A doubleheader will once again open the UMass basketball season.
Athletic Director Ryan Bamford announced Tuesday that the Minutemen and Minutewomen will host Central Connecticut State on Monday, Nov. 7. It’s one of a few nonconference dates to have trickled out thus far, and Bamford tweeted the rest of the schedule will be released this month.
The men’s team will participate in the Myrtle Beach Invitational from Nov. 17-20, opening with Colorado. The Minutemen will also visit South Florida on Nov. 29 per the Bulls’ schedule release and have dates with Hofstra at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn (Dec. 11) and North Texas at the MassMutual Center in Springfield (Dec. 17).
The Minutewomen have played their cards closer, but coach Tory Verdi has hinted at a road matchup with a top-25 team in the south on Nov. 10.
MINUTEMEN ADD 2023 PLEDGE – Frank Martin’s recruiting strategy has planted seeds as much as it has born fruit for the Minutemen. Class of 2023 guard Jayden Ndjigue committed to UMass on Tuesday.
The Rivers School shooting guard is the No. 21 player in Masscahusetts in his class per Newenglandrecruiting.com.
“Playing Division 1 basketball has always been a dream of mine, and I’m thrilled to reveal that dream has become a reality,” Ndjigue wrote in a Notes app screenshot on Twitter.
The 6-foot-4 guard thanked his coaches and acknowledged their impact on his game.
“I’m excited to see where this journey takes me,” Ndjigue wrote. “I believe this is just the beginning.”
Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.