FAIRFAX, Va. — UMass’ already decimated roster suffered its toughest blow yet Saturday. Sophomore guard Luwane Pipkins didn’t play against George Mason with concussion symptoms.
He suffered the injury in Wednesday’s loss to VCU, but didn’t report it until Saturday morning.
The one saving grace UMass had through all of its injury, illness and ineligibility issues was Pipkins. His presence meant the Minutemen had a chance to be in every game. He leads the Atlantic 10 in scoring at 21.5 points per game and has led or co-led UMass in scoring 23 times this season, including 14 of 15 Atlantic 10 games. He’s coming off a 38-point performance in a loss to VCU where he tied the school record with eight 3-pointers.
Pipkins was at practice Thursday and expressed excitement about a rematch with Mason guard Otis Livingston II, but he didn’t participate in shootaround. His status for Wednesday’s game at Richmond has yet to be determined as he’s in concussion protocol.
UMass has continued to lose players since seven transferred following last season. A previously undiscovered heart ailment ended Maryland transfer Jaylen Brantley’s season before it started.
Junior big man Rashaan Holloway was declared academically ineligible in early January, and sophomore Chris Baldwin missed the last eight games with a season-ending leg injury.
Pipkins’ absence meant more time for Rayshawn Miller, Randall West and Jaylen Franklin. Miller replaced Pipkins in the starting lineup and had 11 points and five assists in 42 minutes of a 78-76 overtime loss to George Mason.
West, who continues to grow since joining the team four games ago, had eight points, six rebounds and blocked three shots. Franklin played a career-high 12 minutes with an assist and a rebound.
TRE WOOD IN ATTENDANCE — Saturday marked a symbolic changing of eras for Tre Wood, the 6-foot guard from Washington, D.C., who signed with UMass in November.
His high school team, St. John’s College High School, was eliminated from its postseason tournament Saturday afternoon. UMass’ 6 p.m. start allowed Wood and his mother to get to Fairfax in time to see his future team in action.
Wood sat in the front row behind the UMass bench. He was excited to see them live after watching them on TV all year.
“When ever they’re on TV and it fits in my basketball schedule, I watch,” Wood said.
He was eager to be part of the Minutemen.
“It’s a great fit for me,” Wood said. “The connection I had with the players and coaches were second to none.”
Wood expected to be at UMass shortly after graduation to take part in summer classes and workout.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage