern Connecticut State (77-70) on December 7th. The Beacons also secured crucial victories over Colby Sawyer College (87-82), Fitchburg State (59-58), and Western Connecticut State (83-82).
• As a unit, UMass Boston average 78.7 PPG (44% FG, 39% 3PT, 63% FT), with 35.1 rebounds, 12.1 assists, 11.4 steals, and 4.1 blocks per game.
• Perkins is coming off two consecutive LEC Rookie of the Week awards for bringing the heat on both ends of the floor through his last four games. Last week, Perkins averaged 27.5 points for the second consecutive week to lead the LEC in scoring, as well as dropping a career-high 35 points in the overtime loss to Rhode Island College (83-90). Perkins leads the team in points and rebounds per game with 25.8 PPG and 7.7 RPG. McKenzie is second on the team in scoring with 15 PPG to couple with three rebounds and two steals per game. Zayas is the oil that keeps the machine running smoothly, averaging 13.7 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.6 steals per game.

This Season: UMass Amherst

• The Minutemen are 3-7 to open the year, with wins against New Hampshire College (103-74), Havard (62-54), and most recently, the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) (80-69).
• As a unit, the Minutemen are averaging 74.2 points (42% FG, 24% 3PT, 64% FT), 38.2 rebounds, and 13.4 assists per game. On the defensive side, they force 7.5 steals and 4.8 blocks per contest.
• The minutemen have four players scoring double figures per contest, led by sophomore guard Jalen Curry (Charlotte, N.C.) with 13.7 points per game to go with five assists and four rebounds. Junior forward Daniel Hankins-Sanford (Charlotte, N.C) leads the effort on the glass with just under seven rebounds per game. Senior guard Diggins Rahsool (Philadelphia, Penn.) is the go-to marksman; in 10 games played, he has made 22 of 90 3PT shots attempted, a team-high in 3PM.

Coaches Corner: Head Coach Jason Harris

• "We are thankful to those involved who assisted in making this game happen. We are excited to partner with UMass Amherst and look forward to building a stronger connection between the campuses."
• "UMass Amherst is a big, athletic, and physical team. Their aggressiveness on the glass, their athleticism and skill, and overall talent concern me. The opportunity excites me."

Tune In:

• To follow along with live stat coverage, follow the link HERE.
• The game will be broadcast live on New England Sports Network (NESN), with coverage starting at 12:00 p.m. Live coverage will also be available via ESPN+ with an active account.  

For all things UMass Boston athletics, visit UMass Boston - Official Athletics Website.