The UMass women’s basketball team is getting a much-deserved break.
The Minutewomen have won four straight, including three in six days. Their latest win came Sunday when Sam Breen sent St. John’s packing at the buzzer, 63-61.
The players have been on campus since August, following stringent COVID-19 protocols in order to start the season on time.
It’s been a grind so head coach Tory Verdi gave his players the week off.
“I’m so thankful that our administration has allowed our players to go home,” Verdi said after Sunday’s win. “They’ve been here since August and it hasn’t been easy. To go home, mental health is extremely important for them to see their families. It’s going to be really, really good for them.”
The players left Sunday and several could carpool. Sydney Taylor and Destiney Philoxy are from New York. Makennah White, Desiree Oliver and Breen are from Pennsylvania. Maddie Sims and Danielle Sanderlin are from New Jersey. Ber’Nyah Mayo is from Delaware, Madison Lowrey is from Virginia, Angelique Ngalakulondi is from New Hampshire and Maeve Donnelly is from central New York.
The Minutewomen will return on Friday and enter quarantine, before returning to Atlantic 10 play at the start of 2021.
“They are going to be on campus as we go through the holidays,” Verdi said. “That’s hard. That’s hard.”
The Minutewomen begin the new year with a pair of road games at Saint Joseph’s (Jan. 1) and La Salle (Jan. 3).
“It’s a much-needed break and I know that this team is going to come back and we’re going to be hungrier than ever.”
UMass is a basket away from a perfect start. It had the last shot in a tied game at Boston College, but the Eagles pulled away in overtime. Since that Nov. 29 loss, the Minutewomen have beaten Fairfield, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and St. John’s.
“We’ve been at school for a while so the break is definitely needed,” Breen said. “I think everyone needs to see their family and I think it’s going to be a little way to clear everyone’s head.”
Verdi is well aware of the pandemic and the concerns with sending the players home. However, he pointed to the fact the men’s program had a positive test while on campus and went into quarantine for nearly three weeks.
“Our administration has done a great job of educating our players. It’s a risk, there’s no question about it, but we can stay here and not go home and all of a sudden we get COVID and the first week of conference play we’re all in quarantine,” Verdi said. “I know what’s needed and our kids need to go home. They need to see their families. This is the toughest year as we go through this pandemic and we can’t keep them away from their families. It’s a much-needed important time for them to decompress, see their loved ones, spend some time with them and then come back.”
CLUTCH PERFORMERS — Philoxy’s performance was key to the win over St. John’s. The junior guard had 12 points and nine assists, running point for the Minutewomen in their comeback.
“I thought Destiney Philoxy was huge,” Verdi said. “Just taking over at the point guard position, just leading us, getting us where we needed to be, executing, finding people. I thought she was absolutely terrific.”
Playing against the Big East foe from her home New York borough of Queens may have served as extra motivation, but Verdi has repeatedly seen that type of performance from Philoxy this season.
“Destiney is going to show up regardless of who we’re playing — St John’s, New Hampshire, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’m sure in the back of her mind she’s got a little extra pep in her step for something like this as she goes home this evening and she can bring that back to New York with her. She’s a competitor and I’m super excited about the things she’s done for the program.”
Philoxy has averaged 10.5 points, 8.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game for UMass. While the Minutewomen collectively have shown a lot of fight this season, Philoxy has been one to outwardly show it.
“Certain players show it more but it’s in every player on our team,” Breen said of the team’s determination. “Destiney Philoxy for one, you can see it in her at all points in every single game. She has a lot of fight. Sydney Taylor as well. Honestly, everyone on the team does — they just express it more.”
Taylor’s growth has been key to the start as well. Verdi said he had a conversation with Taylor after her freshman year that centered around her being the future of the program. Verdi said Taylor needed to work on her craft and come in hungry.
“She did that,” Verdi said. “When she got on campus in August and once we started practicing she was a different player. I say that because it’s just not offensively, it’s on both sides of the ball. Just her want-to, her effort. She’s doing everything that it takes to be a really good player in the A-10.”
Taylor was stuck behind Hailey Leidel last year and averaged only 6 minutes a game as a freshman. Taylor has so far filled Leidel’s shoes. She has started all six games and averaged 34.5 minutes per game. She averages 19.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She’s made 19 of her 46 3-point attempts (41.3 percent).
“Sydney’s Taylor’s maturation process from a year ago is unbelievable,” Verdi added.
TOP 10 — Sam Breen’s buzzer-beater landed at No. 5 on ESPN’s Top 10 plays from Sunday.
Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com. Follow on Twitter @mikemoranDHG.
While you were sleeping last night, we were out making @SportsCenter #SCTop10…#Flagship🚩 pic.twitter.com/XZTfcI9Fk2
— UMass Women’s Basketball (@UMassWBB) December 14, 2020